Hotel room of the future is here

NEWARK, De - January 8, 2008 This is just one of many new gadgets in an experimental hotel room. It's called simply the X-Room at the University of Delaware, where the Courtyard Hotel is run by students majoring in hotel, restaurant and institutional management.

Another feature is a new digital peephole; this gives guests a greater sense of security because they can clearly know who's on the other side of the door by viewing the LCD screen.

There's also a high definition flat screen TV that gives guests a greater view, along with other programs.

Need help? A digital guest assistance box means getting that help is just a push of a button away.

There is also a machine that charges cell phones, computers and just about anything else.

Flameless candles that operate by remote control are also present in this room.

Remotes are one of the many observations being made.

"One of the things we found out right now is we have five different remote controls. Some people are frustrated with it, some people love it," Professor Cihan Cobanoglu of the University of Delaware said.

Finding out what guests love and hate is the whole idea behind the X-Room and the feedback is shared with others in the industry because this happens to be the only experimental high tech hotel room in the country with paying customers.

"That's why we're so excited by this. We wanted to see if the technologies do actually work or not," Cobanoglu said.

"People are excited to try new things and i think a lot of these new technologies. the bottom line is convenience and the wow factor," graduate student Jane Sullivan said.

That wow factor is expected to rise here after things like lights operate by voice command are installed. A Wii video game system is expected to arrive any day now, as well.