Hilton launches new ‘Hilton Technology Room’

May 03, 2005 |

Hilton Hotels Corporation launched a newly-designed Hilton Technology Room, a fully-functioning guestroom "laboratory" for gathering customer feedback on new and emerging technologies.

Hilton Hotels Corporation launched a newly-designed Hilton Technology Room, a fully-functioning guestroom “laboratory” for gathering customer feedback on new and emerging technologies. The room is a testament to Hilton Hotels Corporation’s commitment to satisfying customers with industry-leading innovations in comfort, convenience and control.

“The Technology Room is designed to continually evolve by integrating the latest advancements in entertainment, communications and rest into a seamless guest experience,” said Patrick Terwilliger, senior vice president of design, construction and purchasing for Hilton Hotels Corporation. “In its current iteration, the Hilton Technology Room blends high-tech features into a luxurious guestroom setting, enabling us to gain insight into how guests interact with the technology and which pieces would be appropriate for full-scale deployment to our hotels.”

At first glance, visitors to the Hilton Technology Room notice the striking layout, with the bed positioned at a 45-degree angle to the room; a large, sweeping expanse of granite for the desk element; clean, modern lines; a stylish upholstered headboard and dramatic lighting options throughout the room.

The entertainment and communications centerpiece of the room is a 16 x 9 format, 70-inch advanced front projection screen complemented by one of the latest Bose(R) home theater systems. The Lifestyle(R) 28 Series II home entertainment system offers 5-channel surround sound from any source, and includes an integrated progressive scan DVD/CD player and AM/FM tuner.

Inset, color-matched Direct/Reflecting(R) cube speaker arrays and a hideaway Acoustimass(R) module, which reproduces deep, resonant low notes, round out the audio system. The system also features the ADAPTiQ(R) audio calibration system (pronounced “adapt I Q”), a proprietary innovation that analyzes and automatically adjusts the sound for a particular room, speaker location, and even listener location.

The video system includes a front projector, nestled away in a ceiling-mounted enclosure, and electronics for video signal processing and switching. The wall-mounted screen is optimized for color, contrast, and viewing angles, to provide a stunning image even in a well-lighted room. Digital satellite and high-definition channels, digital music channels, and on-demand movies are all fed into the room and viewable on the large screen. For those who aren’t content to enjoy just one form of digital media at a time, the Philips MiraVision mirror LCD display panel adjacent to the projection screen serves double duty as a television monitor or - when switched off - as a mirror. And those who want to catch the early news or last night’s sports highlights while getting ready in the morning can watch digital satellite and high definition programming on the LCD flat-panel monitor conveniently located above the bathroom’s whirlpool tub.

An AMX Touch Panel wireless remote control unit serves as the “brains” of the room. The system centrally controls most of the room’s devices, including the stereo, televisions, automated climate control, window coverings, lighting, security camera, and housekeeping status. With the simple touch of a menu screen, guests can control the various forms of digital media, change the climate control settings, adjust the lighting to suit any mood, and view visitors at the door via an on-screen display. The Hilton Technology Room takes the concept of “Do Not Disturb” to a whole new level with the ability to adjust the electronic housekeeping alert via the AMX Touch Panel without even having to get out of bed. A second touch panel, wall-mounted between the sink and tub, controls the bathroom TV.

Several traditional features enhance guest comfort, including a mini refrigerator featuring electronic compressor-less technology and a space-age, single cup, gourmet coffee brew station. An illuminated glass curtain lined with a custom veneer separates the wet bar and entryway from the guestroom, creating the illusion of more space and enabling guests to customize sections of the room to meet their personal needs. The flexible workstation features an ergonomic desk chair and a rolling work desk that tucks neatly away when not in use, providing a comfortable, convenient setting for catching up on email via the hotel’s wireless network and the guest’s own laptop computer. Guests can store valuables in the biometric safe using just their fingerprint to easily lock and unlock the safe.

When it comes to perhaps the most important component of any hotel room - the bed - the Hilton Technology Room replaces the conventional mattress with the king-size VSS Sleep System. The unique system of air baffles continually adjusts the bed to the unique contours of the body, offering an enhanced sleep experience. The articulated slat foundation allows guests to find exactly the right comfortable position by raising and lowering the left and right side head and foot positions. A Bose Wave(R) radio on the nightstand provides a new standard of audio performance, simplicity and elegant design. LED reading lamps are incorporated into the bedside lights and the floor torchiere.

The bathroom combines contemporary design features with modern hygiene and comfort, including ornate glass tiles, a modern porcelain bowl at the vanity, and a whirlpool tub. The mirror contains a de-fogging membrane, and the shower has four automated jets for full-body pleasure and a digital display that lets guests easily adjust the shower pressure and temperature. Updated features of the lighting, floors and countertops add to the bathroom’s modern style. The advanced hair dryer is made from 100% crushed tourmaline mineral, and combines ionic and infrared technology to decrease drying time by up to 60% and eliminate static electricity and frizz.

“Through customer feedback and continual evolution, the Hilton Technology Room will help us determine which technological innovations truly elevate the guest experience,” said Terwilliger. “We realize that technology offers just one way of meeting guests’ needs, and we’ve carefully balanced technological innovation with Hilton’s world-renowned customer service.”

The Hilton Technology Room, which is located in the University Wing of the Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo, will be open to guests on an invitation basis.