From guest rooms to ballrooms — and everywhere else — Crestron can deliver a complete solution for any hotel or casino

Sept. 14, 2023 - The Oxford English Dictionary (via Google) provides three definitions of the word "hospitality." One is what you'd expect Crestron to be primarily concerned with, that is, "the business of providing food, drink, and accommodation for customers," including hotel guests and those patronizing bars and restaurants.

But there's another definition that's just as important: "the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers."

As Crestron has with other segments of its business, the focus on the latter — the experience, that is — should inform the technology that's being deployed. A hotel visitor doesn't care about the cool black boxes that are creating The Perfect Guestroom — they're after the end result.

The Grand Welcome

"One of the key elements we concern ourselves with is the moment the guest first enters the room," says Crestron's VP of Hospitality Michelle Guss. "The goal is what we call 'the grand welcome scene.'"

There are many variables that can create that scene in a given room, says Guss: "That trigger — when a visitor first unlocks their door — can cause the motorized shades or drapery to open or shut, depending on the time of day or the view, as the lights automatically adjust to the perfect level. The thermostat may already be set to a guest's preference at check-in, so the room's the perfect temperature. And it can have the TV power up and display the hotel's welcome message. If it's a luxury suite that has audio, that guest may have been asked for a specific genre of music or playlist — or even natural sounds such as water or wildlife — that begins to play in the background the moment the door swings open."

And once the guest is inside the room, their control options are flexible, says Guss. "That's why we provide multiple user interface options. For guests who want a bit more info or feedback than a keypad, we have multiple devices for those who are comfortable with a touch screen, but we always couple them with keypads for users who prefer simpler interfaces. We're really able to meet the needs of every type of guest in the hotel."

Beyond the Grand Welcome

To round out the guest experience beyond the "grand welcome," the Crestron team has provided solutions for every aspect of a visitor's interaction with the hotel room:

• Outside the door, the guest is greeted by an elegant glass-finish sign with the room number and several illuminated indicators — a chiming doorbell button that's flanked by illuminated do-not-disturb and make-up-room icons so a guest can request service at their convenience. In addition to the sleek aesthetic, no flimsy hang-tag is required.
• The door unlocks with a keycard from one of several systems (such as VingCard®,  ASSA ABLOY®, dormakaba, or SALTO Systems), which triggers the "grand welcome scene" Guss outlines above.
• A stylish keypad welcomes the guest, with backlit one-touch functions for lighting and the exterior sign's icons. A sensor reports occupancy to hotel management.
• Once in the room, Crestron offers multiple control options: keypads or touch panels (or a combination) with any variety of commands from AV control to valet requests, preconfigured (or user-customized) scenes such as "Good Morning," "Goodnight," "Relax," or more while a Crestron Horizon® thermostat handles climate control.
• When the guest leaves the room, lights and AV shut down, shades close, and HVAC shifts to eco mode — saving valuable resources and money and helping meet the hotel's sustainability goals. The in-room sensor then reports a vacancy status to management. All of those preferences can be saved for the guest's return.

A Technological Advantage for Every Space

Creating that ambiance in a guest room is one part of the equation. Since Crestron has decades of experience building technological solutions for both residential and commercial applications, the company is well-suited to serve every aspect of the hospitality experience, from reception to ballroom to penthouse suite — and everything in between. "Crestron is the only company in the world that manufactures, designs, and engineers the full top-to-bottom technology solution for every space in the hotel," Guss explains.

"Everything has to be set perfectly for the guest, and technology can really help create that perfect vibe in the restaurant, for example," says Guss.

That attention to detail can also be found in Crestron-outfitted meeting rooms and conference spaces. "It's one of the areas where we shine the most," Guss notes. She further points out that those who can work remotely have added "work from hotel" to the "work from home" status that was so prevalent during the pandemic. That broader definition of "WFH" means there's a demand for connected meeting spaces in addition to robust Wi-Fi® wireless technology throughout the building. "And then when you start to get into the ballrooms and spaces like that, our commercial lighting and AV experience in all of these areas can provide simple and intuitive solutions for guests and hotel operators," says Guss.

Solutions for the Whole Hotel

Because Crestron's experience is as broad as it is deep, systems that drive other parts of the building can provide staff with the same ease of use that guests experience. A Crestron integrator can outfit the right tech for every aspect of a hotel's operation, including:

• Lobbies and reception areas — "That first impression is key," says Guss — the "grand welcome" needs to start at check-in. Crestron makes digital signage solutions that are easy to manage, along with intuitive control of lighting and ambient sound. Crestron's management systems make things easy on the other side of the reception desk, tying in everything from concierge services to room scheduling in a package that's as simple to use as it is powerful.
• Ballrooms — From multi-point AV systems that can distribute sound (including best-in-class speaker options) and video wherever it's needed at the press of a touch screen to simplified control of lighting, drapery, and HVAC, Crestron has event spaces covered.
• Conference and meeting rooms — Crestron's been building rooms such as these for decades. Options include high-definition video conferencing with stellar audio, lighting and shading, scheduling and occupancy-sensing systems, and "BYOD" ("Bring Your Own Device") solutions such as Crestron's AirMedia® wireless presentation and conferencing systems that allow instant connectivity from a guest's laptop for wireless collaboration or presentation. Audio and video options for every size room, from standalone cameras, displays, microphones, and speakers to "collaboration bars" that can handle medium and large rooms in an all-in-one form factor can turn any space into a best-in-class videoconferencing room.
• Bars and restaurants — Making TV switching a breeze means that hosts and servers can pay more attention to service — and less time searching for the preferred game for the party at Table 12. Add easily controlled audio, video, lighting, shading, and climate to the mix, and you'll be able to quickly customize the experience you want to present to your diners and drinkers.

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