United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Room service by robot at Aloft
A new bellhop has reported for duty at Aloft Hotel, Cupertino, CA and promises to change the face of customer facing hospitality.
The Starwood owned Silicone Valley area hotel is trialing the first Botlr (robotic butler) on call day and night to attend to guest requests.
Once guests call the front desk for a room service request, the hotel’s human staff simply load up the Botlr with an extra towel or a late night snack, input the guest’s room number and the Botlr does the rest.
It can navigate hotel corridors and use the elevator using a Wi-Fi signal.
The pilot program officially kicks off on August 20 and may be deployed at almost 100 properties if it proves a success.
Starwood says the robots will augment rather than replace existing staff.
The Botlr was built by California tech firm Savioke which believes there is great potential for service robots.
"There are all these places, hotels, elder care facilities, hospitals that have a few hundred robots maybe but no significant numbers and we think that’s just a huge opportunity," said Savioke CEO Steve Cousins.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled