One of the most iconic hotels in Europe, the Hotel Riu Plaza España, has decided to take its real-life 360-degree view of the beautiful city of Madrid and bring it to the AltSpace metaverse.
Now customers won’t have to book a room to enjoy the hotel’s historic architecture and breathtaking rooftop views — they can do it virtually. The virtual world will mix real elements too, like Michael the receptionist, who can book your room in-person or in the metaverse, as well as spaces created with digital technology.
Besides being able to visit the hotel lobby, the rooftop, and the balcony that looks out at the 100-meter-high walkway, surprises will be layered throughout the metaverse experience and first-time users will receive a secret gift.
To build the project, RIU partnered with La Agencia Encubierta, a pioneer in digital marketing for the metaverse. With the move, RIU Hotels and Resorts is the first hotel to open in the metaverse and looks to be a pioneer for the hotel industry in the Web3 space.
Joan Trian Riu, the Corporate Executive Director of RIU Hotels & Resorts, said that they were pleased with the project and just beginning to discover their “true potential” in the metaverse.
Movement Remains Strong in the Metaverse
The new metaverse experience at the RIU Plaza Hotel in Madrid is unique and the first move from an iconic hotel into the metaverse. But the hotel is certainly not the only business that’s tying real-life places and events to virtual and augmented reality experiences.
At Rarity Sniper, we’ve reported on several projects that similarly tie an IRL location to a metaverse experience. Listed below are some of the most recent headlines:
- The Vatican Creates a Metaverse Art Gallery
- The Brooklyn Nets Launch “Netaverse” to Bring On-Court Action to Your Home
- Atlanta Braves Open a Metaverse Trust Park
- Manchester City to Build First Soccer Stadium in Metaverse
- Niantic & the NBA to Create AR Metaverse Game
Much of the metaverse noise is happening in sports, but improvements in augmented and virtual reality combined with NFTs, blockchain technology, and cryptocurrency are expanding how businesses connect with fans across a myriad of sectors — from fashion to luxury brand automobiles and now hotels.
One obvious benefit of the virtual experience is its inclusiveness. Let’s face it, there are a limited number of beds at the RIU Plaza Hotel. For those of us not lucky enough to visit the hotel in real life, this metaverse experience could be the next best thing.