Innovative technology increases guest access to local info, supplements hotel’s sustainability efforts
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- Monscierge station in the lobby at FireSky
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- Lobby at FireSky
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- Lobby bar
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- Latest software released last month
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – To increase guests’ access to concierge services in an efficient, paperless and yet customized fashion, Kimpton’s FireSky Resort & Spa is using the Monscierge.
The Monscierge, a 47-inch hotel touch screen reminiscent of a supersized handheld device or tablet, is stationed in the FireSky lobby, offering guests a virtual accompaniment to the resort’s traditional concierge services. FireSky’s Monscierge now runs the latest software, version 1.5, which was just released in late July.
While FireSky guests are guaranteed personal customer service from all resort staff at every hour of the day, the Monscierge requires no sleep and therefore acts as a 24/7 personal virtual attendant for a wide variety of needs. Guests can use the Monscierge for anything from finding directions and nightlife to checking flight schedules and weather forecasts.
“Guests get a kick out of using the Monscierge, and it’s just fun to play with,” said FireSky Assistant General Manager Cheryl L. Martin. “They’ll often browse restaurants, look up menus and then get the personal touch of talking to our concierge for tailored recommendations and preferences.”
A paperless, touch-screen interface, the Monscierge eases the process of finding out where to go for work and play. Before the Monscierge, FireSky’s staff members – including its concierge team and front desk employees – were known to devote significant time to writing down directions for guests. The Monscierge simplifies that process for everyone by texting the desired directions on demand to guests’ cell phones. Not only is this an added convenience for guests and staff, it is a bonus toward FireSky’s commitment to sustainability: The resort is Arizona’s first and only Green Seal certified hotel and recently received the Arizona Office of Tourism Governor’s 2010 Award for “Best Green Tourism.”
In keeping with the resort’s early adapter style – it was the first to recycle its wine bottles into water glasses and first to compost food scraps for donation as feed to nearby farms – FireSky was the first hotel in Scottsdale and one of the first hotels in the United States to use the Monscierge, installing it in January 2010 just months after it became commercially available.
The Monscierge has been wildly popular at FireSky ever since, Martin says, which reflects trends among customers abroad. The Monscierge exploded onto the hospitality scene in Dublin, Ireland, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, and continues to expand into other European countries. The technology’s popularity in the United States is also growing, with units now in use throughout Denver and Scottsdale.
ABOUT FIRESKY RESORT & SPA
A member of the award-winning San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, FireSky Resort & Spa artfully blends the casual elegance of its downtown Scottsdale location with the stark appeal of its desert setting. The resort’s story is one of the elements - conveyed by seamless indoor/outdoor connections, lush landscaping, expansive water features and lounging spaces with hearths and fire pits. The property, which is the first Green Seal certified hotel in Arizona, features 204 guest rooms and suites stretching 400 to 800 square feet, each of which boasts a private patio or patio that overlooks the colorful grounds and swimming pools. Resort amenities include approximately 14,000 square feet of customizable multi-use space across 13 meeting rooms for social gatherings and business events. Additional highlights include Taggia, the on-site restaurant featuring authentic coastal Italian cuisine, and Jurlique Spa, a soothing and organic retreat in which to relax, refresh and rejuvenate. www.fireskyresort.com
ABOUT KIMPTON
San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, the company is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and having a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Each hotel provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through locally-loved, top-rated, destination, chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants. Market Metrix, a recognized authority and leader in feedback solutions, consistently ranks Kimpton above other hotel companies in luxury and upper upscale segments for customer satisfaction. Privately held Kimpton operates 50 hotels and 51 restaurants in 16 states. For more information visit www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.
About Monscierge™
Monscierge is a hotel touch screen technology company headquartered on the Isle of Man. Equally committed to software development and visual style, the Monscierge team builds attractive, functional lobby fixtures. Designed from the ground up, Monscierge has two goals: to improve the guest experience and minimize front desk demands to enable smooth, prompt service. To learn more, visit www.monscierge.com.