How Robots Are Changing Guest Experiences

A robot glides smoothly down a hotel corridor, quietly delivering a tray. What might have been a strange sight for guests a decade ago is now seen as an interesting novelty. It’s not science fiction – but it is a demonstration of how technology is shaping a new era for guest experience.

Hospitality is embracing automation. A shift in attitude towards hotel robots has been noted within the industry. This owes much to the realisation that hotel robots are here to help staff, not replace them.

Hotel teams are being freed from repetitive tasks to focus on what really makes a difference to the guest experience – communication, connection and care.

Nexoserv was one of the earliest providers of smart robotics solutions to hospitality, and we continue to push forward innovation in the industry. In this article, we’d like to shine a spotlight on the fleet of hotel robots changing hospitality, and ponder the future of the guest experience.

How hotel robots are revolutionising hotels

It’s time for a few introductions. Which hotel robots are currently in action, improving guest experiences? And what do they do?

Butlerbots

You might have also heard them referred to as a butler robot or robot butler: Butlerbots deliver towels, toiletries, snacks, or room service meals. They handle these tasks discreetly and efficiently, navigating elevators, hallways, and doorways with precision.

With a Butlerbot on your team, you can provide contactless delivery 24/7, reduce the workload on your front-desk and housekeeping staff, and offer an exciting, futuristic experience that guests love to share.

Let’s say a guest orders a night-time snack. It’s late, and they are dressed for bed. Minutes later, a hotel room service robot arrives at their door with a polite chime. The delivery is quick, discreet and hassle-free.  

By handling the small, frequent tasks that consume time, Butlerbots give teams the breathing room to deliver more personalised, attentive service. At the M Social Hotel in Auckland, the Butlerbot W3 is considered “part of the team,” offering seamless room service, freeing staff from repetitive tasks, and enhancing guest satisfaction.

Dinerbots

Dinerbots ferry dishes, clear tables, and help servers manage busy dining hours. These food service robots don’t replace servers; they support them.

The advantages of Dinerbots add up quickly from the moment they are deployed. They immediately take a significant portion of physical strain away from waiting staff. Not only does this keep your team’s energy levels higher for longer, but it can also reduce repetitive motion injuries in the long run.

Dinerbots improve guest experience by speeding up table turnaround and service, allowing waiting staff to focus on hospitality, not logistics. During peak service, Dinerbots move gracefully between kitchen and tables, clearing tables or delivering meals. Waiters and waitresses have more time for guest engagement, enabling more attentive service. During quieter service periods, dinerbots keep going, giving your waiting staff more opportunities for a break.

These food service robots bring energy, novelty, and consistency to the dining experience, all while helping teams perform at their best. At LEGOLAND’s restaurants, the Dinerbot T10 is a robot waiter that supports both front and back of house, quickly delivering meals, with advanced obstacle detection using 300° 3D vision sensors for safe, smooth movement around people and furniture.

Kleenbots

Kleenbots can be your hotel’s unsung heroes of hygiene. They are autonomous cleaning robots that vacuum, mop, and sanitise public areas. From corridors and conference spaces to lobbies and restrooms; once Kleenbots are programmed and set to work, they’ll keep guest areas pristine.  

A Kleenbot dusts, sweeps, vacuums and cleans. It operates sustainably, using less water and energy than humans would for the same tasks. But it won’t replace your cleaning team – it will give them more time for those finishing touches that make a space feel cared for, with the ultimate beneficiaries being guests themselves.  

With these commercial cleaning robots on your team, your staff will be supported like never before. Kleenbots can work around the clock, helping you to maintain consistently high hygiene standards and hit your targets. Meanwhile, your housekeeping staff are freed up to deliver detailed cleaning and presentation, allowing your establishment to excel.

The future of the guest experience

Now we’ve honed in on the hotel robots changing guest experiences in hospitality, let’s zoom out. Where is the hospitality industry heading? And what’s the ceiling for smart robotics solutions?

We believe the next stage of robotics in hospitality will move hand-in-hand with advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. The Butlerbot, Dinerbot and Kleenbot can already navigate complex hotel layouts, carrying heavy loads and handling tight pathways. With the possibilities presented by smarter machine learning, we see the opportunity for enhanced predictive guest services and an even higher work efficiency and sustainability.

Systems will be able to recognise when supplies run low or maintenance is due, before anyone reports it. Hotel robots will continue to optimise routes, reduce waste, and monitor resource use. Personalised guest journeys will be underpinned by further integrations between hotel apps, robot services, and concierge platforms.

But what about the here and now? What we are finding on a daily basis, is that the deliverability of smart robotics in a hospitality environment hinges on the right support. 

Rather than our technology setting us apart from other providers, we think it’s the partnerships we form. We are with hotels every step of the way; from the outset of consultation and onboarding, right through to aftercare and maintenance.

Every establishment receives hands-on support to ensure hotel robots fit naturally into service; our consultants work alongside hotel teams to assess pain points and design a custom deployment strategy. Teams are trained not just to use the hotel robots but to work alongside them effectively. If something goes wrong, there’s always a real person to call – hotels need ongoing customer care to negate service disruption and give them peace of mind.

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