Move over, human interaction – the kiosk is back, and this time it’s really going to stick. Industry insiders are hailing it as the most transformative guest experience since check-in desks were replaced with check-in desks shaped like pods. After years of innovation in “guest journey simplification,” hospitality leaders have boldly decided to return to the cutting-edge technology of 2007: the self-service kiosk.
Like 3D movies, Crystal Pepsi, and QR code menus, kiosks are one of those innovations that refuse to stay buried. They first wowed audiences in the early 2000s, resurfaced with glossier touchscreens in the 2010s, and now – thanks to pandemic-era labor shortages and executive fascination with automation – they’re being rediscovered as “revolutionary.” Hoteliers are promising “frictionless, personalized engagement in every dimension” as guests experience the thrill of standing before an unresponsive touchscreen, squinting at upsell options for rooms that may or may not exist, and repeatedly tapping “retry” when the card reader emits its signature tone of defeat.
“It’s a transformative experience,” explained Marcus Pemberton, VP of Digital Guest Transformation at a major hotel group. “When you see that spinning loading icon rendered in ultra-high resolution, you truly feel seen.” Just as moviegoers once flocked to Avatar in 3D only to watch streaming at home two months later, guests are now lining up to admire their reflection in smudged kiosk screens while a front desk agent stands ten feet away.
The kiosks offer guests a truly interactive experience – especially the part where they must decode whether to press “Check In,” “Check In (Assistance Needed),” or “Express Check In (Which Is Somehow Slower).” The industry calls this choice architecture. Guests call it a cry for help. But innovation waits for no one, and analysts are already predicting the next evolution: 4D kiosks that spray sanitizer mist at guests while upselling breakfast packages. “The sensory engagement will be incredible,” promised one consultant. “Guests won’t just check in – they’ll feel cleansed.” “Also, we added a cupholder.”
Like bell-bottoms and low-rise jeans, kiosks resurface every few years with shinier hardware, slicker marketing decks, and the same fundamental flaw: people keep preferring to talk to people in hospitality. But for now, expect every brand to roll out its own “immersive, self-directed, contactless guest experience journey”- because nothing says hospitality quite like a touchscreen that desperately needs recalibration.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Yes, even our designer thought the image of an ATM was a hotel kiosk.