Dealing the Infuriating, Overwhelming and Unwanted Smart Tech in My Hotel Room

Surveillance -- it's everywhere.

The author tries to make this an age issue. Young travelers love the technology and older travelers don't. I'm not sure where she thinks the cutoff point is. She makes sure to point out that one fan is 33, so that is below whatever she thinks the cutoff point is. My fiancee is 39 and doesn't love all the technology when we stay at hotels. I find it convenient and appreciate it. I'm 54.

You know that meme of the VCR (Video Cassette Recorder, for the youngin's) with the clock that's blinking "12:00" until the kid comes and fixes it? Well, those VCR-fixin' kids are in their 50s now. So at what point does the author just confess that they're a cranky techno-phobe (and nothing wrong with that!), rather than blaming it on age?

Honestly, I could use with more smart tech in my hotel experiences.

Why can't my hotel chain of choice's app let me do the following all within the app:

- Book the room

- Check in (geo-locate to verify if necessary)

- Be my room key

- Be my TV remote

- Help me pay for any additional purchases I make (over the counter medicine, toiletries I forgot, mini bar, room service)

- Let me request extra towels/pillows/etc.

- Check out

My ideal hotel stay would involve very minimal interaction with humans.

The reverse happened to me in a hotel room lately. Everything was touch controlled from two panels panel next to the bed: lights in the bathroom, floor, bar, bedroom, kitchenette, indirect (colored) mood lighting, the tv, the blinds, everything but the AC.

Except, I could not figure out how to turn on the reading lamp on the bed-stand. What followed was a reverse UX drill-down. I tried every element and combination on the bed panel and the touch switches next to the door. (confusing everyone looking at my hotel window from the outside). Following the wires to a standard AC plug, I concluded it might not be operated by the touch panels. Just to be sure I unplugged it and plugged it in on the desk outlets. Nothing. So maybe some kind of touch activation in the base? Nothing. Do I need to touch it longer? Nope. Maybe touching the lamp shade? No, nothing again. Some kind of ring element to twist on the lamp arm? No, that's really just a nut to fasten the lamp arm. Maybe there was a pull wire that got ripped off? No. Sigh. I give up, maybe its just broken.

Next day I figured out it was a unmarked black flip switch, flush on the opposite side of the black metal base.