Better accessiblity at hotels: innovative iPhone service application

October 2, 2008 9:28 am

The Malibu Beach Inn is offering a cutting-edge service, which I hope other hotels will follow suit.

When you check in as a guest at the Malibu Beach Inn, they will loan you an iPhone that is loaded with a special wireless hotel service application called runtriz.  Click on the image below to see what the application looks like and what kind of stuff you can do over the iPhone app. You’ll see that you can do basically everything!

This application would have a bonus side effect of provide better accessibility for deaf guests.  There’s no need to go down to the front desk to make the same kind of requests that hearing guests can make from the hotel phones.  Honestly, I’ve never ordered anything via the hotel TV with terrible and cumbersome interface using a remote.  I bet that would change if I was loaned this iPhone hotel service application.

Since this is a new and innovative approach to boosting service revenue, only swanky resorts such as Malibu Beach Inn, which attracts upper income bracket guests, can afford to implement and try out this premium service. 

I hope that eventually this innovative service will become more affordable and profitable from a business perspective which would go a long way in showing up in other hotel chains as a way to increase revenues and offering greater accessibility for the deaf.

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  • So great to see all these replies. Thanks Jared!
    To answer some of the questions:
    - Yes it works on iPod Touch or iPhone.
    - All of the elements including housekeeping involve NO voice communication. All is done through a simple interface. If you go to runtriz.com from an iPhone or iPod touch it will actually redirect you to our demo of hotel evolution.
    Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think!
  • The technology is provided by my company, runtriz www.runtriz.com not by Apple.

  • That's why they ask to have your "credit card on file." You don't return the iPhone to the hotel, no problem, it'll show up on your credit card bill next month :-)
  • That is awesome! I wonder how they keep from getting the phones stolen?

    I could think of Dozens of uses like that, if I could figure out how to secure the phone.


  • Anthony
    Yes right, Hotel should have WiFi.
  • Yes, it'll work with iPod Touch. It depends upon WiFi, not cellphone functionality.
  • Anthony
    Will it work with iPod Touch?
  • Why don't you stay there for a weekend and let us all know? :-)
  • Dan
    If deafies hit 'housekeeping' button, does it still involve voice communication?
  • That's awesome! Like you, I hope other hotels follow suit - it sure would make things easier for us deaf guests. Maybe we should ask other hotels if they provide this service, as a hint. ;)
  • Great for Apple and their iPhone!

    I knew I saw the name "Malibu Beach Inn" before - it made headlines in Los Angeles area because Billionaire David Geffen bought and remodeled it last year. Apparently he and Larry Ellison, of Oracle, are competing for properties on Carbon Beach, or Billionaire's Beach. Ellison has his own hotel a few blocks away. However with the iPhone, my vote goes to Geffen's inn. :)
  • Daniel H.
    What a cool and neat concept they came up with! I like that! For sure things are more convenient with the iPhone service for us deaf and hard of hearing patrons. Thanks for posting this, Jared.
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