Business travelers in China are requiring better digital services, and IBM is working with a hotel in Hangzhou to create a "smart hotel" to provide these types of services to travelers.

China Hangzhou Dragon Hotel has selected IBM to build an instrumented, interconnected and intelligent hotel management system as part of the hotel's transformation. Aimed at becoming the first platinum five-star hotel in the Hangzhou, a city about two hours away from Shanghai, the Dragon Hotel is determined to leapfrog its competition by offering a totally new, unique, exciting client experience achieved through a CNY1 billion upgrade project. As a major part of the three-prong project, IBM will implement a dynamic information technology infrastructure system comprising more than 20 sub-systems and solutions using IBM's industry expertise, integration capabilities and latest technology.

In addition, the project also includes the upgrading of the hotel room and infrastructure to a luxury environment as well as training of hotel management and staff. The fully integrated IT system, when available for service early next year, is expected to boost the hotel's efficiency and productivity and reduce the operational cost, thus helping the hotel improve its competitive advantage.

"In the hotel industry, technology can make a real difference by significantly enhancing the customer experience and maximize their comfort and satisfaction," said Eric Du, general manager of Dragon Hotel.