In addition to keeping tabs on activities going on around hotel premises, surveillance cameras assist with managing hotels for guest satisfaction.
In addition to keeping tabs on activities going on around hotel premises, surveillance cameras assist with managing hotels for guest satisfaction.
Geutebruck Secures and Automates Unmanned German Hotel
With the 2010 opening of his Vasano Abito Suite Hotel in the centre of Leipzig, Germany, hotelier and entrepreneur Gregor Gerlach has introduced a new concept to the German hotel scene: five-star quality but without the frills, at a modest price. The Vasano boasts 18 spacious, one- and two-storey suites with high-quality fixtures and fittings and Italian designer luxury. Unlike other hotels in its class, it has no receptionist, no restaurant, no room service and certainly no pool or gym. Essential services such as security and customer care rely on the video security and communication systems from Geutebruck and Elcom, which link the hotel with two of Gerlach's other business interests — the Vapiano pizza and pasta restaurant below it on street level and the Seaside Park Hotel a few streets away.
In the absence of a receptionist, video cameras keep a watchful eye on foot traffic in the entrance hall at the Vasano. Guests check in by using a self-service terminal much like an ATM. It takes payment by credit card and issues a room card which also operates the elevator. When the card is swiped in the reader, the elevator automatically proceeds to the designated floor. There is no manual control.
If human assistance is required for checking in, the terminal's two-way video and audio intercom puts guests in touch with the restaurant downstairs or with the Seaside Park Hotel reception, where help is available round the clock.
If a guest encounters problems while opening a room door with the card, help is only a video cal away. Video intercoms and dome cameras are mounted in the corridors on all three floors. Staff at the remote sites can call up video to see both the guest and the door and assess the situation. In addition to providing security and peace of mind for guests, the dome cameras in the corridors also provide management with a means of confirming that newspapers and fresh breakfast items are left outside guest rooms each morning.
Hikvision Protects Omanian Al Wadi Hotel
The coastal city of Sohar in Oman has long been considered one of the most beautiful cities in the Middle East, and much of its recent economic success is directly linked to the newly built Port of Sohar. To accommodate this influx of foreign and domestic business, a variety of infrastructure was constructed, including the Al Wadi Hotel. Haja Mohideen, Project Engineer at OHI Electronics, chose to utilize a number of cameras from Hikvision Digital Technology in order to specifically meet the security challenges this project presented.
One such challenge was the indoor environment, where hotel management had requested a model of indoor camera that was aesthetically pleasing, largely unobtrusive and provided performance . Additionally, the management team wanted all of these features embedded in one single model of camera, instead of a smattering of various models. Hikvision's analog dome model was selected to oversee the hotel lobby, the corridor on each floor and the elevators.
Mohideen also had one additional factor to consider in his decisionmaking process. Oman has enacted a law that cameras responsible for public meeting areas must now be manually monitored. This change was stipulated to prevent the possibility of random preset coverage missing potential incidents. Hikvision analog dome camera's day/night auto switch feature and resolution of 540 TVLs greatly enhance Al Wadi's security staff with the ability to acquire clear images regardless of conditions and on demand.
It was deemed that high-priority areas in the lobby — particularly the reception desk — may require an increased level of resolution. As such, Mohideen chose Hikvision's 2-megapixel, CMOS-based network camera for the reception desk. “Not only can we monitor every step of the customer from the front door to the front desk, we can track who the customers are with facial recognition,” Mohideen explained.
Outdoor areas like the front and rear entrances, the pool and the parking facility each presented a differing set of specific challenges that had to be resolved. “The pool needed clarity and a wide angle; the parking lot needed to be able to see tremendous detail, such as license plates, while both entrances required a high level of resolution to see who was entering or leaving,” Mohideen said.
Linking all these cameras together is a central command center that employs Hikvision's stand-alone DVRs, which allow the Al Wadi Hotel to successfully comply with the Omani law requiring video storage for 30 days worth of recordings. Additionally, the Al Wadi Hotel employs four security personnel to actively monitor the interior and exterior of the hotel 24/7. Future areas of installation would be restrooms, bars and any additional meeting point that customers frequent.
Hungarian Hotel Relies on UTC System
Kempinski is Europe's oldest luxury hotel group. Since it was founded in 1897, the group has built an impressive reputation in the hospitality sector. Today, the group's portfolio consists of 62 hotels in 28 countries around the world. As Kempinski's customer base grows, so does its footprint, with an ambitious expansion plan set for the coming years.
The Kemp inski Corvinus Budapest in Hungary was the first luxury hotel to grace the Hungarian capital following the political changes in Central and Eastern Europe. Its elegant interiors, 366 luxurious rooms, cozy restaurants and bars, and fully equipped conference rooms are testament to the quality of the brand. As a venue for many high-profile events, the Kempinski hotel regularly plays host to prominent public figures, including politicians and artists. Ensuring the safety of all guests is of the highest priority. In order to meet its own exacting standards, an upgraded video surveillance system was recently installed.
Bringing a vast offering of UTC Fire & Security's product portfolio, Azur Avis Hungary, a local installer, was selected to work out all technical details and provide the system of choice. Throughout the hotel's nine floors, stairways and garage, close to 100 cameras were installed. These cameras, including mini domes, cyber domes, conventional and megapixel cameras, are all linked to UTC Fire & Security's DVRs. This package offers the Kempinski Corvinus Budapest superior image quality, recording possibilities and a broad set of management and maintenance tools.