As Europe’s largest airport hotel, it has over 1,000 guest rooms. Not only has the interior design of the lobby changed completely, but also its location. Gone are the relatively dark charms of former days, now replaced by a bright and modern lobby six times larger. The floors are Italian porcelain tiles, extravagant Venetian plaster decorates the walls and the staircase is constructed of marble and glass. In the new ‘Glass House’, guests have a choice of snacks as well as a variety of speciality teas and coffees. Electrosonic installed a custom-built videowall, designed as a glass drum with a 4-metre diameter, using 12 Sanyo projectors to produce the image. Image processing is by an Electrosonic Vector processor, with an Electrosonic Video Server, VHS, DVD, satellite and PC as sources. Audio is routed into three zones within the seating area via a Bose ceiling speaker system.
One of the most significant innovations at the Sheraton Frankfurt is the ‘Towers Floors’ area on the eighth and ninth floors of the tower opposite Terminal 1, Hall A. Here Sheraton has created a luxurious area where guests may work in peace or simply enjoy their free time. Sheraton’s Towers Lounge is the focal point, located on the ninth floor, with a stunning view of Frankfurt’s skyline. More than 50 guests can be accommodated in small, comfortably arranged seating groups, or on the outdoor terrace. In this area Electrosonic installed a plasma screen with Bose surround system, plus a separate audio system for the quiet area. A dedicated rack serves the area, with DVD, satellite, world standard VCR and CD as sources.
‘Lemons & Limes’ features two bars, each equipped with a Sanyo projector and motorised screen. The two bar areas show different types of material - one a general entertainment area and the other a sports bar. Each area has a dedicated DVD, VCR and CD, as well as the hotel television broadcast. Audio is supplied through Bose ceiling speakers. The system is controlled via a Crestron RF touchpanel system, as are the systems in the Towers Lounge and the Glass House. The conference facilities also display impressive dimensions. The 1,200sq.m Congress Centre, with an additional 700sq.m foyer, is designed for 1,400 delegates. In addition, 53 conference rooms for meetings of six people or more are available. To enable delegates to find the correct room for their meeting, Electrosonic developed a LAN-based system, using 15" TFT screens (one per room), which allows the room number and client details to be displayed. Each screen has an embedded PC, and all are linked to an Electrosonic Server. The LAN is connected to the hotel booking system through a software bridge, developed by Electrosonic, which enables the information to be displayed totally automatically. There are also three plasma screens in the LAN, each mounted in portrait format, which scroll through a list of the rooms and clients.
The hotel information system utilizes six touchscreens, which are located around the hotel at strategic points, and also linked to a server on a LAN. By using this system hotel guests can access information about the services at the hotel at any time of the day or night.
(Ruth Rossington)
