Top 10 Hotel Trends For The Future
by Jessica Montevago /They may seem far-fetched now, but think of how fast technology has evolved around us. In 2016, we ushered in robot concierges, self-driving cars and Amazon delivering packages via drones. Nothing is impossible.
Hotels.com partnered with futurist Dr. James Canton of the Institute for Global Futures, a leading think tank that advises Global Fortune 500 companies on emerging trends in innovation and technology, for the Hotels of the Future study.
Here are the 10 trends they identified for the future of travel:
1. RoboButlers
Robot butlers or concierges can be programmed with special skills, languages and information to help improve the hotel experience for guests. They’ll be able to do everything from greeting guests at the airport and providing advice on the destination and hotel to providing companionship and concierge services.
2. Made-to-order hotels
Hotels will be able to transform from one design to another based on consumer feedback. These crowdsourced hotels will use nanotechnology and machines that could be available in the next 20 years to assemble fixtures, lighting, interior design and menus.
3. 3D printers
Forgot something? 3D printers will be able to generate items such as clothes, toiletries and even computers in real time. 3D shopping will be available, so consumers can download retail goods that they want to design on demand, from the cloud.
4. Neuro-dreaming
Sleepless nights in unfamiliar hotel beds will be a thing of the past. Guests will have access to neuro-technology to program their dreams, choosing from a “dream theme” to relax, enhance, learn or enjoy.
5. Spas promoting longevity
Hotel spas will evolve to cater to society’s obsession with youth. Guests will receive personalized prevention treatments that use the latest genetic medicine treatments to refresh one’s health and understand future medical risks.
6. Airport transfers become high-tech and high-speed
Future transports include self-driving pods; RoboFlying cars; and larger developments such as the Hyper Loop, supersonic air travel covering hundreds of miles in seconds.
7. Confirming with DNA
The ultimate assurance against fraud, fingerprints will be used to confirm our identities when making payments online or checking into a hotel.
8. Fully sustainable
Hotels won’t be “eco-friendly” but rather fully sustainable, using solar and geothermal energy and non-toxic products to produce carbon-neutral footprints.
9. Gourmet genomics
Meals will be custom-designed, with a unique diet and nutrition menu based on an individual’s DNA. Food still will be served on a gourmet level, but with a goal to improve health, nutrition and fitness.
10. Immersive-themed hotels
As in the HBO series Westworld, hotels will become fully interactive live-event locations filled with androids, story lines and themes like the Renaissance or Roman Era. Consumers will be able to interact in real time or through virtual reality.