Hilton partnership to enhance the stay experiences for guests who are Blind or Low Vision

Hilton has announced an exclusive partnership with Be My Eyes to ensure guests who are blind or have low vision can experience a more accessible, seamless and welcoming stay. Together with Be My Eyes, Hilton is making available AI-powered assistance and dedicated Hilton Reservations and Customer Care support to guests who are blind or have low vision across the U.S. and Canada.

Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers and companies through live video and AI, and now, directly connects Hilton guests with a team of dedicated, specially trained English-speaking Hilton reservations and customer care agents.

Through this partnership, Be My Eyes users in the U.S. and Canada can use their smartphones to navigate to Be My Eyes’ “Service Directory,” select the “Hotels” category and choose the participating Hilton brand to be directly connected to Hilton’s dedicated teams. Hilton teams will be available to help users navigate the hotel, including helping guests identify and adjust the in-room thermostat, operate in-room coffee machines, identify window coverings, or navigate to the hotel’s meeting spaces and amenities such as bars, restaurants, gyms or spas.

Assistance is available across a variety of Hilton’s portfolio of brands, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton, among others. The partnership provides both leisure and business travellers who are blind or have low vision with personalized assistance for every stay occasion.

“As a leading hospitality company, Hilton is committed to creating an experience that is welcoming for every guest, at every hotel, every time,” says Mike Gathright, senior vice president, customer excellence and innovation, Hilton. “We believe that every guest—regardless of ability or any other factor—deserves a reliable and friendly travel experience, and we are proud to partner with Be My Eyes to make that more of a reality for thousands of Be My Eyes users.”

Hilton first partnered with Be My Eyes in 2023 to train and improve “Be My AI,” an OpenAI GPT-4 language model that powers the Be My Eyes app, to enhance its ability to recognize objects and navigate the furniture and fixtures found in Hilton brand hotel rooms. Earlier this year, the partnership was expanded to include the development and training of a specialized team of Hilton Reservations and Customer Care agents who can support Be My Eyes users who may need assistance during their stay.

Guests can also take advantage of Hilton’s industry-leading “straight-to-room” digital self-service tools that create a seamless experience from check-in to check-out. Where available, these tools include the ability to choose your room, digitally check in, use the Digital Key to open guest room doors with mobile phones and digitally check out. With this technology, guests who require additional assistance can adapt their travel experience based on their specific needs.

While Hilton’s partnership with Be My Eyes will support thousands of guests who are blind or have low vision, the hospitality leader is on a continuous journey to understand and accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities, so all guests can experience a reliable and friendly stay.

Hilton has been recognized as a Top Company for People with Disabilities by Fair360, a Leading Disability Employer by the National Organization on Disability (NOD) and a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion in the U.S. by Disability:IN.

Be My Eyes can be downloaded via the App Store on iOS or Android.