The world looks starkly different than it did pre-pandemic. In 2019, keyless entry for hotel rooms and contactless check-in were rare and novel. Today, guest expectations have propelled technology and hotel room features forward.Two leading hospitality experts discuss just how things have changed. Martin Daignault, Vice President of LOC International Inc., and Warren Dehan, President of Maestro, offer various perspectives from their backgrounds. Maestro is a property management systems supplier offering software products designed for the independent hotel market. LOC International Inc. supplies mini-fridges, key cards, smart locks, televisions, alarm clocks, and other technologies in rooms and suites.The pandemic drove the need to create and implement contactless methods within the hotel industry. Especially during the height of restricted traveling. “What they were looking for was enjoying their stay with little contact,” said Dehan. Travelers became accustomed to checking in and out without direct interaction or settling checks without calling over a server. These trends have maintained steady growth since the travel industry has increasingly returned to normal.Younger travelers are upping the contactless game and expanding it. “What we see in technology is an even bigger trend for ‘bring your own device’ so people can have all the benefits and features without having to manipulate what is in the room,” said Daignault. This group of travelers has different in-room needs and expectations. “They have expectations, but not necessarily in what it was before. They have expectations simply in how they live their life differently. They watch TV differently. They surf the web differently,” said Daignault.“Business is coming back and coming back in a big way,” said Dehan. Hotels must understand clients’ needs and expectations. As well as setting expectations while hotels experience challenges that the entire world faces, like staffing shortages. Dehan sees room for improvement in increasing intuitive hosting and app features. But in the process, “We have to stay close to those expectations,” said Daignault.

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