Google wants to put Nest Hubs in hotel rooms for hands-free help, control

The convenience and utility of Smart Displays can extend beyond the home. Google is now working to put a Nest Hub in every hotel room and extolling the contactless benefits of voice commands aided by onscreen visuals.

The most basic use for hotel room Nest Hubs covers “common service requests from guests.” Possible “Hey Google” voice commands include:

• Schedule a wake up call
• Ask my hotel for extra towels
• What time does the pool close?
• Tell me about the specials

Other information that can be surfaced includes weather forecasts, local sites, restaurant recommendations, and news updates. These common web queries are available without the hotel having to build or partner on a custom solution.

Another layer of integration is being able to check out from the Smart Display so that guests don’t have to wait in another line, while mid-stay surveys could gauge satisfaction and identify issues. 

Meanwhile, guests also get a “personal hotel media hub” that has the benefit of working hands-free, while Google touts how you can pair your phone via Bluetooth to play music over better speakers. Hotels will be able to configure the Nest Hub to integrate with smart devices in the room, including blinds, TVs, and lights. 

Google is choosing the smaller Nest Hub for this experience — besides being more affordable — given the physical lack of a camera. In addition to featuring a physical mic mute switch, audio from these sessions will not be stored, and “activities will be immediately wiped from the device when it’s reset for the next guest.” End users don’t have to sign in to any account to get up-and-running.

Google has already partnered with the following hotels to deploy Nest Hubs in guest rooms: 

Today you can experience the best of Google at boutique hotels including Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale, AZ, Dr. Wilkinson’s Resort in Calistoga, CA Gale and Shelborne South Beach in Miami, and Gansevoort Meatpacking and Synergy Chelsea in New York City, Hotel Zena and Viceroy D.C, as well as Village Hotels in the UK. 

More locations are coming, while this joins Google’s other initiative to use Smart Displays as hotel translators.