China to open fully robot-operated hotel

Chinese company Pudu Robotics, in partnership with other firms, is developing a fully robot-operated hotel on an artificial island near the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. The hotel is expected to welcome its first guests in 2027, with a complete transition to automated services scheduled for 2030, according to New Atlas.

The rollout of robotic systems will take place in stages. Beginning in 2026, robots will gradually take over a range of operational tasks, while human staff will continue to perform some functions during the initial phases.

The project aims to automate most hotel services. Through the FlashBot system, guests will be able to order food and drinks via a mobile app, after which robots will autonomously deliver the items to their rooms.

The hotel will utilise Pudu Robotics' existing lineup of service robots. The PUDU T300 will transport luggage weighing up to 300 kilograms, while the CC1 Pro and MT1 will handle indoor and outdoor cleaning. The BellaBot Pro will prepare and serve coffee, and the KettyBot Pro will assist customers in the hotel's restaurants.

In addition, the company has developed proprietary artificial intelligence models and AI agents to centrally manage the hotel's infrastructure. According to Pudu Robotics, these systems will enable reception robots to recognise guests' speech and gestures, delivery robots to independently calculate the most efficient routes, and cleaning robots to adapt to changing environments in real time.