Joie de Vivre is the first hotel brand in the country to roll out a breakthrough in-room entertainment and media platform that promises to revolutionize guestroom entertainment.

Providing integrated, one-stop media portals to the Internet, video on-demand, and guest services via software installed on an Apple Mac Mini in every room, California's largest boutique hotel collection is launching its Joie Connect technology initiative this month in select guest rooms at Sacramento's The Citizen Hotel.

Joie Connect powered by DirectStreams reflects Joie de Vivre's passion for creating a guest experience that delivers innovative amenities and services alongside innovative and stylish design. The media centers use the Mac OSX operating system and software from Paris-based Direct Streams, and are expected to be in place in all Citizen rooms by the end of March. A rollout to other Joie de Vivre properties will follow.

"For years the technology consumers have had at home has far exceeded what they can access when they check into a hotel," said Michael Stano, Joie de Vivre's vice president of technology. "Consumers are using the Internet to access more than just e-mail and search content; rather, to access a variety of on-demand, web-based entertainment options such as YouTube, HULU, and Netflix.  We're giving them an extremely easy-to-use portal to access all of that in their rooms and leave their laptops at home."

Joie Connect offers the best of video on demand, as well as easy access to browse the Internet, find area attractions, read news feeds and much more. Essentially, the new media centers will enable guests to do everything they can do on their own computers, from checking e-mail, Twitter, or Facebook to downloading music on iTunes, movies from Netflix or HULU.

"Even through the down economy we have continued to invest in the guest experience," said Chip Conley, Joie de Vivre founder and CEO. "This initiative takes guestroom technology far beyond what anyone else we know is doing right now."  Starting with The Citizen Hotel, hotels participating in the Joie Connect initiative will install Mac Mini computers with 42" flat screen televisions, wireless keyboards, and streamlined remotes in every guestroom. In addition to having unfettered access to the Internet, guests will also be able order room service or view their bill with a click of the remote. The media centers will be introduced at select additional Joie de Vivre properties in 2010.