Amazon Alexa System Will Debut in Hotels to Aid Guests

Amazon has announced Alexa for Hospitality, a new program designed to bring its voice assistant to hospitality services across the world. With its new system, Alexa will be able to inform users of key information, from guest information to pool hours, housekeeping calls, and adjusting smart devices. To debut its system, Amazon is pairing with Hotel giant Mariott, which will roll out the experience in a number of its locations this summer. As well as hotel-specific features, users will be able to utilize Alexa's skillset to check airport wait times, look for restaurants in the area, play games, and more. The system will also let visitors temporarily connect their Amazon account to play music from Amazon, Spotify, or Pandora, as well as audiobooks. It's unclear if the devices will have a max volume cap to reduce disturbance, but it seems likely.

Improving ‘Staff Efficiency'

The idea of Amazon's project is to provide hospitality services with ways to improve staff efficiency and ultimately provide a more polished experience for guests. It means that staff won't have to take phone calls asking for room service or new towels, as Alexa will alert them when a user makes a request. However, there's also a level of concern among privacy activists. Many avoid the devices already due to privacy concerns, and it may now be impossible to escape them while traveling. Having Alexa in the place of a human will also further reduce interaction and provide a less personal, caring experience. For now, it's likely hotels will implement Alexa alongside traditional options, but it'll be interesting to see how the hospitality industry transforms over time as digital assistants become more popular.