advertorial
Video surveillance a star
attraction at Hollywood hotel
Based in the epicenter of a thriving Los Angeles
tourist attraction, the Sunset Plaza Hotel employs a
robust video surveillance solution to secure a lively
location with round-the-clock activity.
INTROdUCTION
Los Angeles' Sunset Strip is known
worldwide for being the home of
some of Hollywood's most famous
entertainment venues. The night-
club Whisky A Go-Go once hosted
Led Zeppelin and The Doors; the
Comedy Store has showcased a di-
verse array of comics from Johnny
Carson to Chris Rock. The Sunset
Strip is renowned for its energetic
nightlife a place where the young
and hopeful have been flocking to
see and beseen for nearly a century.
Just down the boulevard from
the Chateau Marmont lies a hotel
that is lesser known than its legen-
dary neighbor but just as focused
on providing a classic and comfor-
table Hollywood experience for its
guests. The Sunset Plaza Hotel, part
of the Best Western Plus family of
hotels, is located amidst the hustle
and bustle of the Strip but offers a
quaint European style reminiscent
of an Italian villa. Some of the ame-
nities it provides to its guests are
less noticeable than the cozy suites
and the heated swimming pool: the
hotel is committed to using cutting
edge video surveillance to the bene-
fit of their guests and employees.
ReQUIReMeNT
High-Performing IP Surveillance
That's Easy to Use When planning
to upgrade their video surveil-
lance system from analog to IP,
the Sunset Plaza Hotel needed
something that allowed for a lot of
coverage in various environments
around the premises, cameras that
could supply highquality images,
and an interface that was easy for
employees to learn.
"We wanted something that
we could use from an operatio-
nal standpoint and from a safety
standpoint," explained Brenda
Elias, operations manager for the
Sunset Plaza.
Constantin Paul Bunea, the
founder and CEO of Darkcad Tec,
had been serving as systems integra-
tor for the hotel for ten years. He
knew it was time for the hotel to
upgrade from analog to IP, and he
knew that Hikvision was the brand
that would meet their needs.
"I selected Hikvision cameras
because the quality is very high,
third party integration is easy, and
the company provides excellent
technical support." Mr. Bunea
stated.
SOLUTION
Comprehensive Coverage, Com-
prehensive Benefits
Darkcad Tec installed over
twenty 3 MP cameras from
Hikvision throughout the hotel,
covering interiors such as hallways,
conference rooms, and meeting
rooms, and exterior locations
as well. The DS-2CD2232-I5
bullet offers digital WDR and a
weatherproof rating of IP66, ideal
for the outdoor swimming pool.
The DS-2CD2332-I turret, with
Hikvision's patented EXIR infrared
technology, is being used in the
parking garage, with image quality
clear enough to make out license
plates. A 3 MP fisheye camera,
the DS- 2CD6332FWD-I, allows
for broad coverage near the main
entrance. The DS-2CD2132F-I
dome provides HD real-time video
and has a vandal resistant rating
of IK10, perfect for identifying
visitors at hotel entrances. The ho-
tel also plans to use the substream
of these cameras for future access
control integration.
Two DS-9632NI-I8 recorders
round out the solution, providing
an intuitive, user-friendly interface
that makes footage easily retrievable.
"In some instances, we needed
to address customer concerns by
reviewing surveillance footage, so
footage that was easy to retrieve was
essential," commented Ms. Elias.
RESULTS
Superior Image Quality and Impro-
ved Efficiency Whether retrieving
recorded footage or viewing
what's happening in real time, the
surveillance system is boosting the
efficiency of the Sunset Plaza team
from an operational standpoint.
In situations where live viewing
is crucial, the cameras allow the
hotel staff to easily keep tabs on the
entire premises. Cameras positio-
ned at building entrances give the
staff more control over who comes
and goes. The new surveillance ca-
meras also offer a significant impro-
vement in image quality compared
to what was in use before. Staff
communicating with each other
about what they see on camera can
now describe in detail what people
are wearing, helping them assist
their guests.
"Before we weren't able to
clearly see what was happening,"
Ms. Elias noted, "but now the
images are very good at night and
during the day."
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Future additions to the video sur-
veillance system at the Sunset Plaza
will assist the hotel with public
relations.
"We intend to use Value Series
PTZ cameras mounted to the
exterior of the building to display
live feeds of Sunset Boulevard on
the hotel website," remarked Mr.
Bunea.
The superior image quality from
Hikvision cameras would give po-
tential visitors a feel for the energy
and excitement of the Sunset Strip,
helping clinch their decision to
book a room at the Sunset Plaza.
CONCLUSION
The diversity of settings within the
hotel and need for a wide area of
coverage called for a highperfor-
ming group of cameras at an affor-
dable price, but the hotel's analog
system wasn't up to par. Hikvision
cameras not only boast excellent
image quality, but have also given
the hotel staff the eyes they need to
survey the hotel grounds 24 hours a
day. Hikvision DVRs make it easy
to review footage as needed. The
user-friendly cameras and recorders
are easily networked with other de-
vices, allowing for future upgrades
to access control.
The Sunset Plaza's new video
surveillance system helps ensure the
safety of hotel guests and employ-
ees, contributing to a fabulous
experience on the famous Sunset
Strip.
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