Ottawa, Ontario – The Emily Morgan San Antonio – a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel is preparing to welcome hoteliers attending the Hospitality Show in October. Located just three blocks from the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, the historic hotel is preparing to install Hotel Communication Network (HCN) Navigator 2.0 tablets in guest rooms to provide guests with mobile access to services and amenities and provide local area and event information.
Awarded AAA Four Diamonds by Historic Hotels of America, our hotel is the second most photographed property in San Antonio. As the “Official Hotel of the Alamo,” we are an excellent choice for history buffs, leisure travelers who want to see the sights along the San Antonio River Walk, and business travelers who need to be near the Convention Center.
While history is a big part of our story, we still rely on modern technology to deliver a memorable and engaging experience that keeps guests coming back. That’s why we chose HCN’s Navigator 2.0 tablets. Not only are these mobile devices practical and convenient for customers to use, but they also help our operations teams communicate across departments and improve response times to guest requests. Once installed, Navigator 2.0 will become our digital directory, a 24-hour room service menu and ordering platform, and the place where guests can request late checkout, enable do not disturb alerts, opt out of daily housekeeping, and more. Managing Director Kole Siefken
Digital all-in-one device
The cloud-based Navigator 2.0 platform offers real-time language translation to make two-way communication effortless. It’s a modern approach to guest engagement and revenue growth that gives operators the ability to update and self-manage content as often as needed throughout the day. With a Netflix-inspired interface, the look and feel of the content is compelling, drawing people to click around, discover the on-site services and amenities, and spend more money on-site. The tablets sit on a Bluetooth-pairable speaker base with high-quality sound, USB A&C charging points, and stunning HD graphics. The speaker base can also serve as a voice assistant, allowing guests to request services and amenities and report issues via voice command.
The design of the Navigator 2.0 is fantastic,
said Siefken. It will look great in our rooms and integrates with our hotel’s property management system. We plan to start small with tablet programming and keep functionality to a minimum, but we plan to add more features over time.
Personalized welcome video
One such tablet feature that may be of interest to the Emily Morgan Hotel – a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel – is HCN’s “Welcome message.” Through a recorded video, the General Manager or an AI avatar can personally welcome each guest to the hotel and offer them services and amenities of the hotel. Using the avatar, the GM can change the welcome message at any time and even target it to specific groups to welcome them with an exciting, personalized message that differentiates the arrival process and sets them apart from hotels that don’t have this technology. It is a digital alternative to the traditional welcome letter that appears on the screen when a guest first touches the tablet. Based on historical data, when over 85% of guests see the welcome message, they pick up the tablet and use it to search for hotel information.
All Navigator 2.0 tablets can instantly replace in-room electronics, including inconvenient and time-consuming TV applications, expensive voice solutions, outdated alarm clocks and rarely used bedside phones. They can also be used to eliminate in-room clutter caused by printed compendiums and table displays with QR codes and inconveniently placed and easily damaged stickers with marketing messages and digital tips.
We look forward to bringing the Emily Morgan Hotel – a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel – online soon and showing management and employees how easy it is to communicate effectively and generate additional revenue. Neil Schubert, HCN Chief Product Officer
About the Hotel Communication Network (HCN)
Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Hotel Communication Network builds on years of research and development to deliver innovative, high-quality guest amenities that keep every guest connected to their hotel, their city and each other. For more information, visit www.hcn-inc.com.
Barbara Worcester
