An early look at the Hotel of Tomorrow

Then again, given the abuse that hotel appliances are subject to, I can foresee some issues when the unit goes on the fritz. (“Open the pod bay doors, Hal.”) Likewise, I’m pretty sure it’s going to cost you more than five bucks if you lose it.

Settling in
Considering most of us book hotel rooms to avoid sleeping outdoors, it’s not surprising that bedding received a lot of attention among the HOT Project participants. Forget designer sheets and pillow menus; we’re talking self-cleaning, nano-fiber linens and light-emitting pillows for late-night reading.

My favorite, though, would have to be the bed/bath unit in which the sleep surface can be retracted to create a bathtub and shower. It would save space, it would save time, and the benefits could extend far beyond the hotel business. Start putting them in college dorms and you’ve got the ideal all-in-one unit for those who overdo it at the Friday-night kegger.

Other envisioned amenities get downright personal. One such idea would use a floor pad to monitor guests’ health through their feet and a mirror to display the data and something called “elective physical modifications.” I’m not sure what that means exactly — a new hairdo? different lipstick? nose job and facelift? — but I’d like to make a request should the concept ever become reality. Do me a favor, disable the weight function, okay?

Equally problematic, perhaps, would be the proposed fashion consulting system, which would take your plans (work, exercise, a night on the town) and personal preferences into account and then display appropriate clothing from local retailers. In my case, I just know the unit would roll its digital eyes, heave a synthesized sigh, and flash a message saying, “I’m sorry, the system needs to shut down. A fatal error has occurred.”

And yet, despite that, I think the people involved in the Hotel of Tomorrow project are onto something. By bringing together a diverse group of designers, hoteliers, and manufacturers, they’ve not only come up with some interesting ideas; they’ve also put together a dream team that stands the best chance of turning those ideas into reality. Sure, it’ll mean I’ll be scratching my head or tearing my hair out again, but I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

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