Self service hotels maybe coming to a town near you as independent boutiques and major chains embrace the new scheme.

The scenario goes a bit like this:

Upon arrival you go directly to your allocated room and punch in a code at the door to let yourself in.

At happy hour you can pour yourself a glass of wine from bottles laid out in the common area.

Taking a trip or a day out? You can find all information about attractions by using the self service kiosks.

“The whole theme is low-maintenance guests who don’t like to have staff in their face when they are coming and going,” said Michael Farrar, assistant manager of the Inn at St.Botolph in Boston.

“The inn offers an ‘abbreviated services model’ that includes online booking, virtual check-in, keyless entry and elective housekeeping. We will let you be.”

The self service hotel aims to target business and budget travellers. The new system gives independent-minded travellers autonomy and allows the hotel to run with minimal staff, resulting in lower expenditure and in theory, lower rates for guests.

“Hotels are the last holdout in the travel industry when it comes to do-it-yourself,” hotel consultant and author Daniel Edward Craig said in an e-mail.

“Like the airline industry, which responded to demands for low fares from travellers by cutting services to reduce costs, the hotel industry is following suit by automating certain services.

“As long as travellers continue to demand low rates and greater efficiency, this segment will continue to grow.

And it is not just budget hotels that are embracing this trend.

A sleek boutique hotel in the heart of Austin’s trendy SoCo district was one of the first to incorporate what it calls “invisible service” model.

The Kimber Modern, which opened late 2008, has keyless entry to the bedrooms, self service breakfast and a happy hour to amenities such as umbrellas, extra pillows, razors and toothpaste in every room.

The hotel aims to attract the independent urban traveller with its self service approach and rates which start at $225.

“The concept is all about providing every need for our guests so they don’t need us,” said Cavendish, adding that staff is available either on-site or by phone around the clock should a guest encounter a problem.

“We are not trying to be an Omni or a Four Seasons where there’s all the services you could ever need with people there to give them to you. Our goal is to have everything our guests need so they can make themselves at home.”

Major hotel chains are also adopting the self service mentality, like Hyatt and Starwood Hotels.

Over 100 Hyatt Place hotels nationwide allow guests to check in using self service kiosks (they may also check in at a reception desk) and order room service through a cashless touch screen menu.

Starwood Aloft opened in June 2008 and has about 30 locations. Guests swap room service for grab-and-go options and allow guests to check in via a self service kiosk.

“Guests like control,” said Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Starwood Speciality Select Brands. “It is really about giving the customer’s choice.”

Craig said that the main aim for hotels incorporating a self service system should be to keep their quality of service constant.

“Regardless of the state of the economy, the hospitality business is all about providing travellers with comfort, value and convenience,” he said. “As long as do-it-yourself trends advance rather than reduce these objectives, they will grow in popularity.”