The Age of Paradigm Shift
In the IT industry, where I have been involved for many years, paradigm shifts occur every few decades.
From mainframe to client-server to cloud computing.
I have experienced a paradigm shift from the early days of cloud computing to being a vendor driving it.
What is a paradigm shift?
A paradigm shift is a revolutionary or dramatic change in the perceptions, ideas, and values of an entire society that had been taken for granted in that era or field.
To explain it in simple terms, imagine we are caterpillars.
The world has changed so much that a greenfly, which used to live on a leaf, has suddenly become a butterfly that flies freely in the sky.
Having had such an experience in the IT industry, I feel that the shape of the hotel has not changed much in hundreds of years.
We have yet to experience a so-called paradigm shift.
What kind of image do you have when you think of a hotel?
A doorway with a doorman.
A large lobby.
The front desk, concierge desk, and
Restaurants.
Banquet hall.
Store.
Hundreds of rooms are grouped together in a single building, and many staff members share the responsibility of taking care of the guests.
This appearance has not changed for hundreds of years (since the Meiji era, when hotels were established in Japan).
For the world traveler, there is a sense of security in knowing that if the hotel brand is the same, you will receive consistent service anywhere in the world.
On the flip side, inside the hotel, there is not much difference whether you are traveling to Tokyo, Paris, or Hong Kong.
It is also true that you can often feel comfortable with the thoughtful service provided by the staff.
However, nowadays, there is a need to meet the diverse needs of individuals and also the safety of keeping people away from each other.
Naturally, efforts are being made to solve such problems in the hotel industry today.
Changing the concept of hotels
Even hotels of the same brand are customized for each region and designed to give you a taste of that region’s local atmosphere.
Contactless services such as smart check-in have also been introduced.
However, such efforts have their limitations under the existing paradigm.
In the paradigm shift of the IT industry, the architecture of the base conbuting is repeatedly centralized and distributed: centralized (mainframe), distributed (clasaba), and centralized (cloud).
The paradigm shift from centralization to decentralization is occurring not only in the IT industry but in society as a whole.
We believe that a paradigm shift is occurring in the hotel sector to meet the diverse needs of the market.
In other words, like a caterpillar to a pupa to a butterfly, the paradigm shift from centralized in one building to decentralized will dramatically change the form of hotels.
With today’s technology and network environment, there is no reason for hotels in the city to be concentrated in one place.
It may not be necessary for the hotel to provide functions such as a front desk or even a restaurant.
Each room would be dispersed throughout the city.
One room (room 101) is a house by the sea, another (room 102) is a house on the mountain side, and another (room 301) is on the third floor of a building in the downtown area.
But once you are in your room, you are guaranteed the comfort and high security of a hotel brand.
And most importantly, you can relax and spend your time freely as if it were your home.
You can smoothly check in and check out without meeting anyone, and you are free to choose your meals from restaurants in the city whenever you want.
Just like ordering room service, food delivery allows you to eat in your room or call a chef to come to your fully equipped kitchen.
Guest support and concierge services do not have to be in person.
Also, you are always online with your guests, not only in the hotel but also in the city.
The next generation of luxury hotels
In the next generation of luxury hotels.
We will eliminate services such as our own restaurant, and our rooms will be fully equipped for living (kitchen and daily necessities), not for lodging.
The hotel will be transformed into a “smart luxury hotel” that provides contactless, yet quick online services anytime and anywhere during the stay.
A hotel stay is more of an experience of living in the city than a stay, and you are free to enjoy the entire city with online support.
And once you are back in your room, it is a “smart luxury stay” where you can live in a sheltered environment with all the comforts of home, no matter what area you are in.
It is just like the glamping experience of living in nature. It is an experience of living in the city without compromising on comfort.
Even in areas where infrastructure is not in place, private power generation and water purification facilities will provide a stable lifeline, ensuring interior design, equipment, and even security.
From another point of view, conventional hotels are like packaged group tours, giving you a sense of security, but with less freedom and a limited sense of the city you are visiting.
On the other hand, the “Smart Luxury Stay” is a solo trip where you can enjoy the freedom of the city while still having peace of mind and adequate back-up support.
In preparation for this paradigm shift, we would like to be the first to introduce the “Smart Luxury Hotel” and the “Smart Luxury Stay” experience.
