NIGEL THOMPSON MARJORIE YUE Tech a break in a cutting edge hotel
Hotel guests used to be happy if a room had half- decent air-con and a shower with controls that don’t require a degree in engineering. These days it’s all about throbbing wi-fi and smartphone keys. So we asked global accommodation finder HotelsCombined.co.uk to name the world’s hottest hi-tech properties: 1 YOTEL, MANHATTAN Arriving in a Starship Enterprise-style lobby, guests check in by touchscreen and are greeted by Yobot - the hyperenergetic robot porter. Rooms come with techno walls that have built in LCD HD TVs and audio-streaming, action- sensing air- con and megastrength wi-fi. From £162 a night. 2 BLOW UP HALL 5050, POZNAN, POLAND Technology and art combine with a huge digital art installation that projects images of guests entering. Instead of a room key you get an iPhone that leads you to the correct room and unlocks the door. From £88 a night. 3 W TAIPEI, TAIWAN Boasting state-of-the-art technology, this W Hotel has some rooms with video projectors, and wall installations containing an interactive grid of OLED lights that changes based on guests’ movements. From £234 a night. 4 HOTEL 1000, SEATTLE Ever been “caught out” by housekeeping? It won’t happen here – built-in infrared detectors alert staff if a room is occupied. There’s also a virtual golf club where you can play more than 50 of the world’s best courses without leaving the premises. From £192 a night. 5 ECCLESTON SQUARE, LONDON While the exterior exudes history, technology is at its heart. Touch sensi- tive keypads control music and lighting, an iPad acts as your personal concierge, shower walls turn from clear to frosted at the touch of a button and flatscreen TVs hide in bathroom mirrors. From £160 a night. 6 PENINSULA HOTEL, TOKYO Unsurprisingly, gadgets abound in the Japanese entry. Guests can enjoy a nail polish dryer, unlimited internet radio with more than 3,000 stations, a mood lighting pad and wireless phones with Skype capability. From £398 a night.
British Airways is to start flying from Birmingham and Bristol airports again this summer after a 10-year gap. The routes will run weekly at weekends to Malaga, Ibiza, Palma and Florence and one-way fares start at £45. ba.com