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Do you know what the metaverse is? I’m sure it makes you think about avatars, virtual reality and the like. Don’t worry, if you are not up to date, we are going to help you understand it better. Imagine a parallel, but digital, universe where you can do anything: play, work, learn, go shopping, meet your friends… Anything you can think of, but you experience it through virtual reality headsets, mixed reality glasses or with your mobile or computer. Sounds good doesn’t it? The spatial web is the future and at RIU Hotels & Resorts we are not going to be left behind. That’s why we were the first Spanish chain to open a hotel in this environment, and we did it using one of our most iconic hotels, the Riu Plaza España, located in the heart of Madrid. This great project received the Best!N Travel award from IPMARK magazine as one of the top digital campaigns of 2022.
Metaverse, spatial web, immersive web… where does all this come from?
The metaverse or spatial web are concepts that refer to a collective virtual space, where people can interact in an immersive and multisensory way, thanks to technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality, which is currently booming thanks to the new Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 devices.
The term metaverse is said to have originated in science fiction, in the novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, published in 1992. Since then, the concept has evolved with the development of technology and the web 3.0. We are moving away from the 2D world towards immersive experiences. The metaverse refers to technology, but after Facebook changed its name to Meta, the major technological competitors have opted to differentiate themselves by talking more and more about the spatial web and mixed reality, abandoning a term, metaverse, which was trending in 2021 and 2022.
The Riu Plaza España, the first hotel in Spain to have a virtual twin
In 2022, the Riu Plaza España became the first hotel in Spain that you could visit on the spatial web, and we assure you that it is quite an experience. You can visit it at Spatial, a platform that allows you to create and explore virtual worlds in a very simple way. To enter the hotel you just have to look for it on the Spatial app or click here. But we recommend using a virtual reality headset as this will allow you to enjoy the experience on another level.
The virtual hotel is an exact copy of the real hotel, but with some extras that make it even more fun. You can see the hotel’s most iconic spaces: the lobby, a suite, the roof terrace with its breathtaking views of Madrid and the 3rd and 4th floors.
Just like in the real-world Riu Plaza España hotel, there is also a business space here. The third floor of the building contains rooms for meetings and events. There are five rooms with different layouts that provide a great deal of versatility for all types of activities.
The fourth floor of the hotel has also been reproduced. This houses the impressive Madrid room, the largest in the entire city centre. Just like in reality, the space can be divided into four different rooms and in the virtual world we have chosen to create different setups to show how flexible it is. Having rooms on the spatial web opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Celebrating completely virtual or mixed events is now a very real option.
In addition to all this, the virtual twin has interactive elements, such as our receptionist Michael, who also exists in the real world, and who can help you with whatever you need; and the glass walkway and balcony, which will make you feel dizzy, as if you were really over a hundred metres high. There is also a special guest, but we won’t tell you who it is. We invite you to look for this person on your own. It should be a big surprise!
The future of RIU in the spatial web, what’s next?
This project is not intended to be just another virtual space among the thousands and thousands that exist. We want you to feel as if you were inside the Riu Plaza España and that you can take advantage of the great potential of each of its spaces and amplify the experience when organising events, like our concert with Rayden, exhibitions, conventions, talks or meetings.
The virtual space at RIU Hotels & Resorts is an innovative and unique brand asset, which opens up a new world of possibilities for the digital future of the brand. The spatial web is a reality with more than 900 million users and is expected to grow much more in the coming years. At RIU we wanted to adopt this trend to offer you a different and memorable experience, combining the best of the real and virtual worlds.
And you, have you visited our virtual Riu Plaza España yet? Tell us what you liked the most, we’ll be happy to hear from you!
