MIAMI—Mixed-use development YotelPad Miami is rolling out its newest amenity—a robot butler. It can talk, sing and make deliveries—even late-night snacks. Its name is Lulu.
There will be two robots at the Downtown Miami Yotel Hotel, and one for the residents of the mixed-use development.
“The Yotel brand is known for implementing useful technology into its hotels around the world,” said David Arditi, principal at Aria Development Group, developer of this project. “Whether it is a robot butler like the one found at YotelPad Miami or the luggage arm at Yotel hotel in New York, these tech amenities have one thing in common—they are made to enhance the guest and resident experience, not replace the human aspect.”
In terms of guest services, the Yotel brand sought to have a tool that is in line with the progression of technology, but also a service that keeps that human contact or connection available.
“Our robot butler is loaded by a staff member and set on its journey to deliver the resident or guest request. It works alongside our staff,” said Arditi. “Consumers’ tastes are changing in the sense that they are not only looking for amenities that add to their lifestyle but also amenities that make their stay or the process of travel a little easier and convenient.”
Created by Techmetics, this type of robotic butler is also on staff at the Yotel in Singapore. The technology company’s level of product and technical support is what kept the brand coming back.
One robot will work on the hotel side and two will be deployed on the residential component of YotelPad Miami. “For both components of the development, the robots will have the same roles: to deliver drinks, snacks, documents, gifts and more,” said Arditi. “Guests and residents at YotelPad Miami will be able to interact with the robots while they roam freely around the lobby and ask them for directions to the restrooms, lobby or another particular area of the development. Since these robots can autonomously ride the elevators, guests can also be guided to the amenity areas, etc.”
Every Yotel property aims to incorporate some sort of technology component into each project.
“The brand’s goal is to bring its branded hospitality experience and the technology it’s known for globally and incorporate it into each individual city—making each development one of a kind,” he concluded.
