PHOENIX—As part of Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ transformative brand refresh, the company will provide guests with an immersive 360 degree look into its hotel offerings. Through use of the Best Western Virtual Reality Experience (BWVRE), travelers will be able to view guest rooms, hotel lobbies, and amenities prior to arriving at a property.
For the past three years, Best Western has partnered with Google Street View to gather 1.7 million photos of its 2,200 North American hotels. Using Google Street View Technology along with customized narration and music, BWVRE creates an engaging, story-telling experience and sets a new industry standard for virtual reality. By summer of 2016, every Best Western branded hotel in North America will have implemented the BWVRE.
“Walking into a lobby or guest room leaves an indelible impression on what kind of experience will follow, but photos aren’t enough,” said Dorothy Dowling, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “The Best Western Virtual Reality Experience transports consumers into our hotels and a customizable narration will guide them through the experience.”
Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch this cutting-edge technology setting a new industry standard for how virtual reality can be used to enhance the customer experience. BWVRE videos are being developed in 8K resolution, the current highest ultra-high definition video available and will be available on all platforms that are supported by HTML5, including Google Maps, Google Search, YouTube, and Facebook. The technology allows for the broadest distribution of video assets and gives Best Western the ability to enhance the experience over time.
