As part of technology being in the Spotlight this month, Hotel Designs takes a first look at the extremely tech-forward hotel, which will shelter 219 guestrooms, will open this winter…
Luxury hotel group Four Seasons has confirmed that Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center, slated to open this winter, will include new software X1 in each of its 219 guestrooms.
Comcast Business announced the launch of X1 for Hospitality, a program that brings the unique features and personalisation of the award-winning, video platform to hotel guests.
“Four Seasons guests seek exceptional quality at every turn, and technology and entertainment are an important part of their experience with us,” said Ben Shank, general manager of the hotel. “Today’s luxury travelers want customised, personal experiences with fantastic and intuitive amenities. X1 is simple and user-friendly allowing guests to navigate and discover the programs they want to watch. With the voice remote, finding a channel, show or movie is now as easy as the click of a button and a simple voice command. We believe X1 will help elevate our guests’ in-room experience and create a truly world-class visit.”
Comcast made the announcement at The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC), and the launch follows a series of successful X1 for Hospitality trials at select hotels across the country.
“Comcast has the potential to disrupt the £2.3 billion ($3 billion) United States business TV market with X1 for Hospitality,” said Greg Ireland, multiscreen video analyst at IDC. “Products and solutions that have generated excellent results on the residential side can help businesses, particularly in the hospitality industry, gain an edge in attracting new and returning consumers.”
The X1 product that will be featured at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center will include:
- Approximately 300 channel options and a free library of over 50,000 TV shows and movies On Demand
- Voice Control: Guests can use the X1 Voice Remote to search for networks, shows and movies, set DVR recordings, change the channel, get recommendations, navigate On Demand content and more. Residential X1 customers used the voice remote more than 1.5 billion times in the first three months of 2018 alone.
- Recordings: A two-tuner DVR, allowing guests to record their favorite programming while watching something else or save to be viewed at their convenience when they return to their rooms.
- Multicultural: X1 is available with Spanish screens and menus and the X1 Voice Remote understands Spanish commands. The platform also includes curated content collections like Black Film & TV, International, and LGBTQ.
- Accessibility: Guests can say “accessibility” into the X1 Voice Remote or tap the “B” key to get to a menu with all of X1’s accessibility options. Guests can also quickly jump into specific features by saying “captions,” “description,” “SAP,” “voice guidance” or “shows with description” to find any programs that are described.
Branded Channels: Hotels are able to include important promotional and informational content designed to inform and entice guests.
