Want a Different Kind of Work Trip? Try a Robot Hotel

The decision to use robots through the Henn Na “portfolio is taken on a case-by-case basis depending on the location and market conditions,” according to spokesperson Mami Matsumoto.

Generally, Henn Na robots can improve operational efficiency by reducing labor costs. Given the shortage of current labor in Japan (and the downward birth rate), droids are also ready to fill the open positions. Once guests get used to their strengths and weaknesses, they can find the lack of practical human interaction.

A decade after Opening its first hotel in 2015, Henn Na’s management settled on a hybrid endowment model made up of humans and humanoids. The hotel is now operating around 150 robots in recording offices or inside the rooms 14 years from its Japan hotels.

Churi, the personal assistant in the room used in the first days of the hotel, has since been improved: in the locations of Henn Na in Maihama Tokyo Bay and Osaka Namba, the compact humanoid robots used serve and deposit information on customers and Laundiques, “What is the control period? attractions and catering options nearby. They can also perform more than 70 dances, including Hula, Flamenco, Ballet and Traditional Japanese Dance.

The robots of the Henn Na Hotel are rather realizing.Photography: Timothee Lambrecq

Some robots of the Henn Na hotel wear virgin white uniforms, blue silk scarves and white caps which are perfectly seated at the top of their bright black bobs.Photography: Timothee Lambrecq

As technology becomes more reliable and customers report consistent quality in service, the hotel plans to deploy more robots in places where the chain can reduce labor costs and improve efficiency without harming customer satisfaction.

The workforce in certain Henn Na locations have gone from around 40 to about eight. A major advantage for businesses, in particular for the 24/7 hotel industry, is that robots work every hour of the day, which stimulates customer satisfaction, according to a 2023 report by researchers from the University of Stockton entitled “A exam by the Henn Na hotel”.

Henn Na has often been used as a case study to explore how customers react to robotic integration, Noel Criscione-Naylor, hotel teacher at Stockton and one of the authors of the report, written in an email in Wired. Although the research is limited, she says, “it is reasonable to assume that the more the robot is new or unique, the more likely it may be a feeling of perceived value or entertainment to the guest.”

However, the authors note in the report, when anthropomorphic robots resemble humans, “customers tend to expect them to have total human capacities, and with current technology, robots are struggling to engage with humans, which can create a negative customer experience.” So maybe don’t expect a relaxation service of a skinjob anytime soon.