In our current world of ever-changing hospitality, we’re constantly seeing new examples of what it truly means to be an innovative hotel in today’s era. However, it’s clear that one facet - now a key element in our age - is pushing forward this change; from witnessing poshtels with a technological twist to hotels creating fun and engaging website initiatives, it’s safe to say that technology seems to be one of the leading factors in hotel innovation. However, is there any hotel that’s taken it a step further?

A property that immediately caught our attention for their technological concept was none other than the famed Sinclair Hotel, located in Fort Worth, Texas. The Sinclair, a luxurious hotel of Autograph Collection Hotels, introduces more than just lavish architecture and magnificent southern hospitality. Coined as the world’s first ever all-digital hotel, this property presents a sweeping array of interactive technologies, from check-in and the in-room experience all the way to the end of the guest’s stay.

Hotel pioneers of digitalization

The Sinclair Hotel: Room interior

The Sinclair labels itself as “an iconic hotel redesigned for the future,” and for good reason. Different from how you would expect a conventional futuristic property to look like, the hotel instead merges the contemporary aspects of its all-digital image with more traditional concepts such as its elegant structure and design. No matter where you go in the Sinclair, it seems that in nearly every facet of this lavish hotel lies a digital twist. Let’s take a look at a few of these technologies that offer guests an unparalleled and digital experience:

1. A high-quality visual experience

The Sinclair’s paper-thin flatscreens

Staying true to their tech-centric concept, Sinclair Hotel introduces an interesting new addition to something that has always been a must-have in any modern hotel - the television. Known as a “Wallpaper TV,” this new “paper-thin” television sits perfectly on every Sinclair room wall and boasts a pleasant and powerful 8K resolution. With such a resolute, thin and elegant television, guests can enjoy an endless variety of high-quality experiences with this device, from an afternoon football game to a simple virtual window looking out at the Bahamas. 

2. Enhancing the experience with groundbreaking smart mirrors

Savvy™ electric mirrors in the Sinclair Hotel

Like something straight out of your favorite science fiction movie, the Sinclair Hotel takes hospitality digitalization a step further with Savvy™ SmartMirrors. Syncing directly with hospitality TV and other applications, the smart mirror allows guests to keep up-to-date with daily news or even watch their favorite television series through a simple tap on the glass - all while brushing their teeth or getting ready to go out! 

In addition to entertainment, Savvy™ SmartMirrors are catered precisely for hotels. Acting as a hotel concierge, the mirror shows information regarding services, weather, or local attractions worth checking out. Being able to navigate and view an almost holographic-like platform on a hotel mirror is undoubtedly an experience that a guest would talk about with friends for years to come.

3. A digital shower experience

Just as is with every other amenity within the property, the Sinclair Hotel’s restrooms have their own digital twists to boast. Each elegantly-designed bathroom of the property displays once again a Smart Mirror for the guests to enjoy with awe, but an additional digital shower. Instead of controlling water flow and temperature from simple knobs, Sinclair Hotel’s Kohler Digital Showers enable guests to digitally control the temperature, water pressure, lighting and even sounds for an optimal washing experience.

4. Sustainability and efficiency through technology

Sinclair Hotel Bluetooth mesh dashboard

With advanced presence-sensing room sensors, the property is able to maximize energy efficiency by perceiving the amount of activity within the rooms and automatically adjusting energy levels based on the presence or absence of the guest. In addition to this, the property enables guests to customize their own stay experience using the same presence-sensing technology. Using a Bluetooth mesh, this technology allows guests to adjust their lighting levels, shades, and even room locks and minibars. Notwithstanding the ultimate customizable experience that this technology presents, the control board’s aesthetic futuristic appeal is quite spectacular.

Hitting all the right spots in hotel marketing

Ultimately, these arguably small yet significant additions to the hotel hit all the right spots in maximizing their marketing strategy. Knowing full well how digitalization is bursting through today’s world, the Sinclair hotel’s innovative all-digital concept opens doors to a new market - especially tech-savvy travelers. 

Sinclair Hotel also does a good job attracting potential guests through emphasizing their green and sustainable experience by using technology. The growing prominence of sustainable awareness, along with the gradual attraction towards more contemporary hotel concepts, is something no hotel should overlook. As more and more guests share this same global mindset on sustainability, hotels have been catering more to this desire. 

In addition to its ability of increasing sustainability and the overall efficiency of the hotel,  Sinclair Hotel offers an aspect that is now more important than ever in refining the guest experience - personalization. With their remote controlled environment, guests are able to quite literally personally customize their entire stay and completely alter their environment through a few simple taps on their room’s control board. 

What’s more, digitalization is becoming a prominent and powerful aspect for the success of hotels in a world where the majority of guests have safety concerns regarding COVID-19. By enabling travelers to control their experiences and room environments, guests are able to enjoy a worry-free stay, without risking social interaction. 

The Sinclair Hotel's innovative concept of an all-digital and techno-centric hotel has already captivated a multitude of travelers, and has shown the world the wonder of this groundbreaking concept. We believe that the Sinclair Hotel is the beginning of many other all-digital hotels, and cannot wait to see how many more interesting new initiatives will be born in the future.