Technology at the Aria Hotel and Casino

The CityCenter hosted an event for the media from January 19, 2010 through January 22, 2010. It showcased many of the various CityCenter’s properties, rooms, food, sustainability and some of the world’s top cutting-edge hotel technology.


When entering the lobby of the Aria Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., you can sense that it’s a different place. Your normal hotel-casino lobby’s light comes in from the front door or from the artificial lights that come from the ceiling.

The Aria lobby’s light, however, comes from it’s windows and skylight behind and over the check-in desk/check-out desk as well as the light that comes in from the front doors. In fact, if you take a walk around the hotel, you’ll notice that, except for the casino area, windows stretch from floor to ceiling.

The Aria’s keycard, may look like any other room keycard, but it works differently. When guests arrive at their room, rather than inserting it into a slot, simply wave it in front of a sensor to open the room door.. This type of key “cannot be demagnetized, thus reducing key failure.”

Using this type of technology opens up a myriad of ways to personalize the experience. In the future, for example, the hotel can send a code to the guest’s blackberry or iPhone. In turn, the guest will put the phone in front of a sensor to get access to the room. This will reduce the number of keys that need to be ordered.

Once I stepped into the room, I was greeted with lights that turned on automatically and the curtains that opened to show the Las Vegas skyline. The TV turned on with my name on the upper left corner and a list of the various functions, such as watch TV, listen to music, adjust the lights and set a wake up timer. It also displayed the inside and outside temperature, whether the room’s deadbolt was engaged and whether my privacy (do not disturb) is set.

Instead of having a doorknob hanger for Service Requested or Do Not Disturb, there are LEDs on a panel next to the room door all controlled remotely from the room.

—Guests will enjoy seamless, integrated one-touch control of guestroom features, including lighting, room temperature, television/video systems, music, wake-up calls, draperies and requests for services through a single, easy-to-use remote control. Each nightstand also will feature a seven-inch panel with touch-screen technology that navigates the same room settings as the remote. All settings will be remembered and incorporated every time a guest is in-room.

— Having all guestroom devices on one network enables guests to select “scenes” matching their mood or preference, which modify all settings at once. For example, each room will feature a “good night” button next to the bed. With one touch, guests can turn off the lights, TV and/or music; shut the curtains; and turn on the privacy notification for the room. Similarly, guests can utilize the TV’s sleep mode to accomplish the same result on a timer.

The TV has a panel that includes an electrical outlet, a plug for an HDMI cable, a USB cable and an Ethernet cable. It also has audio/video plugs so guests can plug in a video game system such as a PS3.

Of course, for the guest who is afraid of all this technology, the curtains, temperature, and the lights can be controlled manually.

Alas, techno-phobes will have to rely on cell phone alarms or their watch to wake up as there is no simple alarm clock in the room. However, the control panel allows most guests to easily set the wake-up time and also customize the light level, open the curtains and turn on the TV to a certain channel. Similarly, guests can set the sleep timer, dim the light level, close the curtain and set music that will lull them to sleep.

The only problem I encountered, and verified by my hosts, was making cell phone calls. Even though I had five full bars, calls were dropped or won’t even connect. This was true for all guests who used AT&T as their cellular provider. I was assured that they are working with AT&T to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The Aria Hotel and Casino is definitely one of the most technologically-advanced hotel I have expereinced. For technology lovers and gadget freaks, I definitely recommend staying here.

(Photo: CityCenter Press Kit)

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