This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

What It Will Be Like To Stay In A Hotel In 2060

The future includes robo-butlers, choosing dreams and printing a holiday wardrobe.
Pick a dream, any dream.
Hotels.com
Pick a dream, any dream.

Marty McFly totally over promised on the hoverboards so we're a little skeptical, but Dr James Canton from The Institute for Global Futures reckons hotels are going to be mighty different in less that 50 years time.

Hotels.com enlisted the help of futurist Canton to take an educated guess at how far technology will have evolved by 2060 and beyond, and what that'll look like for travel.

"Trends in technology, science, energy and entertainment will vastly change the hotel experience for travellers. The emergence of a new travel design science, which is a combination of using big data, artificial intelligence and predicting travellers' dreams, will mean the whole travel experience will change," Canton said.

"The future of travel is really exciting, as we'll see predictive travel analytics anticipating what consumers want from their experience before booking. The hotel booking itself will be helped along by artificial intelligence software agents, using data mining and intuitive computing. The new travel design science will help create highly personalized in-stay experiences. And it doesn't end when you check out, because new analytics will also ensure lifelong travel fulfillment."Here's what they came up with:

RoboButlers

These autonomous robots can be designed online before arrival and can be programmed with special talents, skills, languages and information to help make the hotel stay exceptional. They will do everything from greeting guests at the airport, to offering gourmet food service, room makeup, companionship, education, entertainment, business advice and concierge services.

RoboButlers only look half as terrifying as they sound.
Hotels.com
RoboButlers only look half as terrifying as they sound.

Morphing hotels made to order

This is the next generation of made to order. Hotels which self-assemble and morph from one design to another based on consumer's votes. These crowdsourced hotels will use nanotechnology and machines that can self-assemble environments, buildings or even entire physical worlds (the Real Jurassic Park?). This could all be possible in the next 20 years.

3D Makers in every hotel room

Taking luggage on holiday will be a thing of the past. 3D Printers will transform the travel experience and specifically the in room experience. 3D Makers will generate in real time items guests desire, such as a new pair of shoes, clothes, pharmaceuticals, even computers or wearable phones. 3D shopping will be available, where consumers download from the cloud, retail goods that they want to design on demand. This will become the standard in every hotel room.

We can't wait until we can print Jimmy Choos without the price tag.
Hotels.com
We can't wait until we can print Jimmy Choos without the price tag.

Neuro-Dreaming: choose your own dream

The definition of getting a good night's sleep will be changing in the future. A hotel bed will no longer just be a place to enjoy a comfortable night's sleep, as future travellers will be able to choose their own dreams before dozing off. Hotels will give guests access to neurotechnology to program their dreams and they can choose a dream theme to either relax, enhance, learn or enjoy. Romantic adventure or space exploration?

Pop-up hotels based on crowdsourcing

The next generation of pop up hotels will be based on special mobile crowdsourcing, where the theme and location is decided by votes. The pop up hotel designs that win the most votes will be programmed to self-assemble using 3D printers, use continuously generating Bio-solar cells and feature nanotechnology. These hotels will exist for a limited time and HotelCoin, the digital Blockchain currency, will be used by consumers to pay with their wearable mobile app.

People power.
Hotels.com
People power.

Wellness and longevity hotel spas

The spa 2.0, the next generation of wellness spas will be mind blowing. Gone are the days of a simple facial or massage at hotel spa. The hotel spa of the future is based on DNA analysis and promoting living longer. You will receive personalized prevention treatments, prediction and health enhancement programs designed to refresh your health, your fitness and understand your future health risks. These will use the latest genetic medicine treatment, mind refreshing drugs, brain fitness and prevent disease. Massage and mud baths will of course still be available.

Airport transfer of the future

Think self-driving pods, RoboFlying cars and Hyperloop. One of the most stressful parts of any vacation is getting from the airport to your hotel. Travellers will be pleased to hear that the future of airport transfers is high tech and high speed. Future transports include self-driving pods, RoboFlying cars, which will help you avoid the traffic, and larger developments such as the Hyper Loop -- supersonic air travel, covering hundreds of kilometers in seconds.

They see me rollin' (out of the airport).
Hotels.com
They see me rollin' (out of the airport).

DNA mobile payments

DNA is the ultimate personal identification and will be used to confirm identify in making travel bookings and payments online. When you check into your hotel, all that will be needed is DNA fingerprints to confirm who you are and check in is complete! Long check in lines will be a thing of the past.

My travel avatar

The booking of hotels will be done by your very own travel avatar, like a digital software agent. Your travel avatar will help fulfill all your travel needs and wishes. Your Avatar will manage bookings, like a personal version of Apple's Siri or Amazon's Alexa, they will search, design and book travel. Avatars will communicate, negotiate and design your whole travel experience -- the ultimate in customer care.

Where is Sam Worthington?
Hotels.com
Where is Sam Worthington?

EcoHotels on the next level

Many hotels already focus on sustainability and being eco-friendly but in future every hotel will be fully sustainable. They will excel in energy efficiency, buy and sell energy off the Renewable Energy Grid, use safe & clean products only, use the latest solar and geothermal technology and have a carbon neutral footprint. EcoHotels will also be socially aware, with products and workers all producing a positive social impact in the community.

Augmented reality hotels

Travellers will be able to stay at hotels that are part physical and part virtual. While virtual reality is simply a recreation of a real life setting, an augmented reality experience actually blends the physical real world with virtual reality. Millions of innovative scenarios will therefore be possible - an excursion to Africa or a trip Machu Picchu in Peru? Augmented reality hotels will customize the ultimate adventure, history or drama travel experience. Consumers will not just stay at a hotel and be limited to excursions locally, the hotels will transport them to fantasy worlds they can only dream of.

Augmented reality -- who knows what's real anymore?
Hotels.com
Augmented reality -- who knows what's real anymore?

Gourmet genomics in hotel restaurants

Hotel restaurants will start to feature food designed for the individual's palate, all based on DNA analysis. Before you even arrive at your hotel, your diet and nutrition menu will be designed based on your DNA and optimised for your health. The menu is created to improve health, nutrition and fitness, but the food will still be gourmet and delicious. It will be designer food, made by top chefs but it won't make you gain weight or ruin your diet!

Immersive-themed hotels

Hotels in the future will have themes based on immersive worlds. Hotels will become entertainment experiences that we can only imagine today. Travellers can expect a fully interactive live event location, where the hotel is in character with in-world. Consumers could interact in real-time or by virtual reality. Imagine a Call of Duty World enabling combat gaming competitions between networked hotel communities or a Roman World with chariot races or a Renaissance World complete with costumes and customized androids, story lines, drama and action.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.