In November 2019, a BW hotel in Bulgaria enriched its staff by “hiring” a robot butler.

 The innovator in the Bulgarian hospitality industry is the “Best Western Premier Sofia Airport” Hotel and the firm making this possible is the local “TMM Automation”. 

 The functions of the robot butler, whose name is “Roomy”, are quite diverse, yet they all target the same goal – increased guest satisfaction.

 “Roomy” is the extra mile of our continuous efforts to offer additional services to our customers” said the GM Mr. Panev. “Strictly following the BW vision to lead the industry in superior customer care, we were pursuing to divert the traditional customer servicing to the modern high tech environment. Together with our partners from “TMM Automation” we analysed the feedback of guest experience and concluded on the need to upgrade technically – not only in terms of equipment, but also in terms of personnel”.

 The core activities of “Roomy” modernise the traditional “room service” and “room escort”. The robot butler escorts guests to their rooms and navigates them throughout the hotel. It also performs in-room delivery of food, drinks and guest amenities, ordered by a single call to the hotel’s reception desk.

After the respective guest room number is inputed, the robot butler heads to the room on his own. It controls the elevator automatically, indicating the floor that it is headed to, it finds its way around the public areas, avoids possible obstacles that have come on its way and ones it reaches the respective room, it positions itself  in front of the door.

 “After a long flight i was eager to got under the shower, but i then discovered i had forgotten my toothbrush. So i order “Roomy room service” to the reception. I then got a “Roomy” telephone call to my room that my order awaits me and all i had to do was open the door without feeling uncomfortable that i am undressed and pick up my order”.

Atanas Levakov, Manager (guest of BWPSA)

“Roomy”s actions are independent and automated. All floors, rooms and other hotel facilities are programmed within “Roomy”s memory, allowing thus the robot butler not only to make deliveries, but also to show guests around the hotel premises and escort them to their desired destination. After completing an order, the robot butler then returns on its own at its dedicated desk, better known as “Roomy’s Desk”, which is located on the ground floor, just next to the Main Reception Desk.

 “Roomy” is currently proficient in 3 languages – Chinese, English, Korean and, making use of over 30 sentences. The robot butler also greets guests, sings “Happy Birthday” and Christmas songs.

 “Roomy” is also a social media fan – each guests, who has received his / her order, is invited to take a picture with the robot butler and the #roomyrobot (hashtag) is just starting to gain popularity as a synonym of innovation in the “guest treatment of the future” and the new “it” in hospitality services.

 “My kid was so fascinated having a robot butler escort us personally to our room, that we then placed several room service orders – just so she could again encounter “Roomy” and take pictures with her”

Theodora Amvrosiou (guest of BWPSA)

 “Roomy” is working 24/7, it re-charges automatically, it has a long-life battery and it allows hotels to offer fast and quality servicing, thus increasing the guest satisfaction.

 On the global arena, the robot butler is already used in the US, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Canada, Thailand, China, Australia and many more, holding a high market share in the hospitality industries of those countries. And now guests of “Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel” too have the opportunity to be served by the always welcoming and full of energy “Roomy” robot butler.

 “In reference to the recent recognition of the Best Western Premier brand which has been named #1 in the upscale segment in the J.D. Power 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study and the fact that for three consecutive years Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel was presented with the quality and service award in recognition of achiving excellence in quality, standards and service by Mr. D. Kong /President and Chief Executive Officer of BW Hotels and Resorts/, I firmly believe that the introduction of Roomy in our hotel only proves Best Western’s innovative thinking and strive to keep up with the up-to-day trends of the global market” concluded Mr. Panev