April 29, 2008, 12:06 pm
Of Wii and Waterproof Mattresses: Hotels Prototype New Ideas with “Test Rooms”
By Kirsten Robinson
The New York Times reported today that hotels are using “test rooms” to try out new designs and technology before implementing them throughout the hotel, saving vast sums by discarding or improving upon ideas that don’t work. New technologies being tested include waterproof mattresses, digital door panels, customized Wii consoles, and even wireless electricity. But sometimes the greatest need is to make sure the existing features are usable. One guest who tried out a test room commented that he could not figure out the alarm clock or how to turn on the television. “All I wanted to do was watch CNN,” he said.
Comments
while perhaps in a less digitally virtual manner, hotel test rooms are not really a new concept. when i was designing large hotel / conference centers in the late ’90s contractors always built a full mock-up onsite of a standard room to test the look, feel and function of the space. by this method any problems could be ironed out before the room is built 300+ times.
Posted by masande on May 28, 2008 at 9:43 am