The Palladium Hotel Group, behind iconic Ibiza hotel brands like Ushuaïa and Hard Rock, has once again stepped up the tech integrations on its guest bracelet.
The bracelet, which the group calls the "Smart Very Important Bracelet (VIB)," moves beyond the social media connected bracelets of yore to include smart payments via PayPal.
In addition to the social media connectivity, the full functionality of the bracelets now include the ability to access rooms and a full integration with PayPal.
The direct payment integration means that guests can enjoy a cash-free experience on property, seamlessly paying for all goods and services on-site via the bracelets.
The bracelets are available for purchase by guests, or as part of several hotel package that guests can purchase up-front.
Estanis Martín de Nicolás, CEO of PayPal Spain and Portugal, shared the following in the announcement:
With this initiative, PayPal once again demonstrates its leadership and innovation, providing a simple and safe way to make payments. The tourism sector has been one of the first to adopt the use of smart bracelets to streamline payment options and we anticipate that this innovation will continue to spread across other industries.
This trend is likely to be much more common, as other large travel brands experiment in wearable technology - such as Disney, which has been moving towards seamless on-property engagement with its Magic Bands for nearly a year now.