
First All-Automated Hotel Opens in Norway - curthopkins
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/first_all-automated_hotel_opens.php?sms_ss=hackernews&at_xt=4d3a10812febdf20%2C0
======
russell_h
To be clear, they're just doing fully electronic checkin. The title had me
imagining room service and housekeeping robots.

~~~
dhughes
:(

------
mootothemax
_I have not found the automated airport experience anything less than panic-
inducing._

I live in Europe and have spent several years thoroughly _enjoying_ the
convenience that the machines at the airport provide. I'd love to learn what
panic-inducing experiences the author is alluding to; can any HN'ers help out?
:)

~~~
cmelbye
Wow, Europe!? I wish we had automated check-ins at airports over here in
boring ol' America.

~~~
mootothemax
_Wow, Europe!? I wish we had automated check-ins at airports over here in
boring ol' America._

I stated Europe because the article's author lives in America. Hence the next
sentence where I wrote _I'd love to learn what panic-inducing experiences the
author is alluding to; can any HN'ers help out?_

Is that really so offensive?

------
ojbyrne
Hmmm, I was able to checkin and checkout at the Hyatt Regency at Pittsburgh
airport last year without dealing with a human being. On arrival, swiped my
credit card at a computer in the lobby, which dispensed a keycard. On
departure, same computer printed my bill and I put the card in a slot.

There were people working at the checkin desk, but you didn't have to deal
with them.

~~~
dagw
Did exactly the same thing last time I was in London. Swipe credit card on
checkin and checkout at one of the half dozen or so terminals scattered around
the lobby. In fact that was the only way to check in. If you went to the
reception desk all they did was lead you to one of the terminals and walked
you through the procedure. I don't get what's so "first" about this system,
unless they mean first in Oslo.

------
hugh3
I seem to recall Motel Formule 1 doing this at least eight years ago in
Canberra, at least if you happened to arrive late (after the checkin desk was
closed). You'd show up, scan your credit card, and receive... actually I don't
remember whether it spat out a key or a code.

Also, don't Japanese love hotels operate on a similar system?

~~~
RK
I stayed at a Formule 1 in France in 2002 that was also fully automated (self
cleaning showers and toilets too). They apparently have an iphone app now as
well.

------
akx
Omena Hotels (<http://www.omenahotels.com/>) does this in Finland in several
locations, and it works very smoothly. If you reserve a room in advance, you
pay online and get a keycode or you can also just do chip & PIN at the door if
there's vacancy.

------
mgummelt
Checkins at Japanese love hotels are often fully automated. For obvious
reasons.

------
gnok
'The Comfort Xpress Hotel in Oslo now allows guests to reserve, check in and
check out without ever having to deal with a pesky human.' I love technology
as much as the next geek, but there are some places I would _really_ like to
deal with pesky humans -- hotels, hospitals and restaurants come to mind.

~~~
sfphotoarts
Given how much human error happens in hospitals, I would be happier to have
less pesky humans involved.

~~~
gnok
Unfortunately, medicine today isn't deterministic. A lot of decisions are made
with 'instinct' -- a fancy word for intangible experience. Human error is
always going to be an issue. What might prevent human error in the design of
said automated systems?

~~~
nitrogen
It is conceivable that automated medicine would have a lower failure rate for
common diseases than "instinct."

~~~
gnok
I can agree with that. But you've made two implicit assumptions here:

1\. The disease is diagnosed and identified as 'common' 2\. There are no other
complications because of say alcohol abuse, or a genetic condition with
kidneys and so forth

------
pieter
Hasn't CitizenM ([http://www.citizenmamsterdamairport.com/amsterdam-lodging-
ho...](http://www.citizenmamsterdamairport.com/amsterdam-lodging-hotels.php))
done the same for yeras? This isn't really exciting, it's just a badly-working
touchscreen interface.

~~~
codex
Yes, they have. I love CitizenM. A truly great hotel concept.

~~~
gcheong
The one and only time I tried to use the automated check-in system at Citizen
M it didn't work. Then the key I got to the room didn't work. Probably just my
luck. But overall I really liked the concept and would still stay there again.

------
alinajaf
In Japan there are a lot of love hotels where you 'check in' using a ticket
vending machine with a touch-screen interface. Cheaper than having check in
staff and you get the requisite anonymity.

------
stretchwithme
hmm, me thinks there are a few other things going on at a hotel beyond the
checkin process. Are other functions at this hotel automated or is "All-
Automated" inaccurate?

