17 Mar Electrical trends in the hospitality sector

The hospitality sector has seen relatively slow change compared to manufacturing, engineering and other sectors where the technological development has been so great companies who set up to be agile have struggled to keep pace. As a service industry, the hospitality sector is at its core about customer experience and improving the electrics and technologies to create a better experience has been a slow burn. That is until now, as more and more companies look to advance themselves.

This is no more so prevalent than in lodging. Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, spas and even pop-up hotels are using electrics to improve their customer’s experience. Here’s some of the ways they are doing just that.

Amazon Alexa

Although there are now a number of virtual assistants out there (Google Home, Apple HomePod) in hotels Amazon Alexa has been the preferred choice ever since Amazon made a special version for hotels. It allows guests to order room service, request housekeeping, and play music (connected to bigger speakers) using their voice.

Smart hubs

In an effort to help their guests stay connected, smaller hotels and hostels are installing smart hubs. These are designed to give a powerful connection from the living room to the balcony. They typically have seven antennas to maximise Wi-Fi performance. Some hotels are going even further with touchscreen hubs.

Wireless charging pads

More and more tablets and smartphones have wireless charging. To accommodate these guests with such devices, hotels are starting to install wireless charging pads onto their bedside tables and other table tops so customers can charge up when they put their phone down. Qi is the common standard smartphones use.

Philips RoomFlex

RoomFlex is a smart room control system that lets guests control their lighting and connected electrical appliances down to a tee. For example, guests can set the lights to come on softly as a certain time as an alarm. Or when guests enter a room, the lighting can adjust instantly to welcome them. It’s all very neat.

USB plug sockets

Have you ever travelled somewhere, only to realise after it’s too late you forgot your charger head? It’s an easy mistake to make. USB plug sockets are like your regular 3-pin sockets only they have twin USB ports on them. This enables your customers to plug their cable directly into the socket to charge up.

Customisable lighting

Instagram models and ‘lifestyle’ gurus play clever tricks with lighting and media to snap incredibly shareable photos. To facilitate this, hotels are having customisable lighting installed in their rooms and reception areas. These allow customers and staff to change the colour and ambience of the room at the press of a button.

Voice controlled lighting

The rise of virtual assistants like Google Home and Amazon Alexa has given rise to the number of voice-controlled lighting options on the market. Philips Hue is the most popular but there are others. Far from being a gimmick these allow guests to dim lights, change the colour and turn them on and off without flicking a switch.

Automatic lighting

No one likes flicking a switch. In hallways, bathrooms and other areas of a hotel, it makes sense to have automatic lighting which switches on when it detects the movement of a person. This ensures there’s always sufficient light, and in hotel rooms, means guests don’t have to fumble around for a switch in the dark.

Energy saving technologies

Of course, a big part of the reason the hospitality sector is embracing new electrical technologies is to create a more environmentally-friendly business. LED light bulbs, timers and dimmers for lighting are the most obvious solutions. Smart climate control and automatic shutdown sockets are other solutions.

We have experience helping hotels deliver improved guest experience through new technology adoption and electrical installations. To find out how BrightLec Electrical can help you, please call us on 0113 894 1968. Thank you.