Zeitgeist and history meet at the B2 Hotel in Zurich. The modern city hotel in the former Hürlimann brewery impresses with a unique style, distinctive architecture, and an innovative concept that brings people together.
The B2 Hotel’s rooms and suites – outfitted with plush and comfortable furnishings – offer a contemporary industrial chic that meets over 150 years of brewery history. Guests can relax in the B2 Wine Library which boasts floor to ceiling bookshelves, dining, and drinking. For those that have to work, the B2 Hotel offers coworking and boardrooms where guests can connect to the world thanks to state-of-the-art video conferencing technology. Spa treatments, gym activities, and experiences with nature also await those who are fortunate enough to visit the B2 Hotel.
Access points
Digital guest key without app download
PMS and hotel service operations
We see the digitalisation and automation of our processes as a crucial point in long-term competitiveness, as it brings benefits for both guests and us as hosts.
The B2 Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland, is located in a technology epicentre and primarily accommodates business travellers. Operators decided to modernise the hotel in several phases to anticipate growing demand.
The primary modernisation focus was on the automation and digitalisation of the guest journey. On one hand, this approach should simplify the work of the hotel staff and relieve them of repetitive and unproductive tasks, which means they now have more time to address guest concerns which will improve service. On the other hand, guests should be able to check-in and book services independently of reception, and without having the added burden of downloading and installing an app. This also makes it possible for guests to use company smartphones, which are centrally managed and are typically blocked from installing applications.
The selection process for the property-wide technology upgrade revealed that the combination of protel's PMS, straiv by CODE2ORDER's digital hotel services, and SALTO’s electronic access control system offered the best overall solution for the B2 Hotel thanks to the seamless integration of all technologies.
SALTO's electronic access control system is used throughout the B2 Hotel property. As this was an existing SALTO system, the door hardware was updated in the areas accessible to guests and extended to include wireless networking. Existing hardware In the back of house (BOH) areas was retained.
The new and upgraded SALTO solution is wirelessly networked via SALTO's BLUEnet core technology. SALTO Ælement locks were deployed in 60 guest rooms and suites. New SALTO Design XS wall readers and control units were installed at perimetral entrances and in parking areas. The new SALTO XS4 Original+ electronic lock was installed at other facility access points including BOH.
The B2 Hotel uses the "Progressive Web App" (PWA) from straiv by CODE2ORDER for digital check-in, the digital registration form, the digital guest folder, and for digital check-out. The PWA offers the same functions as a native app – with the great advantage that no app has to be downloaded onto the user’s smartphone. The PWA can be accessed via a link sent by e-mail or directly on the hotel's website.
The SALTO ProAccess Space management platform gives users the power to automatically assign access rights for guests based on booking data in the PMS by protel and the digital check-in, which is then available in the PWA by straiv by CODE2ORDER. The mutual integration of the three systems ensures the receipt of the booking data and the provision of the digital keys and the general exchange of data.
- Fully digitalised and automated guest journey - including keyless door opening via the hotel guest's smartphone or watch.
- Real-time guest room status monitoring.
- Improved security, with greater automation and process optimisation from the guest room to the back-of-house, saving countless staff hours per week.
- Increases efficiency and reduces the cost of property management. Displays system data – such as battery status and audit trail – centrally and in real time.
- SALTO Virtual Network (SVN) data-on-card solution transforms access control by shifting data from locks to smart cards populated with staff credentials via encrypted RFID.
- Modern hotel operations and management that delivers unparalleled guest services, e.g. remote opening of doors, if needed.
- Frictionless and easy guest experience, as guests do not have to download an app.
- Automatic allocation of access rights based on booking data in the PMS and check-in information from digital hotel services.
Zeitgeist and history meet at the B2 Hotel in Zurich. The modern city hotel in the former Hürlimann brewery impresses with a unique style, distinctive architecture, and an innovative concept that brings people together.
