During our big “Around The World in 80 Days” trip, we were lucky enough to stay at the Peninsula Hong Kong, one of the grande dame hotels of the east. Although I loved everything about the hotel- including the funky Felix bar- what really stood out for me was the technology. The Peninsula is one of the few hotel groups that put an enormous amount of thought about how a guest uses a room. Bedside controls can dim the lights, turn them on and off and control the curtains (how many times have you found yourself fumbling with the lights in a new hotel room?). I also loved the innovative (but completely simple) Valet Box, a locked enclosure between the guest room and the hallway where staff can place newspapers and freshly shined shoes without disturbing guests. The New York Times recently ran a story about the new Peninsula Tokyo, which takes all these design concepts even further. When the phone rings, the radio or television is automatically muted. Bedside controls adjust lights and room humidity, and there’s also a wall panel showing outdoor temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction. And the Valet Box has been expanded to also hold dry cleaning. Genius!­