European online travel agency Lastminute.com is setting up camp in a well known techie hotel this week to test prototypes of new technology with guests.
The project is being run by the OTA's William Beckler (head of innovation) and David Slocombe (head of mobile) and designed to test ideas out for a new mobile application.
The prototypes include "our wackiest ideas", but the motivation is to get instant feedback with guests of the Cumberland Hotel (a host of many technology events in the UK capital) before diving in and developing a finished product.
There's obviously some PR value in it, too.
Inspired by a project run by the Nordstrom Innovation Lab, Beckler says:
"Our most radical ideas are in a rough non-working prototype stage, and this is where we feel we’ll get the most value. Throughout the week we’ll be developing these designs and testing mock-ups as they evolve."
About 20 employees are involved in the event, including developers, designers, researchers and product managers.
The agency has had a Lab project of its own for some years, using it develop what became the Topsee augmented reality technology which was eventually included in its iPad app in 2010, allowing users to see the location of restaurants and other services via the device's camera.