With the opening in 2010 of his Vasano abito suite hotel in the centre of the German city of Leipzig, hotelier and entrepreneur Gregor Gerlach has introduced a new concept to the German hotel scene: five star quality but without the frills, at a modest price.

The Vasano boasts 18 spacious, one and two-storey suites with high quality fixtures and fittings and Italian designer luxury. However, unlike other hotels in its class it has no receptionist, no restaurant, no room service and certainly no pool or gym. Essential services such as security and customer care rely on the video security and communication systems from Geutebruck and ELCOM which link the hotel with two of Mr Gerlach's other business interests - the Vapiano pizza and pasta restaurant below it at ground level and the Seaside Park Hotel a few streets away.

In the absence of a receptionist, video cameras keep a watchful eye on comings and goings in the entrance hall at the Vasano. You check in using a self-service terminal which looks rather like an ATM machine. It takes payment by credit card and issues a room card which also operates the lift. When you swipe the card in its reader, the lift automatically takes you to the right floor. There is no manual control.

If you need human assistance checking in, then the terminal's two-way video and audio intercom puts you in touch with the restaurant downstairs or with the Seaside Park Hotel reception where help is available round the clock.

Dome Cameras also Provide Management
If there is ever a problem getting the room card to open a door, help is only a video-call away. Video intercoms and dome cameras are mounted in the corridors on all three floors. Staff at the remote sites can call up video to see both the guest and the door and assess the situation. Besides providing security and peace of mind for guests, the dome cameras in the corridors also provide management with a means of confirming that newspapers and fresh breakfast items have been left outside guestroom doors each morning. The Vasano has dispensed with a breakfast room and breakfast staff too; everyone takes breakfast in their own room. Each suite has its own mini-kitchen with a coffee machine, mini-bar and fridge ready stocked with other breakfast ingredients.

Easy to Use, High-end Performance
Like the Vasano abito, the Vapiano restaurant and the Seaside Park Hotel also have Geutebruck CCTV equipment. Each has a re_porter-16 platform with dome cameras. All three video systems were installed by Leipzig company, Cherier Elektrohandel Elektromontage GmbH. The proprietor, Mr Cherier is a keen advocate of Geutebruck equipment. "We have every confidence in the brand. We know that it always works!" In his view, being easy to use and with high end, real-time performance, the re_porter was an obvious choice for this project and this client: "Mr Gerlach is well-known for his use of high quality materials and equipment so Geutebruck's reputation is a perfect fit." You can see what he means: ‘five star quality, without the frills at a modest price' is pretty well how Geutebruck sums up its re_porter!