A hotel staffed by robots? It’s not science fiction – it’s now

Barry Neild
By Barry Neild, CNN
4 minute read
Updated 7:13 AM EDT, Wed March 23, 2016
Robot receptionist ChihiraKanae, created by engineers at Toshiba, made a recent appearance in Berlin. She speaks 19 languages and, as she's fond of telling random strangers, is a Gemini.
Robots in hotels —
Robot receptionist ChihiraKanae, created by engineers at Toshiba, made a recent appearance in Berlin. She speaks 19 languages and, as she's fond of telling random strangers, is a Gemini.
Barry Neild/CNN
Robot hotel workers are already a reality. The Henn-na Hotel in Sasebo, Japan opened in 2015.
Henn-na Hotel, Japan —
Robot hotel workers are already a reality. The Henn-na Hotel in Sasebo, Japan opened in 2015.
Courtesy Henn-na Hotel
The rise of the robots has sparked concerns that machines could put travel and tourism workers out of jobs. Dinosaurs are probably safe.
Job killers? —
The rise of the robots has sparked concerns that machines could put travel and tourism workers out of jobs. Dinosaurs are probably safe.
Courtesy Henn-na Hotel
Travelzoo's European president, Richard Singer, points out that the Japanese robot hotel has humans working behind the scene. "I would be very surprised if we get to the point where hotels are entirely manned by robots."
Who's running the show? —
Travelzoo's European president, Richard Singer, points out that the Japanese robot hotel has humans working behind the scene. "I would be very surprised if we get to the point where hotels are entirely manned by robots."
Courtesy Henn-na Hotel
Oxford University's Carl Benedikt Frey says some jobs are more at risk of robot replacement than others. Tour guides and hotel porters might find themselves in the firing line, others in the industry could benefit from technology.
Heavy lifting —
Oxford University's Carl Benedikt Frey says some jobs are more at risk of robot replacement than others. Tour guides and hotel porters might find themselves in the firing line, others in the industry could benefit from technology.
Courtesy Henn-na Hotel
Pictured here with one of his developers, Fabrice Goffin of Belgium's Zora Robotics, Mario is a small robot who began life as a health worker but is now being used in hotels.
Mario —
Pictured here with one of his developers, Fabrice Goffin of Belgium's Zora Robotics, Mario is a small robot who began life as a health worker but is now being used in hotels.
TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP/Getty Images
Mario helps welcome guests to the Ghent Marriott in Belgium. He speaks multiple languages and -- unlike humans -- can make PowerPoint presentations interesting.
Ghent Marriott —
Mario helps welcome guests to the Ghent Marriott in Belgium. He speaks multiple languages and -- unlike humans -- can make PowerPoint presentations interesting.
Courtesy Ghent Marriott
Like his healthcare colleagues, Mario never fails to raise a smile, says Ghent Marriott General Manager Roger Langhout. He says the robot won't put anyone out of a job.
Dance moves —
Like his healthcare colleagues, Mario never fails to raise a smile, says Ghent Marriott General Manager Roger Langhout. He says the robot won't put anyone out of a job.
Courtesy Zora Robotics
These robots were a novelty installation in a Japanese Sheraton, but plenty of more practical robots are on the way. A Travelzoo survey suggests two thirds of us are happy to be looked after by machines.
More robots to come —
These robots were a novelty installation in a Japanese Sheraton, but plenty of more practical robots are on the way. A Travelzoo survey suggests two thirds of us are happy to be looked after by machines.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
Robot bartenders are already at work, serving drinks on several Royal Caribbean cruise ships. The good news: no tips. The bad news: computer stats showing exactly how much you've drunk.
Booze bots —
Robot bartenders are already at work, serving drinks on several Royal Caribbean cruise ships. The good news: no tips. The bad news: computer stats showing exactly how much you've drunk.
Courtesy Royal Carribbean
Why your next hotel will be staffed by robots
CNN  — 

In a science fiction future, we’ll arrive at the hotel in our driverless taxi, check in at the reception desk staffed by androids then follow the robot porter as it carries our bags to our room.

Except, of course, this is already science fact.

Robots are already working in some hotels – the Henn-na Hotel in Sasebo, Japan is staffed entirely by machines including one, bizarrely, resembling a dinosaur.

But that’s just how things roll in high-tech Japan, right?

Nope, robots are now making an appearance in hotels around the planet – and more are on their way.

In a Marriott hotel in Ghent, Belgium, a diminutive humanoid robot named Mario has been working since June 2015.

He welcomes guests in 19 languages and guards the buffet.

A similar device, this one powered by IBM’s human-mimicking Watson computer, has just taken up a concierge position at a Hilton McLean hotel in Virginia.

Last year, Royal Caribbean installed cocktail-mixing robot bartenders on several of its cruise ships.

17 travel inventions we need right now

Rise of the machines

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Japan opens world's first robot hotel
01:00 - Source: CNN

Gimmicks, yes, but their developers promise they’re getting more sophisticated by the month. Mario will soon learn how to order taxis.