Technology in hotels

How often do you use the computers in hotels? An article in the NY Times looked at the many hotels who have been using technology to keep up with their guests. 

Sheraton teamed up with Microsoft creating new Link@Sheraton lounges where spaces in lobbies would be kept for guests to use public computers to check e-mail, print boarding passes, etc. Westin worked with Nintendo to put Wii consoles, like Wii Fit, in its fitness centers. The Gansevoort Hotel Group is working with Sony to relocate traditional business center to more social setting near the lobby.

Another aspect of technology that hotels are working with is Control4, which is known for the automation systems.

"Another company working with Control4 is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which plans to use the system to create a welcome experience at its Las Vegas property, scheduled to open in late 2009," the article reads. "Guests arriving in their room after checking in will be greeted by the drapes opening, the lights automatically turning on and the television displaying a customized message with the guest's name."

Goodbye work, hello laziness. I guess this aspect is kind of cool, but hopefully they will warn them that this will happen. I think I would be scared to see all these things moving at once, opening and closing, and computers/TVs being turned on the second I open the door. Another thing to look at that is interesting is that aren't vacations supposed to be relaxing, not having to worry about your cellphone/computer and other things that are distracting in your normal life? I can understand how these technologies would be useful to those who are on business, but for the normal family on their Hawaiian vacation...I think it would be distracting because everyone is separated trying to find time to get on the computer to play with these gadgets instead of doing what they were going to do when they planned the vacation...relax.

Lauren D.