Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO | FutureHotel

The research and innovation network »FutureHotel« is dedicated to central questions regarding the hotel of the future. Together with partners from the hospitality sector, Fraunhofer IAO analyzes relevant technological, economical, ecological and societal trends and developments and their influence on the hotel industry. On this basis the innovation network develops concepts and solutions for real environments within future hotels like lobbies, hotel, conference and meeting rooms as well as wellness areas on the one handside. On the other handside, virtual spaces like booking portals, PMS and bonus apps. 

»FutureHotel« combines theoretical research and real-world testing and therefore creates insight and foresight on multiple levels.

Previous research phases have produced the following applicable concepts and solutions:

• Individual hotel room selection comparable to airplane seating
• Concepts for timely flexible hotel room reservation
• Automated check-in and check-out processes with a variable share of employee deployment
• Technically connected and personalized interiors (smart environments), e. g. guest rooms
• Synergetic combination of coworking spaces and hotels (coworking lobby)
• Solutions for bathroom and wellness areas
• Industry partners’ product solutions, e. g. intelligent door frame »Case plus« and swinging bed »Sway«