Start-ups surprise with innovations for hotel industry

Start-ups often come up with surprising innovations. In 2024, they again have a few things to offer the hotel industry. Hotelvak listed some of the new inventions.

Offering a hotel guest a glass of wine from a can, doesn't that make a somewhat cheap impression? Absolutely not, thinks creator Sjoerd Lochtenberg of 2Wine. "Canned wine has been around for a long time, especially in America it is very big. It's just a different way of consuming that mainly caters to the young generation of wine drinkers who need convenience, quality and sustainability. Canned wine also has many advantages for hotels. Because it comes in a small package, it cools quickly, takes up little space ánd you don't always have to open a big bottle. Moreover, tinned packaging is sustainable and environmentally friendly."

Among other things, 2Wine does business with hotels that have a shop-in-shop. "Ideal for guests who want to take a can of wine to their room," says Sjoerd. "Canned wine also offers a solution for the minibar, where fake drinks are sometimes made with wine bottles. With our product, this is not possible, because with it you can immediately see that the tab has been removed from the can." www.2wine.eu

In past summers, it was a problem on many a hotel terrace: guests puffing from the heat behind their drinks or afternoon lunch. If it is up to Mariëlle van den Broek, the Skycooler - a device that can lower the outside temperature by up to 10 degrees - will put an end to this once and for all. Originally a hotel manager, Mariëlle came across this product while on holiday in Rio de Janeiro. "Then I thought: why don't we have something like this in the Netherlands? I have since become the European importer of the Skycooler. My customers include hotels in Monaco, on Mallorca and Ibiza. A hotel on the Vrijthof in Maastricht and Won Yip in Amsterdam also use the Skycooler."

The functioning of the cooling device is quite simple, according to Mariëlle: "First you fill the 90-litre reservoir with water using a garden hose, then the water is atomised. This not only lowers the temperature, but also repels insects. And do you want a nice scent on the terrace? That too is possible, by adding a scented substance to the water." www.skycooler.nl

For most guests in a (hotel) restaurant, paying the bill is not exactly the most favourite activity. The company Frisj Mints has found a solution by turning the checkout process into a fresh experience. At first, guests may be surprised when they are served a wooden checkout tray containing a large peppermint and a metal hammer. But once it becomes clear that the little hammer is for smashing the peppermint into pieces and distributing it among the table guests, fun at the table is guaranteed. 

"It is also possible to have your company logo engraved on the shelf so that guests will remember your restaurant better," says an employee of Frisj Mints. "Also, the shelf can be printed with a QR code that leads to a personalised thank-you page where your guests are enticed to post a review. This will increase reviews and social media interaction. All in all, this checkout shelf provides an extra experience that makes checkout a lot more fun." www.frisj.com

It is often quite a search to find the right new rubber for a worn door rubber of refrigeration systems. Many a hotel's technical service department can relate to this. The differences between door rubbers may be small, but only the right match is suitable for optimally sealing your refrigerator or freezer.

Start-up Deurrubberservice, founded in 2019, comes up with a solution by measuring the door rubbers of all professional refrigeration units present in a hotel once. "In doing so, we link a unique code to each refrigerator and freezer," explains manager Maico Bennis. "We put the code on a sticker that we stick in the door. Then, when a door rubber needs replacement, a technical service or a chef can order the right product from us immediately.

Some door rubbers consist of a profile with many folds and ridges. This is tricky because, especially at the top of doors and drawers, food particles and ingredients can fall into the rubbers during cooking. Dirt and grease damage the door rubber and thus the life of the rubber. For this too, we have an alternative solution in the form of 'easy clean' door rubbers that are much easier to keep clean." www.deurrubberservice.nl

Say, as a hotel guest, you get to take home a nice tote bag, umbrella, water bottle or other fancy utility item. How cool is that? 

Apart from giving away a nice present, it will also ensure that your hotel is remembered by your guests. At JDL Sourcing - specialising in printed packaging, merchandise and promotional items - they understand this like no other. 

Here, customisation is paramount, stresses owner Joep de Laat. "When manufacturing our custom-made items, we really go to great lengths and immerse ourselves completely in the customer's identity.

For example, we were commissioned by the well-known motorsport brand KTM to make a beer opener. That is when we came up with the idea of making a beer opener in the shape of a handle of a motocross bike. We also distinguish ourselves in the hotel sector with creative solutions of this kind. For example, we designed custom-made shorts for the bar staff at Fletcher Hotels where the client himself chose the fabric and buttons."

When it comes to sustainability, JDL Sourcing is also at the forefront, as evidenced by its EcoVadis gold level recognition. "Among other things, we think very consciously about the materials we use. These can be very simple things, such as using a serving board made of bamboo instead of a plastic plate." www.jdlsourcing.nl

You want to check in at the hotel desk, but instead of a flesh-and-blood human being, you are welcomed by a lifelike projection of a receptionist. It seems like science fiction, but with the Holobox from the company Holoconnects, this is already a reality. Thanks to this invention, a receptionist, via a life-size projection in a box about 1.80 metres high, can address a hotel guest without being physically present at that location. 

"The Holobox combines digital image with depth. This makes the person in the box appear to actually be present in the room," says sales manager Marius van Bergen. "Not only spectacular to see, but also ideal for larger hotel chains with multiple branches that want to save on staff costs. So to be clear, the virtual receptionist in the Holobox is indeed a real person; he or she stands in front of a camera somewhere in a central location to address the hotel guest live and answer any questions. However, the virtual receptionist can also record a standard message in advance to use it to welcome a hotel guest." Seen this way, the Holobox could yet become a solution to the acute staff shortage in the hotel industry.

www.holoconnects.com

There is no shortage of software packages in the hotel and catering industry. But no programme offers such complete insight into business results as 360 Hospitality, assures an employee of this company founded in 2023. "The uniqueness of our product is that we have developed one comprehensive dashboard for different hospitality systems.

For instance, we bring together data from your financial administration, POS system, planning and reservation systems, staff deployment and scheduling, as well as social media. This eliminates the need to have a separate dashboard open for each system. Using our dashboard, a hotel company is easily able to see its operating results on a daily basis and make adjustments where necessary. In short, there is a 360-degree business view, hence our company name." www.360horeca.nl