The UK’s largest hotel chain, Premier Inn, has announced that they are launching their first fully self check-in hotel at St Mary’s Gate, Sheffield, reducing check-in time to under a minute for guests. The self check-in automated pods have already been successfully trialled at the London King’s Cross Premier Inn; they allow guests to take complete control of their own booking when they arrive at the hotel. The check-in process currently takes an average of 8-10 minutes, but the new technology employed by Premier Inn will dramatically cut this time down.
Is self check-in for you or would you prefer a more personal welcome?
2 Comments
It only took them 10+ years considering the French have been doing this in a lot of their similar hotels and it’s very popular so I’m told.
As for good – yes, means I don’t have to be greated by an overworked, underpaid employee who I suspect would rather be reading the gosip magazine they’ve got hidden behind the copy of The Times on their desk. Your secret is out.
Oh and before I get any complaints from them, they are a lot better than most hotels I’ve stayed in….try Novotel if you want to know what I mean..!
Btw, hint to PI – it won’t cut the time as what happens when the machines all crash, swallow the credit card or the half of the country who hate technology want to book in? But as an option it’s a good idea.
Actually I’m wondering with this if they use the electronic door cards like they do at the Premier Inn near Heathrow. If they do then there’s going to be fun considering getting those within 2 feet of a switched on mobile phone zaps them. A pain if you’ve got to go back to the desk, but even more of a pain if there’s no desk to go to.