June 4th, 2007
Andy Abramson: give me these features and I'll be a happy road warrior
Prominent VoIP blogger, wine connisseur, entrepreneur, and publicist Andy Abramson is also a technology enthusiast when it comes to communication tools and technologies.
Today he is out with a 15-attribute tech and amenities pointer for hotels who want to please the business traveler. “What A Global Nomad Wants To Work In A Hotel Anywhere.”
Because I am not only a tech journalist but a 20-year contributing editor to one of the two most widely circulated hotel magazines, I’ve been reading 15-point list with the highest interest.
While I agree with each of Andy’s points, here are the three that I find most relevant:
Real Broadband–1.5 megs or more to my room symmetrically. Anything less and its no fun.
Wired and Wireless in Room Access- The ability to plug my travel router in so I can use multiple devices over the Internet connection such as a WiFi phone, dual mode phone, Nokia N800 Internet Tablet or a second PC when traveling with my wife to be (she’s a lucky lady-Russ)
Power Outlets near the bed and extra power outlets in the room to charge things like cell phones, digital cameras, iPods, GPS, etc.
Oh, and one more, which is not really tech related only- unless we are talking about the technology that makes the human body work (or not):
Early Check-In- 11 AM is fine…but come in off a red eye and having to wait until 3 is tough. I know you can reserve the extra night (and I sometimes do if its a weekday and I have an important meeting first thing) but at 250-300 a night for a room I never slept in…I’ll gamble and hope they can get something for me by 11 AM.
Yes on the last one. “Housekeeping” coming at 8:15 a.m. and no rooms before 3 p.m.? I have been writng about hotels for 20 years but I still don’t get that one.
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
