November 12, 2018
James Hotel in NoMad Offers Guests a Discount to Ditch Their Tech
Like so many hotels nowadays, the James New York ‑ NoMad offers complimentary wi-fi to hotel guests. But unlike most hotels, the James will actually give you 10 percent off your bill for not using the wi-fi. Or for that matter, any digital devices.
Last month, the hotel unveiled its innovative new Digital Detox package, a promotion designed to give guests a much-needed break from technology. As Travel Pulse reports, under the terms of the package, guests agree to yield their technological devices upon check-in—phones, tablets, laptops, etc. At that point, guests are checked into a technology-free guest room, one with no phone, alarm clock or TV. In other words—a true break from technology. In exchange for this technology fast, the hotel discounts the bill by 10 percent for every night guests can manage without their devices.
As the hotel’s senior manager James La Russo explained to Moneyish, the Digital Detox idea emerged from the realization that guests were not taking full advantage of the wellness services provided by the hotel—a phenomenon caused in part by the constant distraction from phones and other devices that prevent people from being present in the moment. “People end up using technology as a crutch,” says La Russo. “My parent’s generation would grab a cigarette, we grab our phone.”
Alternative Healthy Mind, Body, and Social Activities Encouraged
In keeping with this theory, the Digital Detox package ($299/night) also includes a complimentary session at a nearby meditation studio, along with complimentary newspapers and other reading materials. Guests are also encouraged to take advantage of the hotel’s Four Bodies Wellness Program and other offerings provided both on and off hotel grounds, even in their own rooms. They are also encouraged to use the hotel’s well-equipped gym or take advantage of the opportunity to socialize with other guests.
With this new incentive for guests to ditch technology during hotel stays, the James New York – NoMad hopes to help guests reclaim a sense of balance in their lives, if only for a day or so. Hopefully they will come away with a greater awareness of the invasiveness of technology, the ways it limits our experiences and how it can and does affect our health.
The James New York – NoMad
22 East 29th Street
New York, NY 10016
(212) 532-4100