Boutique UK hotel franchise Bloc has partnered with Samsung to convert its guest rooms to smart rooms, offering the Korean giant's technology throughout to control temperature, blinds, lighting and TV via installed tablets.

Hotel building specialist Boxbuild was commissioned to integrate the system and chose a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 to be the control centre, with a custom-built Bloc Hotels application running the show. It also installed a Samsung HA690 hospitality screen and Samsung 3 pipe DVM air conditioning.

The app, which is available for Android and iOS, can also be used to stream content on a guest's own smartphone or tablet to the TV in the room.

Boxbuild's all-in-one technology system will debut at Bloc's Gatwick-situated hotel later this year, with no word on whether the company will also convert its Birmingham venue.

Samsung is working with more than 550 independent hotels and 25 hotel chains in the UK to develop technology solutions. "There are exciting technological developments in the hospitality industry at the moment so we see it as a significant growth area for us and our reseller partners this year," said Graham Long, vice president of corporate sales & IT solutions.

"What's exciting about the 'all-in-one' solution is it will provide Bloc hotel guests with a unique and memorable experience all the while using our products."

You can find out more about Bloc hotels and the franchise's use of technology at blochotels.com.