McLEAN, Virginia—Hilton announced an exclusive partnership with Be My Eyes to ensure guests who are blind or have low vision can experience a more accessible and welcoming stay. Together with Be My Eyes, Hilton is making available AI-powered assistance and dedicated Hilton Reservations and Customer Care support to guests who are blind or have low vision across the United States and Canada. Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers and companies through live video and AI, and now, connects Hilton guests with a team of specially trained English-speaking Hilton Reservations and Customer Care agents.
Through this partnership, Be My Eyes users in the United States and Canada can use their smartphones to navigate to Be My Eyes’ “Service Directory,” select the “Hotels” category, and choose the participating Hilton brand to be connected to Hilton’s dedicated teams. Hilton teams will be available to help users navigate the hotel, including helping guests identify and adjust the in-room thermostat, operate in-room coffee machines, identify window coverings, or navigate to the hotel’s meeting spaces and amenities such as bars, restaurants, gyms, or spas.
Assistance is available across a variety of Hilton’s portfolio of brands, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, and Hampton by Hilton, among others. The partnership provides both leisure and business travelers who are blind or have low vision with personalized assistance for every stay.
“As a leading hospitality company, Hilton is committed to creating an experience that is welcoming for every guest, at every hotel, every time,” said Mike Gathright, senior vice president, customer excellence and innovation, Hilton. “We believe that every guest—regardless of ability or any other factor—deserves a reliable and friendly travel experience, and we are proud to partner with Be My Eyes to make that more of a reality for thousands of Be My Eyes users.”
Hilton first partnered with Be My Eyes in 2023 to train and improve “Be My AI,” an OpenAI GPT-4 language model that powers the Be My Eyes app, to enhance its ability to recognize objects and navigate the furniture and fixtures found in Hilton brand hotel rooms. Earlier this year, the partnership was expanded to include the development and training of a specialized team of Hilton Reservations and Customer Care agents who can support Be My Eyes users who may need assistance during their stay.
“Our mission at Be My Eyes is to break down accessibility barriers in everyday life, and this partnership with Hilton is a significant step along that path, helping travel and hospitality to be much more inclusive,” said Mike Buckley, CEO, Be My Eyes. “Hilton is once again leading by example, and we’re excited to provide the world’s best customer service platform to help Hilton serve blind and low-vision consumers.”
In addition to leveraging Hilton’s Reservations and Customer Care team, guests can use Hilton’s “straight-to-room” digital self-service tools that create an experience from check-in to check-out. Where available, these tools include the ability to choose your room, digitally check-in, use the Digital Key to open guestroom doors with mobile phones, and digitally check out. With this technology, guests who require additional assistance can adapt their travel experience based on their specific needs.
