A recent webinar sponsored and moderated by The Wall Street Journal and an accompanying white paper explored 10 key hospitality technology trends.

　　Keeping up to date on the latest trends in hospitality technology—everything from in-room entertainment options to meeting room technology to effective use of social media in marketing—can be a daunting task for hotel owners and operators.

　　A recent webinar sponsored and moderated by The Wall Street Journal and an accompanying white paper explored 10 key hospitality technology trends. Participants included several technology vendors and two hotel company executives: Peggy Fang Roe, VP of global operations service for Marriott International, and Ericka Nelson, GM of The Muse Hotel, a Kimpton Hotels property in New York.

　　1. Device and entertainment autonomy

　　Hotel guests travel with an increasing number of personal devices and their own information and entertainment content. A SmartBrief poll showed that 45% of hotel guests travel with two devices and 40% with three or more.

　　According to Roe, Marriott is responding to this trend through guestroom design, ensuring guests have the electronics (adequate and easy-to-reach plugs, bandwidth capabilities) and ergonomic support (seating and surfaces) they need.

　　“When we think about technology, we think about designing a room that enables you to move and be mobile anywhere you want to be in that room. We’re thinking about those things so guests are comfortable with any devices they bring to the space,” Roe said.

　　2. The new perks

　　Kimpton makes it easier for guests who travel without devices by providing them with Nook e-readers during their stays. The devices are preloaded with books and magazines, but guests can request personalized uploads. Eventi, another Kimpton property in New York, has a “business bar” that has iPads and iPad Minis guests can use.

　　“We noticed travelers were packing books less and less. They’re cumbersome and take up valuable luggage space, but it’s really hard to replace the joy of reading a great book on the road,” Nelson said. “It’s also important for families that forgot to pack their tablets because games (and other contents) are big hits with bored kids.”

　　3. Service automation

　　Some guests prefer to interact with hotel staff through technology rather than picking up the phone.

　　The Hyatt Union Square New York offers three check-in options for guests: an iPad check-in with a staff member called Gallery Host, a self-serve check-in kiosk and a traditional front desk. About 40% of guests at the hotel select the iPad option.

　　According to Roe, Marriott recently launched a test in 31 hotels that will allow for remote check-in. She said the hotels send messages to guests 24 hours ahead of arrival asking for their planned check-in time, and the hotel answers back to let them know when their rooms will be ready.

　　4. Digital signage replacing printed signs

　　The GoBoard in Courtyard by Marriott was one example of how digital technology is replacing traditional printed signage and information boards in hotels.

　　Another example from the participants was the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Behind the hotel’s front desk is a huge video wall, and one of the applications is a live tool that allows guests in line, or anyone in the lobby, to send Twitter messages about the hotel or other topics. Also, the hotel’s food-and-beverage outlets use to the board to promote specials or events.

　　5. Meeting spaces go high tech

　　Roe of Marriott said the company recently introduced its Red Coat Direct service, which allows meeting planners to electronically communicate with hotels where they’ve scheduled events.

　　“It allows the meeting planner and the Red Coat at the hotel to connect in real time,” she said. Three days before the event, the planner gets a link to the customized Red Coat Direct application, which the planner can use to make requests before they arrive on-site.

　　“When the planners are in the hotel, they can request more coffee, more flipcharts, a change in temperature in the room, or whatever they need. We’re facilitating the conversation in the way planners and customers really want to talk to us.”

　　She said the application was launched in April, is now in 25 to 30 hotels and should be available in all properties in the U.S. by the end of the year. It will be available in 19 languages for global properties during 2014.