Imagine staying in a luxury resort, only to have no idea how to open the curtains, find the right TV channels or adjust the thermostat.
Instead of putting a cadre of concierges on call 24/7, the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas is installing an Amazon Echo speaker in each of its 4,748 rooms, allowing guests to augment their stay using Echo's digital assistant, Alexa.
"As we have moved through the years, technology has always played an important part in our resorts," says Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn, noting the Sin City center will be among the first resorts to offer full voice control of its suites.
Aspects of the room, such as temperature, drapes, lights and entertainment, will be accessed just by talking to the Echo. There was no mention of whether Alexa could also summon room service, which would be a supremely missed opportunity if that isn't the case.
Alexa is expected to be fully up and running in each Wynn guest room by this coming summer.
If you'd prefer to experience the digital assistant in the comfort of your own home, you can pick up an Amazon Echo Dot for nearly a third of the price as the full-sized Echo - and probably less than a percent of the cost those luxury rooms in Vegas must go for.
