THE first of SilverNeedle Hospitality’s technology-focused Next Hotels brand opened in Brisbane yesterday, showing what it means to cater to the modern business traveller.
Guests of the 304-room are encouraged to download the Next App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, allowing them to perform express check-ins, room selection and check-outs. However, guests who do not want to download the app can still use the self-service Next Kiosks in the Meet & Greet Zone to check in.
The app also gives visitors the ability to unlock the room door; control room temperature, lights and entertainment channels; order cocktails by the pool; and call for room service.
Each guestroom is also equipped with a complimentary Samsung Galaxy S4 phone, which can be tapped as a personal hotspot. Local calls on the phone are free and international calls are cheaper, while incoming calls to the hotel room are automatically diverted to the S4 phone. Guests also have a choice of four free items daily from the minibar.
Next Hotel Brisbane also has a 24-hour Club Lounge that includes facilities such as an outdoor pool, an adjoining terrace bar, a 24-hour gym and a business centre. An InTransit Zone comes with shower pods for business travellers to freshen up as well as sleep pods for them to catch a few winks after a long flight. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the property.
Iqbal Jumabhoy, managing director and group CEO of SilverNeedle Hospitality, said: “When we created the Next Hotels brand, we seized the opportunity to redefine the industry’s service standards with the sole aim of empowering our guests.
“Returning to the basics of providing good service, we considered very carefully the various ways that will make business life easier, and even enjoyable, for our guests.”
