Alexa, what’s the weather in Paris?

In his recent blog, Greg Land, worldwide head of accommodations and lodging at Amazon Web Services (AWS), shared survey results that found that 73 percent of hotel guests were more likely to stay at a hotel that offers self-service technology to minimize contact with the staff and other guests. Accommodation providers can provide guests the contactless experience that they crave with Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality.

Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality is now officially available in France in collaboration with the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel from the Accor Group. Guests of the 430-room hotel can enjoy new and customized experiences using an Echo device in their room, such as asking Alexa to set an alarm, requesting housekeeping, playing music, calling the concierge, and more, without picking up the phone or going to the lobby.

In addition, guests can access hotel information, such as breakfast hours, check-out time, or even curated local restaurant recommendations in both French and English, in all rooms.

Alexa can also be configured to allow guests to control and adjust in-room devices, such as lights, thermostats, blinds, and TVs, to their individual preferences. Guests can be given access to thousands of Alexa skills, including playing games, taking guided workouts or meditations, and playing white noise to help them fall asleep.

A private, secure guest experience

Guests’ privacy and security is as important as the hotel experience. All guests can use Alexa without connecting their Amazon account to the Alexa-facilitated device, and voice recordings are not saved. For those who prefer not to use Alexa during their stay, they can simply turn off the Echo smart speaker to electronically disconnect the microphone.

“The Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel is proud to be the first hotel in continental Europe to feature the Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality solution in its whole room inventory. We designed a customized experience so that guests can enjoy an augmented stay through the convenience of voice control. From welcome messages to booking a fitness class, we thought about experiences that can make our guests’ stays more enjoyable. Our will to innovate has always been driven by our commitment to provide memorable moments to our customers. The addition of Alexa in rooms is a natural step to unlock new ways to personalize hospitality experiences. Our teams will continue to rely on Alexa to create human connections with our guests. That remains a top priority for us,” says Andrès Lopez-Dafonte, hotel manager of Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower.

Expanding to more markets

As hotels continue to seek ways to enhance the guest experience with limited staff, deploying Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality may be the win-win that they need. Beyond Paris, hotels in other locales are using Alexa Smart Properties, creating value for customers.

The Wynn Las Vegas reported 66.8 percent of guests surveyed prefer a room with an Alexa. The Wynn was able to provide its guests with increased convenience and comfort while in-room using customized Alexa voice experiences.

Edward Wilcock, director of revenue, Mercure Hyde Park in London—one of two Accor properties in the United Kingdom that are using Alexa for Hospitality—says, “Alexa arrived at the perfect time to help our teams by answering many of the common guest queries, along with a potential to increase room service revenue, simply due to the convenience provided by Alexa for ordering hotel services.”

Beyond hotels, Alexa Smart Properties has also been introduced in stadiums, launching at Ascot Racecourse, England. According to George Vaughan, head of technology at Ascot Racecourse, “For the first time, guests have access to a number of voice-activated services delivered directly to their box—including ordering food and beverages; requesting information about Ascot, including race times; shopping from the gift store; and asking a staff member to come and take a bet.”

Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality can help you enhance the guest experience and improve operational efficiency. Learn more about Alexa Smart Properties.