May Fair hotel gives guests iPad concierge

Gone are the days when guests at the May Fair’s suites had to call for a concierge to cater to their needs – now there is a new iPad application at their service. The 18 suites in the hotel have all had in-room iPads installed, complete with the Cardola VirtualHotel application, giving guests 24-hour instant access to services inside and outside of the hotel. Guests can now use VirtualHotel to make restaurant reservations, book spa treatments and request a whole range of services such as dining in, wake up calls, extra pillows and even a toothbrush. Links to external websites are also accessible on the app, such as airport check-in services, local weather forecasts and social networking sites, while a substantial ‘London guide’ and map of the local area are included to help guests navigate round the city during their stay. Tim Butterworth, managing director at Cardola, commented: “As a leader in its field, the May Fair recognises the role technology will play in complementing customer service and is taking an important step towards trusting in technology to enhance its overall guest experience.” Representing the first UK installation of the Cardola program, the hotel’s project is hoped to not only simplify service delivery, but to enhance the hotel’s customer service. Anthony Lee, general manager at the May Fair, explained that the proliferation of application-lead technology meant that the hotel has had to keep up with providing the best service. “Today’s travellers are now accustomed to using mobile devices and applications, so their expectations of hotels to deliver top notch technology are constantly rising. “Whilst it’s imperative for us to keep ahead of the technology game, we can’t afford to take our eyes off service delivery, and the Cardola team were instrumental in helping us to achieve this.” Although a lot of the focus will be put onto the investment in the new technology, the general manager still feels that service is at the heart of a hotelier’s remit. “The most important investment any hotel can make is in its people, and technology will never replace that aspect of service delivery. “However, getting the right balance and keeping it simple can enhance the experience for guests. Our traditional concierge service hasn’t been replaced by this new piece of technology.” The application will also shortly be available to download direct to all of the guests’ own devices via the app store – providing them with additional access to services both before and after their stay.