Technology Room of Hilton and Marriott – Changing Technology Focus

In 2005, Hilton Hotels Corporation launched the “Hilton Technology Room” at the Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo to explore next-generation guestroom technology. The Technology Room was designed to integrate the latest advancements in entertainment, communications and rest into a seamless guest experience.

Innovation features include:
AMX Control Module: It runs most of the room, controlling stereo, televisions, automated climate control, window coverings, lighting, security camera, and housekeeping status.

Bed: The room is replaced the conventional mattress with the king-size VSS Sleep System. Air baffles on flexible wooden slats conform and mold automatically to the contours of each guest.

Bathroom: A defogging device behind the mirror is installed. The shower has four automated jets for full-body pleasure and a digital display that lets guests easily adjust the shower pressure and temperature.

Biometrics: The room key card with a thumb scanner is replaced. Guests can store valuables in the biometric safe using their fingerprint to easily lock and unlock the safe.


In 2007, Courtyard Newark - University of Delaware, part of the Marriott brand, launched the “X-Room” as part of Shaner Hotels' Experimental Guestroom of the Future project. The X-Room tested what actually works and does not work in a real hotel environment.

Innovation features include:
- A robotic vacuum cleaner that automatically cleans the carpet.
- An air-powered showerhead and an ionic hair dryer help to save water and energy usage.
- An LCD screen connected to a digital video camera that instantly lets guests know who is outside the door.
- Flameless electronic candles.
- An energy management system which adjusts the temperature and lights in the room when it detects that there is no guest in the room.
- A flat screen, high definition TV with a connectivity panel for guest devices such as an IPod or digital camera.

Watch the innovation features on YouTube:

Though the objective- enhancing guest experience was the same, there was huge difference in technology focus only within 2 years. In 2005, Hilton’s Technology Room was focusing on physical enhancement, such as beds, mirrors, TVs and so on. Two years later, Marriott’s X-Room focused more on green technology to save energy. For the technology focus in near future, I believe “going Green” will still play an important role, but combining with artificial intelligence.

When we are now looking back the technology innovation in past five years, it seems that those innovations are out-dated since most of them have been put into practice. In order to attract and retain guests, hotel room technology innovation is a non-stop task for hoteliers. To learn more about next generation of hospitality technology, GUESTROOM 20X would be a good experience. GUESTROOM 20X will debut at HITEC this year, providing attendees chance to learn about leading-edge and near-future technologies for tomorrow’s hotel rooms.