Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills became the first Four Seasons in the world to launch ICE technology in their guestrooms and suites, allowing guests to digitally connect with all areas of the hotel.
All 285 rooms at the hotel will be equipped with iPad2 devices that allows guests to customize their stay at the hotel, including ordering in-room dining, making restaurant reservations, calling valet parking for your car, arranging airport transportation, setting up spa treatments, making housekeeping requests and researching local attractions.
So what's this mean for face-to-face customer service? According to the hotel, it only makes things better.
As most of our guests travel with a smartphone, tablet, or both it made sense to provide access to the hotel's services and amenities through the same intuitive touch interface." said Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills General Manager Mehdi Eftekari!. "Virtually any hotel service can be accessed through ICE, all wireless from the comfort of your guestroom.
Medhi said the hotel was motivated to install this new technology after its success with the fiber-optic cables it installed in the hotel's suites. The hotel, which is a prime spot for celebrities and Hollywood A-listers looking for a quiet place off the beaten path in Los Angeles, is a top hotel for film junkets in the city. The hotel also spend dollars improving the coverage and speed of its guest Internet access, a move Medhi said was imperative for keeping up with the work demands of hotel guests.
"Our East Coast Guests have relocated their offices pool side where they can stay connected while enjoying the serenity of our urban oasis," said Medhi. " Staying ahead of our guests is not easy as they are very sophisticated and tech savvy. ICE is the perfect tool to let them work at their speed."
With social media and new technology taking over the travel space, this move from the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills comes at the right time. But how have consumer reacted?
"Guests are very impressed with the new technology. The interface is so intuitive and easy to use, they feel "right at home" even if it is their very first iPad experience," said Medhi.
The ICE technology on iPads lets guests request the following:
- In-Room Dining
- Restaurant Reservations
- Spa Treatments
- Housekeeping Service Times
- Concierge Assistance
- 35 International Newspapers
- Wake Up Calls
- Luggage Assistance
- Valet Parking
- Local Attractions
- Transportation
- Maps and Directions
- Flight Check-In and Boarding Pass Printing
- Room Reservations at any Four Seasons Worldwide
- Check Out with your bill emailed to you
- Access to Twitter and Facebook
We want to hear from you: Do you like the idea of complete autonomy during your hotel stay, or would you rather have the help of hotel staff?
Melanie Nayer is a hotel reviewer and expert on luxury travel around the world. She has covered all aspects of hotels including corporate restructures, re-branding initiatives, historical aspects and the best of the best in luxury hotels around the world.
Melanie writes a weekly exclusive column for 4Hoteliers.com 
