Invisible Hotel

App Featured Image

Design Exercise
A new invisible service hotel is opening in Washington D.C. An invisible service hotel provides many of the amenities of a modern luxury hotel, but without a front desk or onsite staff. From check-in to check-out, consider how technologies can provide concierge-level services that are traditionally handled by a hotel staff.

Provide a high-level overview of the customer experience. Design a native mobile app that visitors use to interface with the hotel. Pull from this list of potential concierge services: room check-in/out, options for local sightseeing, recommendations and reservations for local restaurants, providing fresh towels and toiletries.

Competitive Research
I started out by taking a look at other invisible service hotels and what types of offerings they provide to their guests. One thing I noticed that was relevant in all three competitors I looked into was there was not much to customizing your experience or giving the guest the freedom of not needing to be in the room to use some of the amenities – the in room tablets which CitizenM and Lokal offer make you restrained to your room.

404 Hotel

Nashville, TN

Keyless entry via email

Complimentary parking

Daily housekeeping

CitizenM

New York City, NY

Self-check in at welcome kiosks

24-hour lobby cafeteria

Samsung tablets in rooms to control lighting and tv

Online CityGuides

Lokal

Philadelphia, PA

Coded check in

In-room iPads with apps connected to local delivery services such as Caviar, GoPuff and Instacart as well as Coral for a local guide book

Call/text for additional services

Airbnb Inspiration

Target Audience
Because millennials are traveling more and spending more money than any other age group this is the target audience for this app. They are dubbed the “fastest growing tourism demographic” and I want this app to appeal to the “Airbnb generation”

  • 55% of millennial respondents plan to travel more in the next 12 months.
  • Millennials are also more likely to spend more on upcoming vacations. Thirty-four percent plan to spend over $5,000 on upcoming vacations.
  • Millennials were expected to spend $200 billion on travel in 2018 alone.

User Research
To being brainstorming what features should be included in the app I selected 6 acquaintances of mine within the target audience and asked them just some basic questions about their habits when staying at hotels. A symbol denotes they selected this answer.

What do you typically request from the front desk staff while staying at a traditional hotel?

Additional towels

Additional bed linens

Bath supplies (shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc.)

Extra/new room keys

Late check out

Do you typically visit the concierge table?

Yes

No

Only when traveling internationally

Do you typically order room service while staying in a traditional hotel?

Yes

No

App Features
After listening to user feedback here is the final list of features I wanted to include in the app.

  • Room check-in / check-out
  • Door key access
  • Housekeeping service
  • Room information
  • Wireless internet password
  • Fresh towel / toiletry request
  • Travel recommendations
  • Food take out / delivery

Brand Development
First I wanted to break down what emotions I want visitors to feel about the brand:
Free – not restrained to their room or the building when customizing their stay.
Relaxed – simple and easy to use UI that would not frustrate when the least tech-savvy person.
Delighted – I want users to think “oh this is cool” when exploring the benefits of the hotel.
Loyal – creating an experience that will make a user want to come back or share with their following.

IH LogoMark
IH Branding
Icon Library

UserFlows / Wireframes
After deciding what features the app would include I took some time to develop a user flow to make sure to integrate everything I wanted into the app in the best places possible. Then went onto wireframing.

IH Userflow
Sketched Wireframes
XD Wireframes
XD Wireframes

Final App

IH Splash
IH Onboarding
IH My Stay
IH Services
IH Explore
IH Contact



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