Interactive tables help hotel guests plan their stay

Earlier this year we wrote about the use of interactive surface technology in New York’s Adour wine bar, and now guests at Sheraton Hotels can use similar technology to access local information. Deployed just last week in Sheraton’s Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Seattle hotels, Microsoft’s Surface technology provides instant access to local tourist highlights. With a 30-inch display in a tablelike form that several guests can use at once, Surface features an intuitive user interface that works without a traditional mouse or keyboard to let people interact with content and information in a natural and familiar way. Hotel guests can use their hands and gestures to access entertainment and information about local attractions, including CityTips, which provides 360-degree satellite maps and tools to search for local restaurants and bars, entertainment, recreation, shopping, transportation and services; Sounds of Sheraton, a lobby-based digital jukebox enabling guests to create personal music playlists from Sony BMG artists including John Legend, Kenny Chesney and Lauryn Hill; and Sheraton Snapshots, giving guests a way to explore Sheraton hotels and resorts throughout the world by simply browsing the Surface photo library. Placement of the Surface units in Sheraton lobbies is designed to enable guests to leverage and experience the offerings in a social way, Sheraton says. Sheraton is the first hotel to offer Microsoft Surface in its lobby, it says, but it surely won’t be the last to feature such technology. Following hard on the heels of the hotel chain’s recently cobranded Link @ Sheraton experienced with Microsoft effort to turn deserted hotel lobbies into technology-enabled brand spaces, the new lobby experience promises to keep consumers engaged and coming back for more. So far, just scratching the “surface” on this one … other hotels, airports, restaurants–what about you? 😉 Spotted by: RK