Dubai-based INK Hotel has signed an agreement with HITEK, part of leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) group Farnek, to use its ground-breaking hospitality app, Flexi-Guest, which will digitalise the hotel’s guest journey from the initial reservation through to check out.
The app, which was developed in-house by HITEK, will interface with the hotel’s property management system (PMS) affording guests a whole suite of services from uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering a car on arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts, all in one convenient space.
“One major factor for adopting Flexi-Guest, is that it can interface with our property management system and our point-of-sale terminals, affording a seamless process, from order to delivery and ultimately guest folio,” said Judit Toth, General Manager of the INK Hotel.
“Flexi-Guest supports our key strategic operational objectives. First and foremost, it offers an enhanced customer experience, providing a seamless pre-arrival and check-in procedure, which will appeal to our guests.
“During their stay, they can order room service, laundry, request late check outs, invoices or even order a car to go to the airport. And because the app manages secure online payments, guest can settle bills without visiting reception to check out.
“The hotel benefits are clear. We operate more cost-efficiently, with the added advantage of driving incremental revenue through room service and e-concierge services,” added Toth.
INK is a dynamic, tech-led, brand developed by Vivere Hospitality, a Dubai-based hospitality management company and is aimed at the tech-savvy Millennials and Zoomers. Opened earlier this year and located in the Al Jaddaf waterfront community, the INK Hotel is a boutique property consisting of 63 rooms, one restaurant, Bistro by INK, a coffee bar – INKSPRESSO as well as a rooftop swimming pool and pop-up gym.
HITEK successfully completed a six-month pilot of the app, at the Expo Village, managing the reservation services, concierge, front office services and housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments, located at Expo 2022.
“Another outstanding aspect of Flexi-Guest is the sustainability feature. The app can estimate the carbon emissions generated by any guest during their stay and provide a cost should the guest wish to offset their carbon footprint,” commented Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of HITEK.
The INK Hotel already has impressive green credentials. It has installed rooftop solar panels, uses organic soap and shower gel and room key cards. The staff uniforms are made from sustainable materials and there is a zero-plastic policy, by utilising refillable glass water bottles.
“We are also looking at adding Farnek’s Hotel Optimizer software, which can record, analyse and benchmark our energy and water consumption, as well as waste generation, which will support our ambitions to operate more sustainably and limit our impact on the environment,” said Toth.
Furthermore, Farnek is also a preferred partner and auditor for Green Globe the worldwide sustainability accreditation system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses.
