Buffalo, NY – August
2017 / Newsmaker Alert / Global
hospitality company Delaware North
announces the installation of Amazon Echo devices in each of the 116 guest
rooms at the company-operated Westin
Buffalo hotel.
The
Westin Buffalo, a luxury lifestyle hotel located within Delaware North’s
global headquarters in Buffalo, N.Y., is the first hotel in New York State
to deploy the guest-servicing Echo devices in each of its guest rooms,
and just the 12th hotel in the United States to do so. The devices are
managed by software developed by Volara, the leading provider of custom
voice-based solutions to the hospitality industry.
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The Amazon
Echo devices provide an easy, fun way for guests to request services, get
recommendations, and generally engage with hotel staff and services without
the hassle of picking up a telephone. Guests at The Westin Buffalo will
be able to ask “Alexa” questions typically asked of a hotel concierge,
valet, housekeeper or bellman. The interactions are integrated with existing
hotel software and immediately communicated to staff.
The
Amazon Echo devices will also operate in tandem with “Chip,” the hotel’s
fully-autonomous Relay robot butler, who works with hotel staff to deliver
amenities and room service to guest rooms.
“The
Westin Buffalo is proud to be leading the way in bringing this innovative
service solution to our guests,” said Tom Long, the hotel’s general manager.
“By leveraging the most cutting-edge technology in our industry, we’re
ensuring our guests have a unique, memorable and exceptional experience
every time they stay with us.”
Volara’s
software aggregates interaction data that hotel staff can use to improve
guest services and provides a dashboard that enables the hotel to see all
service requests and identify trends within those requests. The dashboard
also allows staff to update responses to guest questions to reflect timely
offers and upcoming activities.
“Volara
is proud to be working with Delaware North and The Westin Buffalo to put
the services of the hotel at the tip of their guests’ tongues,” said David
Berger, CEO of Volara. “Our hospitality voice hub is today serving as a
seamless voice-interface for the leading technologies in the hotel industry,
many of which are being leveraged by this tech-forward Westin hotel in
the heart of Buffalo.”
Of
the 12 hotels with guest-servicing Amazon Echoes deployed throughout each
of their guest rooms, The Westin Buffalo is one of only a few Marriott
properties to do so – the others being the JW Marriott San Antonio and
Hotel EMC2 by Marriott’s Autograph Collection in Chicago. Other hotels
employing this solution include the Alexis Hotel by Kimpton in Seattle
and boutiques including Acme Hotel Chicago and Marina Del Rey Hotel near
Los Angeles.
About
Volara
Volara
is THE provider of custom voice-based solutions to the hospitality industry.
Named a TechOvation semi-finalist by Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG)
and an Alexa Enterprise Agency by Amazon – the only such agency focused
exclusively on the hospitality industry -- Volara’s proprietary software
creates a hotel business tool atop the leading hardware and natural language
processing platforms. Volara’s proven best practices ensure high utilization
rates and an optimal guest experience - ensuring hotel guests’ engagement
is personal and remarkable. Volara enables hotels to serve guests more
efficiently and subtly influence their behavior while leaving them with
a warm feeling toward the brand. For more information, please visit www.volara.io.
About
The Westin Buffalo
Ideally
located in the heart of downtown Buffalo, The Westin Buffalo is just steps
from the city’s unique architecture, prominent historical sites, and myriad
arts and entertainment options. The 116-room lifestyle hotel offers luxurious
guest rooms all fully equipped with Westin’s signature Heavenly in-room
amenities, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center, complimentary
Wi-Fi and two signature on-site restaurants. The property, which also features
7,300 square feet of versatile event space, is a member of the Starwood
Hotels & Resorts family and is operated by Delaware North, a global
leader in hospitality. For more information, visit www.WestinBuffalo.com
or follow them on Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram.
About
Delaware North
Delaware
North is one of the largest privately-held hospitality and food service
companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family
for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile
places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks,
destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our
thousands of employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences
one guest at a time in serving more than 500 million guests annually. Delaware
North has annual revenue of about $3 billion in the sports, travel hospitality,
restaurants and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail
industries. Learn more about Delaware North at www.DelawareNorth.com.
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Media
Contact:
Glen
White
Manager-Corporate
Communications
Delaware
North
716-858-5753 |