Johannesburg-based Hotel Sky says it is disrupting SA’s hospitality sector after sparing no expense in securing cutting-edge technologies to create a streamlined guest experience.
The 453-room hotel, which recently opened its doors, bills itself as SA’s smartest hotel, after investing around R28 million in the latest technologies.
The Sandton-based hotel has artificial intelligence-based humanoid robots that deliver room service to guests and work as concierge attendants or waiters.
The hotel’s list of tech innovations includes a remote digital booking and check-in service, app-based door keys, and guests can also listen to their favourite song played by a digital grand piano upon their request.
Paul Kelley, founder of Hotel Sky and MD of hotel developer Richland Holdings, says his vision was to offer a hotel experience like no other, incorporating the best available technology to support each hotel staff member, and ensure a unique and enjoyable stay for guests. “We had a vision to become a hotel that put South Africa’s hospitality industry on par with global trends and demands. The technology being implemented is in line with global hospitality trends and best practice, with a core focus on utilising technological solutions to streamline operations and deliver a more efficient experience for employees and guests alike.
“The hotel mobile app not only offers room access, but guests are able to order food, make reservations, make calls to other rooms in the hotel or to reception. The app-based check-in and room access is particularly important with the advent of COVID-19 in adhering with health protocols and adding additional protection to the guests when they use their own device – there is no need to touch a card given by another person,” explains Kelley.
Richland Holdings, a Johannesburg-headquartered real estate consultancy and agency that has a portfolio of commercially-owned properties, is preparing to launch a second Hotel Sky in Cape Town, in April, featuring similar high-tech capabilities.
The robotics hardware used in the hotel was supplied by an international company, but the technology operating the robots was developed by SA-based CTRL Robotics.
The CTRL Robotics platform serves as the robots’ cloud-based brain, and all requests and information are stored on the cloud planner and relayed down to each robot as required.
“This cloud platform has been developed in such a way that it enables multiple robots to work together in fleets, or independently, to assist the hotel with increasing guest engagement and efficiencies.It is important to note that, while technology is used to enhance our guests’ experience, it does not in any way replace jobs and merely adds to the convenience and comfort of the guests’ stay,” notes Kelley.
The hotel’s Yamaha piano can either be played by a person or play on its own, with a built-in play list that can be updated at any time.
“The self-playing piano is a hero in the Galileo Piano Lounge. You can see the keystrokes and the foot pedals as it plays. If an artist contracted to Yamaha has a live show or concert, we can live stream-in, and the piano will follow the artist’s keystrokes, allowing us to display the concert on the big screens in the lounge. It’s like attending a live event − something we’re sure many people miss.”
The hotel says it’s constantly updating its tech software and conducting research on what else can be done to create an environment that is exciting, advanced and convenient, while remaining affordable for guests.
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