In-room displays now have multiple functions, beyond being a ‘simple’ TV. These fast, digital technologies are an important element of Silkari Suite’s drive to create a differentiated guest experience, while minimising operational overheads.
Silkari Suites is in the heart of Chatswood’s (Sydney) dynamic art, entertainment and shopping precinct. With 212 suites, ranging from executive studios to two bedroom executive apartments, Silkari offers the perfect accommodation for business and leisure travellers alike. Opened in 2016, it aims to envelop the guest experience and render it extraordinary.
The in-suite guest entertainment system, as part of the fitout for the new Silkari Suites, was to support the property’s aim to create an exquisite guest experience, one that felt “familiar, yet refreshing”.
Silkari’s apartments were connected to pay and free to air television channels via a single data-driven network, with services managed and supported by Compnow’s Tripleplay IPTV solution.
In the highly competitive tourism sector, Markus Sigmann, Director of Hotels at Silkari Suites says that the business objective was to “create an environment for our guests that was exquisite, convivial and versatile – Silkari was to feel familiar, yet refreshing”. The fitout of the brand new property was to be a key element in establishing this differentiated experience.
An enterprise level IPTV system – which enables the capture of content from a wide range of sources, as well as encoding and redistribution across an IP network – were primary requirements of Silkari’s in-suite guest entertainment system. Compnow was recommended to Silkari by Tripleplay to carry out the site survey, scope and proposal negotiations.
Following presentations and reviews of the initial system design, Compnow was commissioned to undertake the seamless installation of the IPTV Tripleplay solution, matched to Silkari’s requirements. The TV component included the streaming services for all Free to Air, Foxtel and Chinese Satellite channels, movies on demand (MOD), and CCTV via a single IPTV VLAN. Additionally, Compnow took responsibility for arranging the 20 channel payTV subscription with Foxtel.
The solution also displays the guest welcome message, directories & digital compendium of local services & attractions.
Compnow’s specialists engineered the interface to the Tripleplay in-room entertainment portal’s electronic program guide (EPG), the Personal Video Recorder (PVR) and with Silkari’s cloud based property management system.
The team also configured and installed 425 LG smart screens: a 43” & a 32” into each of the 212 apartments, plus others in various public and administration areas of the hotel. All displays were connected via the single network managed by the Tripleplay IPTV solution.
Proving its expertise during the hotel’s build phase, Compnow was also asked to solve additional requests for a 3m satellite dish and free to air antenna to be installed on the roof. In a follow up project – which highlights Tripleplay’s flexibility and scalability – Compnow installed additional Tripleplay screens in the boardroom for presentation use.
Compnow continues to undertake the Tripleplay system support, interface upgrades and provision of MOD at Silkari Suites.
Markus says: “Compnow’s technicians took the display project from end to end – including the Chinese TV and Foxtel aerials. Pre-opening, they came every day to check and recheck. That support gave us great confidence”.
The hotel’s Tripleplay displays have proven to have the “easy to use consumer interface we were looking for. And operationally, the fast IP based TV integrated seamlessly with our internet provider and our network,” Markus says.
Silkari can easily and flexibly control the user experience across content, branding and menus. And the hotel’s management has access to the system from anywhere, at anytime over the VPN. The Tripleplay server fail-over has ensured continuous viewing service to guest suites and underpinned Silkari customer satisfaction.
And into the future, “from our experience working with Compnow, they are our first point of call to provide solutions for us,” Markus says.
