First learned about from Hotel Blogs, Starwood is building a virtual version of their aloft hotel in the 3-D game and social community, Second Life. They also provide a blog which tracks the progress.
The virtual property will provide a sneak preview of the aloft hotel before it opens officially to the public in 2008.
A comment from the virtual aloft blog- “What amazed me was just how close what I was seeing inside of SL (Second Life) is to what happens in the real world. To see the avatars actually build things inside the virtual space, like construction workers do in RL (real life), was fascinating and - to be completely honest - a bit weird.”
One thing is for sure- Starwood knows how to utilize technology, reach out to consumers, and adapt to growing trends. The ability to showcase a virtual version of their hotel to a community inspired world, complete with 553,721 members, is innovative and smart. The virtual version will allow them to gain valuable feedback, test the market on a global platform in a cost-effective manner, and create a unique conversation with consumers with regard to their vision and the entire hotel development process.
Read more about the world of Second City at the Washington Post.
