The hospitality industry is undergoing an evolving and uncertain shift with innovation, with artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront of that innovation. Whist the industry knows it must embrace the technology and many are adapting as quick as possible, we all know that hotel groups are like cruise ships, they stay on path and move slowly. This technological revolution is not only reshaping hotel experiences but also extending to branded residences using AI.
From streamlining operations to enhancing guest experiences, AI is proving to be a game-changer in the way we think about our hotel stays and also in our homes.
In this article we take a look at who is embracing AI, how it is being used and the potential problems that developers and hoteliers face with this life changing tech.
What are Branded Residences?
Before delve into the different aspects of the branded residences using AI, we should first understand what branded residences are and how they fit with the hospitality industry.
The key characteristics, features and benefits of Branded Residences are:
- Definition: Prime residential homes associated with luxury hospitality and lifestyle brands
- Key features: World class amenities, 5 Star hotel-like services and professional management
- Benefits: Exclusive elite lifestyle, potential value appreciation, rental income opportunities
- Ownership: Private home ownership combined with brand prestige and quality assurance
Some key benefits of living in a branded residence
- The very best most exclusive prime locations
- Exceptionally high-quality design, fixtures and finishes
- Fully integrated wellness facilities
- Hotel-like amenities such as concierge, spas, fitness centers, and restaurants
- Professional property management
In about 80% of cases branded residences are connected with a hotel brand, and normally have an onsite hotel, and through the hotel partners use of AI, it is resulting in a lot of the tech, being used by the property developers building the branded residence project and hotel.
For a far more detailed summary of branded residences you can read our definitive guide
AI-Powered Guest Services
In hotels, AI is already making its presence felt in numerous ways. Many major chains have implemented AI-powered chatbots to handle customer inquiries and bookings. Hilton’s “Connie,” powered by IBM’s Watson, serves as a concierge, providing guests with tourist information and hotel recommendations. Aloft Hotels launched”ChatBotlr” (pronounced “Chatbutler”) as early as 2017 for simple guest requests via text message.
Voice activated room controls are becoming common in luxury hotels. The Wynn Las Vegas, for example has equipped all guest rooms with Amazon’s Alexa, allowing guests to control the lighting, temperature, and entertainment systems through. Marriott has also introduced it to all of their hotels.
The Westin Buffalo takes this a step further, offering a custom Alexa system that can even order room service, blending convenience with a touch of futuristic luxury
As far back in 2003 Marriott launched RENAI By Renaissance a Pilot Program for Renaissance Hotels’ AI-powered Virtual Concierge Service
IHG Hotels & Resorts is planning to release a trip planning tool powered by artificial intelligence from Google.
The hotel giant plans to release the tool in the second half of the year as a feature within its One Rewards mobile app, which the company has been upgrading regularly since relaunching it almost two years ago.
This is the first announcement that Google has made about a hospitality company integrating its generative AI tech, according to Carrie Tharp, vice president of strategic industries for Google Cloud.
“You should expect a lot more in the travel space, which is why it’s important to get moving,” Tharp said.“ A lot of the work is on the guest to sort through where they want to go, what are the criteria, and there’s lots of tools that help them do that today, but nothing quite like the experience we used to have decades ago with travel agents,” Tharp said. “And so I think IHG gets to step into the foray of really advancing what digital can do.”
Personalisation and Marketing
Personalisation is another area where AI shines.
This level of customisation extends to marketing efforts as well, with companies like Hilton using AI to create highly targeted campaigns based on customer data and predicted preferences.
Accor Hotels utilises AI to analyse guest preferences and provide tailored recommendations for dining and activities. Their system considers factors like previous stays, dining choices, and local weather to curate suggestions that feel personal and relevant.
Hyatt Hotels uses AI-powered sentiment analysis tools to monitor social media and review sites, allowing them to quickly address guest concerns and improve their services.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences have implemented AI-enhanced virtual reality tours, allowing potential buyers to experience properties remotely, with AI systems answering questions about the property in real-time during the tour.
Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is now testing a search with AI tool that will match travellers with the perfect home and destination based on a natural language search describing their desired vacation. This next gen search will take travelers’ own preferences and offer a curated list of properties from the 140,000 available properties on the Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy platform.
Travelers can include as little or as much detail as they’d like through this easily accessible and user-friendly search functionality, alleviating the stress that selecting a vacation property might otherwise present.
“Using the latest technologies, our new AI search tool breaks new ground among vacation rental platforms by allowing travellers to search without a specific destination. Consumers can focus more on the experiences they are passionate about and the amenities on their ‘must-have’ list to reveal their next memorable travel adventure,” said Jennifer Hsieh, Vice President, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy.
Operational Efficiency
Behind the scenes, AI is slowly helping and assisting with hotel operations. Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) employs AI-driven systems for predictive maintenance and energy management.
These systems can forecast equipment failures before they occur and optimise energy usage, leading to significant cost savings and improved guest satisfaction.
Marriott International uses AI algorithms to optimise room rates in real-time based on demand, competitor pricing, and market conditions at that time, Its an incredibly fluid and efficient system
Accor, is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and a joint measurement drive to further reduce food waste. With 5,500 hotels and 10,000 food and beverage venues serving 200 million meals worldwide annually, Accor recognises the importance of precise measurement in achieving food waste reduction.
This technology-based solution makes it easier for hotels to measure and monitor their energy, water, waste, and carbon footprint performance.
Currently, 71% of the group’s affiliate, managed, and franchised hotels have adopted this platform, and the group plans to extend it to all hotels with catering operations by 2025.
AI-Powered Access
The integration of AI in access control systems is particularly popular. Many hotels now use facial recognition technology for check-in and door access.
The Alibaba Group’s FlyZoo Hotel in Hangzhou, China, is at the forefront of this trend, using facial recognition for everything from check-in to elevator access and room entry. Other biometric methods are also gaining traction, with some Hilton properties using fingerprint scanning for access to executive lounges and gyms, and the W Hotel in Doha, Qatar, implementing iris scanning technology for guest room access.
Mobile key systems are evolving with AI integration. Hilton’s Digital Key system, for example, uses AI to predict when a guest is likely to arrive and automatically sends a mobile key to their phone at the appropriate time.
Some hotels are even experimenting with more advanced behavioural biometrics. The Momentum Hotel in Dubai is testing a system that recognises guests by their gait (walking pattern) and automatically opens doors for them, showcasing the potential for seamless and highly personalised guest experiences.
Branded Residences Using AI
As we move from hotels to branded residences using AI, the application of it, is just as sophisticated. The concept of smart homes is being elevated to new heights in branded homes.
The Residences at Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok feature AI-powered systems that learn residents preferences over time, adjusting lighting, temperature, and even scheduling housekeeping services accordingly.
Four Seasons Private Residences are exploring AI systems that predict resident needs based on their daily routines, such as automatically ordering groceries or scheduling maintenance.
In terms of security, the Porsche Design Tower in Miami employs advanced biometric systems, including facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, ensuring resident safety and security is a top priority.
In most branded residences, we are seeing facial recognition for access to owner only facilities such as the gyms and spas, which is very important especially for the projects that share some amenities with hotel guests. This level of security and technology gives the homeowner confidence that the exclusivity and privacy of their homes will remain intact.
Also soon to be gone, are the days of a smart card or a physical key to enter your property, now a quick look at your door camera and your are home.
The Armani Residences in Dubai utilise an AI-powered virtual concierge that provides 24/7 assistance, from restaurant reservations to travel arrangements, all tailored to the resident’s preferences.
These are just a small selection of examples of branded residences using AI, but in almost every new development, we are seeing clever use of the tech to provide homeowners with the best lifestyle possible.
Future Implementation and Challenges
As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative applications in both hotels and branded residences. Emotion recognition systems that can detect guest emotions and respond accordingly, predictive health and wellness monitors in residences are all on the horizon, and being implemented in the worlds most exclusive branded residence developments and hotels.
No doubt autonomous robotic services (if Elon gets his way) for room service, cleaning, and maintenance, further blending luxury with high-tech convenience, which will enhance both guest and ownership experiences.
However, the integration of AI also presents challenges. Privacy concerns are paramount, with the need to balance personalisation with guest privacy and data protection.
There’s also the question of maintaining the human touch, something that is so important in 5 star hospitality. It might ne that we see more automated systems in 2-3 star properties, and less in elite properties, which could be a way of setting the hotel classes and brands apart.
However cost of implementing these advanced systems can be significant, particularly for smaller properties. Additionally, seamlessly incorporating AI into existing systems and infrastructure poses technical challenges, and as we mentioned at the outset, Hotel companies are like large ships, very slow to change direction.
Summary
As we look to the future, it’s evident that the integration of AI in hotels and branded residences is not just a trend but a required shift in how the hospitality industry will operate both now and in the future.
One thing is for certain in the complex competitive arena of luxury real estate, property developers who implement more tech into their branded homes, should benefit greatly, and it will provide even more reasons for property investors, to purchase branded real estate over traditional real estate.
Exciting, scary, difficult yes, needed? well that’s a question that remains unanswered.
BRESI is the world’s first platform dedicated to the selling and marketing of branded residences. BRESI is an exclusive platform for owners, developers, and hotel groups to promote luxury branded residences
Our goal is to highlight the best branded real estate for sale around the globe, and to provide insight and news from the luxury real estate sector
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- Insight
- Branded Residences Using AI Through Their Hotel Partners
- Staff Writer
