Midday is quiet at a Hampton Inn & Suites near Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia. Staff restock the snacks. A young dad bounces a baby among the grays, browns and teals of the lobby. Eventually, a couple of new arrivals roll a suitcase to the front desk, asking to check in early.
The hotel's owner, Vinay Patel, has noticed this interaction waning.
"People are now literally not wanting to go to the front desk," he says. "They'll check in online on the phone similar to the airlines and go straight to [the] room."
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