Victoria BC's retro Hotel Zed adds 360 virtual reality video

Feb 17, 2016 at 05:37 pm

The Hotel Zed in Victoria, BC isn’t changing their stripes and shifting away from their funky, fun, and retro approach to your non-standard guest experience, but they are adding a 360 VR video to the mix, providing a fully immersive experience of the property to anyone with a smart phone or tablet.

Through a life-like (or life-altering) video, the Hotel Zed is pushing the boundaries of the visual world. The 360 VR Video was shot and edited from cameras that allow the viewer to see a fully uninterrupted 360 degrees, and includes the property’s lobby building, Ping-Pong lounge, and colour-popping guest rooms. The property partnered with Vancouver-based Wondr, a virtual reality video production company, who has previously worked with organizations like Variety Show of Hearts and Smallworks Laneway Homes.

“Although we’re not really speaking to you from the future, we feel like we’re boldly going where no one has gone before,” says John Espley, director of marketing and communications for the Hotel Zed. “While it feels like this type of technology would belong on a holodeck on the USS Enterprise, it’s available on any phone or tablet. Sit down in your living room, hop on your device and walk through our lobby’s front door.”

The new VR video for Hotel Zed may be found on either YouTube (https://youtu.be/kRcbfBKvbno ), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HotelZED/ ) or Vrideo for VR headset owners (http://www.vrideo.com/watch/FSfTODY). Viewing is straightforward. By clicking on the corresponding site, viewers simply have to move their phone or tablet around while viewing, which will show different parts of the property as though the viewer is there in person. For further instructions details, visit http://wondr.ca/faqs/.

While guests will still enjoy retro touches like rotary dial phones, vintage tanker desks and rides in one of the two VW 1960s buses, the 360 VR video adds to the bleeding-edge technology found in the rooms like high-speed (free) Wi-Fi, media hubs and LED TVs.

For the geeks in the crowd, the video may be viewed through a head mounted display (HMD), which will enhance the feeling of being immersed in virtual reality. HMDs displays range in price from entry level devices such as Google Cardboard ($5 to $20); slightly higher quality plastic versions ($30); or more expensive high-quality systems such as the Samsung Gear VR ($99) or the Oculus Rift ($599).

According to Wondr, tech forecasters believe the audience for VR will be just shy of 40 million devices this year. Light mobile VR (Google Cardboard) is expected to make up 71 per cent or 27 million people. Premium Mobile VR (Gear VR etc.) is expected to make up 7 per cent or 2.5 million people. PC VR (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive etc.) are anticipated to be 17 per cent or 6.6 million and Game Console VR (PS4) is estimated at 5 per cent or 1.9 million people.

Just don’t try using the in-room rotary phones to view the video; if you’re in doubt of how to use a rotary phone at all the Hotel Zed happily provides instructions, kids…

For more information, visit www.hotelzed.com.

About Wondr

Wondr was formed by two brothers: Paul and David Stewart in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Wondr is the daydream of stepping into the miracle of nature and humanity. Wondr believes that photography and technology now make it possible to witness the beauty of nature and the intimacy of human relationships in real-time and in three dimensions. In addition to creating this online experience for viewers of wondr.ca, we offer Virtual Reality production services to organizations and individuals. www.wondr.ca

About Hotel Zed Victoria

We’re a ridiculously fun and eclectic hotel in Victoria, BC, Canada that is so awesome your mind will be blown. We’ve got bold colours, retro-style and modern technology. Plus, typewriters, record players, comic books, Ping-Pong lounge, Wii and the coolest ’67 VW shuttle bus. Our laid-back lobby lets you make friends with others or your own inner Zed. We are rebels against the ordinary! Doors were thrown open in May 2014 by Mandy Farmer, one of Profit’s Top100 Canadian Women Entrepreneurs, aka President/CEO of Accent Inns – Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Employer-of-the-Year, BC Business Magazine’s 5th Best Company to Work for in 2011. www.HotelZed.com

Media contacts:
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838 or 250-888-8729 (cell) or [email protected]
John Espley, Accent Inns & Hotel Zed: 250-213-9605 or [email protected]