Hilton is not new to the game futuristic test drive. At the end of the 60s, Barron Hilton, its chairman at the time, had already set his sights on opening a hotel on the moon. While there was no Lunar Hilton announcement this time, the American group once again looked to the future to celebrate the centenary of the opening of the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas, the first in the galaxy founded by Conrad Hilton. In the company of experts in the fields of sustainable development, innovation, design, human relations and nutrition, Hilton envisages what the hotel industry could be like in 2119, in a very Black Mirrorthe best-selling thriller series.
Experience and personalisation, already on everyone's lips today, will continue to be the key to success. "In 2119, we will still be the search for unique experiencesbut they will be more personalised than eversays futurologist Gerd Leonhard. In a hundred years' time, hotels will need to create opportunities to converse, collaborate and connect, but they will also need to offer moments that matter to each and every one of their guests."This means that every space, layout and furnishing will have to meet passengers' expectations. From temperature and lighting to entertainment and beyond, microchips placed under the skin could be used to control the environment in real time.
In 2119, travellers will no longer need to carry heavy suitcases thanks to virtual wardrobes offering travellers an unlimited choice of clothing. In a world powered by artificial intelligence, the human touch and the personal touch will be more important than ever, according to the study. Technology will enable hotel staff to focus on what guests want, based on a wealth of data about their preferences. But it will also foster personal and family ties. A business traveller, for example, could see his space transformed into his own room, just like at home, with his family appearing in his room. in hologram just a phone call away.
The way we eat and produce energy will also have changed significantly to respond to the problems posed by climate change. "The food supply, limited resources and sustainability will be the greatest challenges for the hotel industry in a hundred years' time"says Emma Banks, Hilton's Vice President of F&B Strategy EMEA. It will probably be possible to install hotels in places that are out of reach today, whether deep in the jungle or high up in the mountains, with hotels that are totally integrated into their environment, for example wearing camouflage so as not to disturb the ecosystems.
Sustainability will be taken into account in every aspect of a hotel's design, from the initial concept to the final product. weatherproof domes to buildings made from plastic dredged from the ocean. Equipped with powerful weather forecasting systems, the buildings will adapt, or better still, use the hostile forces of nature to their advantage. In the event of flooding, they can either anchor themselves more firmly to the ground or be raised to let the waves pass through. Built from ultra-strong materials such as graphene, hotels could absorb the impact of gigantic hailstones and convert this energy to power the establishment.
When it comes to catering, Hilton is planning for the worst or the best, depending on your point of view. Gone are the juicy beef ribs and lamb chops, replaced by plankton pie, velvety green seaweed cake and spaghetti bolognese with beetles ! Our diet will be based on both products from the land and proteins from insects. The fats will be in the form of sweet or savoury pills. Forget room service as we know it: meals will be designed by 3D printers with menus concocted by chefs according to customers' biometric data, preferences and nutritional needs.
Naturally, physical exercise will be even more topical than it is today, with holographic personal trainers. The technology will make it possible to vary the pleasures of training, for example by pitting yourself against a virtual sea turtle over 100 m in a swimming pool or climbing the digital face of Mount Everest. What's more, the energy generated in this way would not only benefit the traveller's health, as it could be used to power the hotel. Rewards based on the achievement of training objectives could reward all these efforts. Can't wait to get there?
