Plaza hotel upgrades 100 rooms with new decor, Amazon Echo Dots
Starting in August, the Plaza hotel will offer 100 upgraded rooms and suites that come with energy efficiency updates, new decor and Amazon Echo Dots that let guests communicate with hotel staff.
While the hospitality industry as a whole has been slow to adopt this technology, industry experts say hotel guests can expect to see more hotels incorporate this technology in the near future.
“The Plaza wanted to incorporate popular Amazon technology that many people now use on a daily basis to help enhance the guest experience,” Plaza spokesperson Amy Maier said via email. “The Plaza is keenly aware of changing consumer preferences, and as updates to the property are made, advanced technology options are always considered.”
Voice-activated speakers
The $15 million renovation targeted rooms on the top floors of the hotel’s north tower.
Each room offers modern entertainment and climate control systems, according to a statement from the Plaza. The Amazon Echos in each room give guests the ability to use Alexa commands to request housekeeping, reserve a pool cabana, or make dinner reservations.
Chey Beynon, a hospitality analyst at Macquarie in New York, said guests are looking for more amentities as room rates continue to climb.
“Small features like Amazon Echo Dots and other features are just part of what guests want these days,” he said.
Mehmet Erdem, a hospitality professor at UNLV, said the Plaza’s new technology integration could give it a competitive edge over other hotels.
“They’re doing it to stand out,” he said. ”It factors into (visitors’) decision” on where to stay.
Erdem expects more hotels will adapt this technology as they become commonplace in households. A survey from NPR and Edison Research found there were 118.5 million smart speakers in U.S. homes at the end of 2018, a 78 percent increase from the year prior.
Other additions
The upgraded rooms also include energy-efficient LED lighting and an upgraded climate control system that senses when a room is unoccupied and adjusts settings accordingly.
The average renovated Luxe Room size is 325 square feet. Renovations removed adjoining doors to allow space for more storage options, and 16 rooms were combined to create eight suites that include a wet bar.
“Just as downtown Las Vegas continues to evolve, the Plaza’s new Luxe Rooms are raising the standard for accommodations in the heart of downtown,” CEO Jonathan Jossel said in the statement.
Rooms can be booked on the Plaza’s website, with reservations starting Aug. 1.
Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@review-journal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.
