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By Madelyn Miller

The Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver has become the first hotel in North America to install guest room computers equipped for video conferencing.

In conjunction with Calgary-based Guesttek Services, the hotel’s "Global Office Cyber Rooms" are equipped with  Compaq PCs, video cameras and supporting software in 17 of the hotel’s 506 rooms.

Through a suite of Microsoft products, guests can directly access their business and personal e-mail, create documents with someone in another location, connect around the world via video conferencing, chat online, read the latest news on the Net, listen to radio or televised  news from "back home," or indulge in a variety of computer games.

The cost of this service is $30.00 per day and includes a 24-hour, toll-free support line.  In addition, a help menu appears onscreen when the computer boots up.  Guests will access their e-mail by entering their own password.  To ensure confidentiality, any e-mail sent or received will be automatically purged when the next guest enters a new password.

Video conferencing facilities are becoming more common-place and the trend-setting service of the Global Office Cyber Room is sure to become an industry standard due to the convenience found at the click of a mouse.

Just be sure to bring your best pajamas.

To book advance reservations at the new Pan Pacific

Hotel Vancouver (800) 327-8585.

Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts  http://www.panpac.com

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