These Hotels Have the World's First Self-Cleaning Rooms

We've seen hotels with fingerprinting technology in lieu of key cards and robots that deliver room service, but now two boutique hotels in Copenhagen have become the world's first with self-cleaning rooms.

Hotel Ottilia, in Copenhagen's old Carlsberg brewery, and the industrial-chic Hotel Herman K are the latest properties from Brøchner Hotels, the brand that brought the boutique hotel trend to Denmark's capital when it debuted Hotel SP34. And while Brøchner has become known for its sleek Scandinavian design and trendy restaurants and bars, it's innovating even more with its eco-friendly cleaning technology.

Brøchner has partnered with ACT.Global to disinfect the rooms in Hotel Ottilia and Hotel Herman K with ACT CleanCoat, a sustainable long-term disinfectant. The invisible, odorless cleaning solution actively eliminates microbes such as ebola, E. coli, viruses, mold spores and allergens. It purifies the air for up to a year, removing noxious odors including cigarette smoke. CleanCoat's main ingredient is titanium dioxide, which is also found in sunscreen, and it's activated by sunlight.

The product has passed more than 24 European norm tests and been recognized by many labs and research organizations, including Denmark's National Research Centre for the Working Environment.

"The technology is expensive, but we've reduced the labor load by 50 percent. It's giving our staff a much easier day and reducing our water consumption," Karim Nielsen, CEO of Brøchner Hotels, told Bloomberg, estimating that each room costs approximately $2,500 to cover with CleanCoat.

Brøchner has been testing this technology for about two years already, first trying it out in their Hotel Astoria, where it reduced the microbial level to below what is required in hospital operating rooms while simultaneously increasing the air quality and reducing water consumption.

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But don't worry, the implementation of CleanCoat doesn't completely replace housekeeping staff. Housekeepers still tidy up the rooms and change the sheets and towels — they just don't have to use harsh chemicals like bleach anymore.