STAMFORD, Conn.—If you stream it, they will come. That’s what Aloft Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s innovative hotel brand for today’s hyper-connected global traveler, is betting on when it comes to the future of in-room entertainment. Introducing RoomCast Powered by Chromecast, a new streaming solution designed by TeleAdapt for the hotel industry and being offered first at Aloft. Starting today, Aloft New Orleans Downtown will begin to pilot this feature, with a plan for all 188 guest rooms to be fully outfitted with RoomCast by late summer. RoomCast makes it simple for guests to stream their favorite content, safely and securely, from their smart devices directly to their guest room televisions. No new account setups, just simple “point, click and you’re in” technology.
“Innovation is at the heart of the Aloft brand, and we are always striving to bring new technologies to our early adopter guests first,” said Sarah Downing, Vice President, Global Guest Initiatives, Aloft Hotels. “In partnership with the cutting-edge thinkers of TeleAdapt, we are thrilled to be first to bring RoomCast powered by Chromecast to market at Aloft New Orleans Downtown. It’s a simple, safe and secure way for guests to stream their favorite content right to their televisions. It’s the future of in-room entertainment, now.”
How It Works
To stream their favorite shows, apps and other content, Aloft New Orleans Downtown guests will be able to simply use RoomCast powered by Chromecast, which provides each guest room with a wireless personal area network equipped with a specific password and integrated Chromecast media streaming device. Upon entering their room, guests can join their own personal, secure network, at which point they will discover a “Cast Button” within all their cast-enabled apps on their iOS or Android devices. Guests simply join the in-room network, open a cast-enabled app and tap the Cast button to watch their favorite content on the TV.
What makes RoomCast so unique is that everything is controlled from the guests’ phone or tablet using mobile apps they already use and love. There is no need to download software or enter personal information to login. RoomCast users can even keep using their phones for personal use (texting, calls and more) without interrupting what’s streaming. The personal area network password is then reset for the next hotel guest, leaving no information behind.
“TeleAdapt is fortunate to have relationships with the world’s leading hotel groups, like Starwood, that influence our product development process in such a positive way,” said Neil Betterton, VP of Global Product Development at TeleAdapt. “We work hard to develop products that meet the unique needs of hotel guestroom applications, but that cannot be done in a vacuum. The Starwood team’s support with the development of RoomCast was absolutely key.”
This new streaming solution is just the latest from the team at Aloft Hotels. Always ahead of the curve, other tech-forward offerings from Aloft have included: Botlr, the world’s first robotic butler, currently employed at Aloft Cupertino; TiGi (“text it, get it”) the world’s first Emoji-only room service menu; and SPG Keyless, which allows guests to utilize their smartphones as room keys.
