Hilton joins hands with LodgeNet to provide interactive TV services(1)

Imagine having on-demand movies and music, Nintendo games, and high-speed internet access all through your humble television set the next time you're staying in a Hilton hotel room.

Its possible soon with a joint venture between the leading hospitality company and interactive services provider LodgeNet Entertainment that will bring this into guests' rooms in Hilton's hotels in the US from the last quarter of this year.

The joint venture company, InnMedia Co, will offer hotel guests new and innovative interactive television content.

"Guests and customers today demand the highest quality in-room entertainment an information services and expect delivery in the most creative, efficient and convenient manner possible,'' said Dieter Huckestien, president, hotel operations, Hilton Hotels Corporation.

'With LodgeNet's state-of-the-art bundle of interactive television services, we will enhance the experiences our millions of guests have come to expect form our hotels.''

The portfolio of Hilton's owned, leased and joint venture hotels in the US number approximately 70,000 rooms.

When asked by TravelWeekly East when it will be extended to Hilton's properties in Asia, LodgeNet's Director, Corporate Communications Ann Parker said: "I imagine that our InnMedia services would be made available to our licensees sometime next year.'

Hilton and LodgeNet plan to share advertising revenue with the hotels, especially those owned by third parties.

As a separate company, InnMedia intends to sell its services to hotels not affiliated with Hilton. Parker clarified questions of conflcit when an Hilton-affiliated company seeks to sell its services to other hotels.

"As for other hotel companies, preliminary discussions show interest even though it's partly owned by Hilton. The hotel's proprietary information is kept confidential,''

"InnMedia will offer a system unlike any other in it's scope and size. We expect others to jump on board,'' she said.