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On the Cutting Edge: The 4 Most High-tech Hotels in the United States

By Mike Richard Jul 21, 2017 11:00 AM

There was a time when free HBO, color TVs, and vibrating beds were enough to draw in weary road-trippers. Nowadays, hotel guests demand much, much more. These four hotels go way beyond most with a long list of high-tech amenities that place them among the most high-tech hotels in the United States.

Aloft Cupertino (Cupertino, California)

aloft cupertino california hotel — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Aloft is known for its sleek, upscale, but affordable digs. The brand’s Cupertino outpost is located in California’s Silicon Valley, just steps from Apple’s worldwide headquarters. So, it’s no surprise the hotel boasts plenty of high-tech gadgetry to keep guests happy. Everything about the decor screams trendy and bleeding edge. Every room features 42-inch flat-screen televisions with Apple TV, SPG keyless entry, and lightning fast Wi-Fi. The most notable amenity, however, is Botlr. This robotic butler works 24/7 to fulfill simple guest requests like pool towels or light snacks/toiletries delivered directly to the room — all via the Starwood smartphone app.

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Hotel 1000 (Seattle, Washington)

loews hotel 1000 seattle — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even amid Seattle’s myriad luxury hotels, Hotel 1000 stands out. Nearly every aspect of the hotel is designed to be customized to the whims of each guest. The artwork, music, and ambient temperature and humidity of each room is fully bespoke. Rooms are outfitted with additional tech like Touchscreen Microsoft Surface tablets and VoIP phones. Behind-the-scenes tech — like infrared detectors to alert housekeeping when rooms are occupied — streamline the entire experience. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also within walking distance of the Seattle Art Museum, Pike Place Market, and the city’s waterfront.

YOTEL New York City (New York)

Get To Know YOTEL New York

YOTEL brings a trendy, accessible brand of Asia’s popular capsule hotels to the United States. The company’s chic, futuristic, 669-room New York City property boasts a wealth of ultra-modern high-tech amenities. Most notable are its human-free kiosk check-in and YOBOT — a fully-automated robot “bellhop” that stores luggage in lockable bins which can be accessed at any time with a guest pin code. Every room (which YOTEL calls “cabins”) is kitted out with lightning fast Wi-Fi, streaming audio services, and motion-activated air-conditioning. The fact that it’s centrally located just two blocks from Times Square and features the city’s largest hotel terrace make this a solid choice for NYC travelers.

Aria Resort & Casino (Las Vegas)

aria hotel las vegas — MGM Group

The cycle of demolition and resurrection of hotels in Las Vegas means the Vegas strip is home to some of the world’s most cutting edge accommodations. The 4,000-plus-room Aria Resort & Casino mega-resort ups the ante by providing guests with an almost unimaginable level of convenience. Upon entering their room, the integrated computer system greets guests by name, turns up the lights, and opens the curtains (often to stunning views of the strip). A touchscreen panel allows customization of almost every in-room feature, including a “Good Night” button that simultaneously turns on the digital do-not-disturb sign, drops the lights, and closes the curtains. Customizable wake-up calls provide personalized temperature, lighting, and music in the morning. A connected smartphone app can automatically unlock rooms when guests are nearby and provide property updates (like when a seat has opened at a particular blackjack table).

Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio

5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way

Wood, Hardwood, Accessories

Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.

The art of adventure packing: packing light but effective

Clothing, Coat, Jacket

If you are like me, you grew up with stories of adventure. Whether you were fans of fictional adventure like Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain, or you loved the true-life accounts of Ernest Shackleton and David Livingstone, there is a deep pull to venture into the unknown. The desire to abandon the Mon-Fri 9-5 in search of something deeper. You could spend your time thinking about hopping a boat and sailing the seven seas like the pirates of old. You could look up at the elusive peak of a mountain and believe it begs to be summited. You could stare into the depths of a jungle and wonder what treasures it hides beneath its canopy. No matter what kind of adventurer you are, you need to be prepared for whatever the world throws at you. I have climbed Salkantay Peak and explored the jungles of Peru. I have scanned the plains of Africa in search of a giant cat (the prospect of which was much more comforting than the actual sighting and wondering if I was far enough away). And I have disappeared into the secluded areas of Svalbard. One thing that remained constant was the need for the right pack.

Here is what I learned when packing for my adventures.

Savannah Beyond the Postcard

Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.