In Japan, Henn na Hotel stands out as an accommodation with almost no human staff – guests are greeted by robots instead. From humanoid receptionists to a dinosaur checking you in at the front desk, the entire experience is designed as a stay on the very edge of automation’s future.
The hotel is not just a place to sleep but also a living laboratory for robotics and future service automation. Robots communicate in multiple languages using synthetic voices that sound natural and are programmed to behave with the politeness typical of Japanese culture – complete with bows and gestures.
Instead of classic key cards or mechanical keys, guests receive automatically assigned rooms that unlock via facial recognition. Luggage is handled by robotic porters, while a small night robot shaped like a “tulip” controls lighting, temperature, and concierge-like functions via voice commands.
Guest experiences show that staying at Henn na Hotel can be both fascinating and slightly eerie. While the robots impress with technology, they sometimes struggle with complex questions or unusual human reactions, at which point human staff are on standby to step in and assist.
This hotel perfectly illustrates how the boundary between science fiction and reality is becoming thinner – and how robots are gradually, but surely, taking on roles once reserved exclusively for humans.
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