Watford to be Hilton trial lab

Hilton's hotel in Watford is to be used by the group to experiment with new ideas which could be implemented all over the world.

A commuter town not often characterised as glamorous, Watford is now where both Hilton and Jarvis try out their innovations. Last year Jarvis Hotels said that its hotel in the Hertfordshire town would be the testing ground for new telephones, television and e-mail systems.

Previously, the Watford Hilton has not often made the news, although its exterior was filmed as the fictional hotel used by Alan Partridge, the television comic character played by Steve Coogan.

Hilton, which announced the new cutting-edge status of Watford at its annual results briefing last week, said that it had chosen the hotel because it was in the same town as its head office.

Hilton chief executive David Michels, who remarked that the Watford Hilton was "an exceptionally ugly building", nevertheless added that the new ideas tried there could be the key to how Hilton hotels worldwide would develop in future.

Michels said: "We have already started to do funny things with it. See-though bathrooms, televisions in strange places, different types of catering, and we will trial all our new uniforms there."

Hilton marketing director Mike Ashton added: "If we can do it in Watford, we can do it anywhere."

The experiments have already led to some important adaptations. The see-through bathrooms now have blinds fitted so that those who do not wish to be watched on the lavatory can control their privacy.

by David Harris