Vroom-vroom service!
A new hotel that opened last week south of Seattle features a zippy little robot that will roam the halls and make deliveries to rooms. “Hazel, the Relay robot” is a staff member at the Hotel Interurban, a 185-room boutique hotel in Tukwila, Wash., a few miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
A product of robot manufacturer Savioke, Hazel is the first such hotel robot in Washington state. She’ll deliver items such as sundries or the morning newspaper, and the autonomous bot can also assist room service staff by bringing up a sandwich or cup of coffee to guests.
Hazel was still going through some training on Tuesday at the hotel and was expected to get her “uniform” on Thursday.
The Interurban touts other tech-related features, including a custom-built canopy at the entrance of the hotel, comprising 60 solar panels that produce enough electricity for almost all first-floor operations. The solar panels have a life expectancy of 30 years, during which they will eliminate 130 metric tons of C02 emissions, according to a news release.
The hotel features more than 15,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces and an on-site restaurant called Waterleaf Restaurant & Bar, as well as Urban Roast, a grab-and-go espresso bar.
