OAHU, HI—Espacio the Jewel of Wakiki, once a 73-hotel based here, has been transformed to a property with nine full-floor, ultra-luxury suites with private elevators. Amenities include fully stocked kitchens, private jacuzzis, butlers, balconies and a shared rooftop pool.
Perhaps the highlight of each suite is the initiative fully-automated Control4 smart home system, installed by Greenbrae, CA-based Engineered Lifestyles, which enables guests, via iPad, to control the in-room audio system, climate controls, lighting and motorized window shades. The iPads also have access to the hotel’s Intelity hospitality platform for booking spa appointments, setting dining reservations and scheduling tours.
“With Control4, we created high-tech smart suites that deliver a completely customized experience with instant automation control,” said Sean Toland, president, Engineered Lifestyles. “Guests at Espacio the Jewel of Waikiki expect a pampered stay. When catering to high-end clientele, end-to-end-experiences have to top the luxurious convenience they have in their own homes. I’m pleased to say that with instant customized automation, we achieved this goal.”
Installing an automated control system was a necessity for the suites when the renovation was decided, according to Brent Kitsu, general manager of Espacio The Jewel of Waikiki.
“Espacio The Jewel of Waikiki’s first priority with our recent renovation was to offer guests an unparalleled in-room experience through intelligent and powerful automated control of nearly every element within their hotel room,” he said. “As a luxury boutique hotel, we want our guests to feel at home and a level of comfort that many larger hotels struggle to achieve. We felt that Control4 provides the interface and capabilities that many guests will appreciate from the moment they arrive to checkout.”
Kitsu noted that it was Control4’s compatibility with the hotel’s audio, video and lighting systems that made it the choice over other similar systems.
“Control4 was easily integrated with these various elements, while also delivering a frustration-free, seamless user experience that our staff and guests love,” he said. “Our hotel’s owners were already very familiar with the Control4 system and knew firsthand the capabilities and customization it offers users. Additionally, Control4 has heavily invested in making its system a great tool for hotels, with settings and applications created uniquely for the hospitality industry.”
Products such as Amazon Alexa and Sonos can be integrated to make controlling the different elements in the suite as if the guest was doing it at home.
“Guests are able to turn lights on and off from bed, control the climate controls, open and close shades, order room service, book a tour or reserve a dinner or spa reservation,” said Kitsu. “Staff can also program the system to deliver both ‘welcome’ and ‘turndown’ services that include different lighting and audio settings that accommodate guests arriving to their room for the first time or coming back to their rooms at night. The hotel can also use the system to deploy an energy saving mode in unoccupied hotel rooms. Beyond guest satisfaction, the Control4 system has greatly improved the hotel’s operational efficiency.”
The hotel has received rave reviews from guests, who pointed out how easy it was to take control of their suites, noted Kitsu, who added, “Nowadays, technology has become so advanced, that instantaneous service or action has almost become expected. We’re thrilled that the Control4 system has allowed us to deliver a new level of service and happiness to Espacio’s already renowned guest experience.”