The Hotel of Tomorrow Project is a global think tank of 325 hospitality industry executives. The Gettys Group, a design, development and consulting firm, spearheaded the project. Since June, the group gathered online to create, review and test concepts. The think tank includes representatives from a range of brands like Hilton, IHG, Four Seasons and Marriott.

Sixteen worldwide teams submitted 79 ideas in the Hotel of Tomorrow Project. In turn, more than 1,000 hospitality executives surveyed the ideas to select the ones with the most future potential. As a result, five cutting-edge concepts emerged.

• Bed XYZ: An optimized sleep platform features engineered fabrics and an array of smartphone applications
• Outside In, Inside Out: Incorporates the outdoors into interior spaces with lighting, scents, sounds, plant material and more
• Hotel Rover: A self-driving vehicle complete with AI-powered applications to sleep up to four guests or transport guests
• Journey Pebble: A digital, encrypted wearable to share guest preferences for a seamless, personalized stay
• Robot Alliance: Robots allow guests to drink and dine beyond the confines of the hotel restaurant and bar

“The COVID crisis has created a need for answers to questions hotels could not answer on their own,” said Ron Swidler, chief innovation officer, The Gettys Group. “We needed to think beyond room cleaning initiatives and air purifying systems and develop long lasting solutions that addressed health, safety, sanitation, technology, aesthetics and environmental concerns.”