Neil Foster, Project Development Manager, OPTEX explains the importance of accurate and reliable security solutions in hospitality environments.
The importance of security within the hospitality industry should not be underestimated or overlooked. From protecting guests and staff to physical assets such as equipment, appliances, furniture, valuable items and even the hotel grounds, there are a number of factors that need to be considered.
For a hotel, ensuring the safety of guests has to be a main priority and this primarily means keeping unwanted visitors out. Security should include reliable external detection systems to ensure no one is doing anything of criminal intent outside the hotel that puts guests or the building itself at risk.
It should also include securing skylights and windows on higher levels, not only to prevent rooms from being broken into but also to prevent items being thrown out – or in the worst case of scenarios – someone attempting to jump out. Adding access-only areas should also be taken into consideration to ensure that guests do not go into areas they should not be in and inadvertently put themselves in harm’s way.
Interior security is equally important and again there are a number of areas that need careful consideration, from access control to CCTV and surveillance.
Hotels are also increasing their focus on securing valuable assets – including premium spirits – particularly those that are on display that can be subject to curious hands or real attempts of theft. This could happen during opening or closed hours, but in every case, losses for stolen or damaged assets can be very significant and therefore require proper protection.
Super boutique protection
Part of the Edwardian Hotels London group, The Londoner, which opened in September 2021, is billed as the world’s first super boutique hotel. It has 350 rooms across 16 storeys including six basement levels, featuring six concept eateries, a private members club, a cinema, a wealth of meeting rooms and event space and an entire floor dedicated to health and wellness equipped with a gym, pool and spa.
The hotel has six restaurant and bar areas in total where expensive whiskeys, wines and other drinks are on open display 24/7 with no shutters or coverings. Given the cumulative value of the drinks behind each bar, the hotel needed to find a security solution to keep its valuable stock fully protected. The solution needed to be accurate and reliable and capable of integrating with the hotel’s existing security system – as well as being aesthetically discrete.
After careful consideration it was the OPTEX REDSCAN LiDAR solution that the security team at the Edwardian group thought offered the best option, both from a security point of view and one that would not detract from the aesthetics of the hotel.
REDSCAN RLS-2020I laser sensors were selected to protect the bar displays. The compact indoor laser sensors, which are Grade 3 compliant, use LiDAR technology to provide a customisable ‘virtual’ shield of the displays, allowing customers to enjoy the view while also providing protection from the risk of theft or damage.
With a detection area up to 20m x 20m or 30m radius detection range, the sensors can intelligently identify the presence of a body, a hand or even an object as small as 2cm getting anywhere near the display. The thrown object detection feature will trigger an alarm should an object be thrown through the virtual wall.
Laser-sharp detection
To provide highly accurate ceiling protection at each of The Londoner hotel’s seven bars, OPTEX specified and installed its REDSCAN RLS-2020.
The RLS-2020 sensors provide a customisable ‘virtual’ wall or plane that cannot be seen by the naked eye with a 95-degree detection area of 20x20m or 30m radius detection range. It means that unsightly roller shutters or covers are not required.
The laser technology works by analysing the speed, size and distance of the objects detected, meaning they track the objects within the detection area and understand the ratio size/distance of the object. This provides the ability to accurately detect a specific size of object either at distance or close up. In the event of any movement being detected, a security alarm is raised and alerts are immediately sent to the 24-hour on-site security control room.
Darren Carter, Group Director of Safety, Security and Sustainability at Edwardian Hotels London, said that OPTEX has provided the ideal solution for The Londoner: “We’ve worked with OPTEX for a number of years and installed their technologies at a number of our other hotels in the group.
“For this new and hugely exciting project, there was nothing else on the market that met our brief. The OPTEX laser sensors are a simple, yet highly effective solution, providing the very highest level of detection that easily integrate with our wider security operation at the hotel.”
Taking a bespoke approach
Protecting highly valuable items and assets, particularly in areas open to the public, presents a number of challenges and requires a careful and bespoke approach to fully understand the requirements of each site.
However, highly accurate and reliable detection technology should be part of the solution. OPTEX REDSCAN LiDARs, for example, can be quickly and discreetly installed and also help to improve the reliability of existing video surveillance systems.
These products can be utilised to trigger PTZ pre-set camera positions to focus the view on the exact location of intrusion, as well as triggering lights, audio alerts or send an alarm to dispatch security staff and ensure that buildings, valuable assets and people are protected.
To find out more information, visit: https://www.optex-europe.com/
This article was originally published in the June 2022 edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.