28 Jan 2015
Japanese theme park to launch robot-staffed hotel
BY Tom Anstey
Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Nagasaki, Japan, is soon to open a new hotel staffed almost entirely by robots.
The 72-bedroom Henn na Hotel is scheduled to open 17 July. In line with the hotel’s name (Which translates to ‘Change’) and slogan, “A Commitment for Evolution”, the hotel will “evolve with cutting-edge technology”, according to a spokesperson for Huis Ten Bosch.
The robot staff will provide a porter service, room cleaning, front desk management and other services in the futuristic hotel, which will also include face-recognition technology so guests can enter their room without the use of a key.
“We will make the most efficient hotel in the world,” said company president Hideo Sawada. “In the future, we would like to have more than 90 percent of hotel services operated by robots.”
A one-night stay in the hotel will cost ¥7,000 (US$59, €52, £39) for a single room, while a double room will cost ¥9,000 (US$77, €67, £50). During peak season, if the hotel looks as though it is going to be at capacity, guests will have to bid for the price they are willing to pay to stay. The highest bid will get the room with a pay cap of ¥14,000 (US$119, €105, £78).
Following the hotel's opening in July, a further 72-bedroom building will be constructed and opened in 2016, bringing the total number of rooms up to 144.
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