Arrive. See. Feel. Dive in. This is the concept of the 5-star wellness hotel Mawell Resort, which has been carved into the cliff in an exposed setting at the entrance to the German town of Langenburg. This wellness resort nestled in natural surroundings is sure to impress: The concealed entrance hides a 150-metre long underground path to the reception.
Guests have plenty of chances to be thoroughly pampered in the massage and treatment rooms and the large wellness area. An outdoor forest pool suspended over the valley offers a breathtaking view. A highlight of the luxury resort is the approximately 30-metre high tower that provides a panoramic view of the Jagst valley, the Langenburg castle and over the Hohenlohe plains. The hotel also features a bar, pool and sauna.
The 55 luxuriously-designed hotel rooms are split across five separate floors. The individual buildings are connected to one another via the underground path. A total of ten MOBOTIX cameras have been installed at the entrances, parking lots, the foyer and along the underground paths in order to guarantee the security required for the resort.
Robust and weatherproof video systems
“The security concept was already planned during the construction phase so that the necessary cables and connections could be laid directly,” explains Oliver Köhler, the Technical Director responsible for camera implementation at Mawell Resort. Firstly, the areas in need of special surveillance were identified and the necessary requirements for the cameras were defined. For example, the video systems needed to be very robust and weatherproof in outdoor areas. The camera in the entrance area needed to be capable of night recording.
A lot of value was also placed on the video system’s high resolution. Further criteria included being able to store the recordings on an NAS (network attached storage) system. Another request was that the security solution be POE (Power over Ethernet)-compatible, meaning that it could be supplied with power via an Ethernet cable.
The right cameras for each area
After testing various systems, the choice was made for cameras from the German manufacturer MOBOTIX. “We chose MOBOTIX cameras because they fulfilled all of our requirements and are also incredibly flexible to install,” explains Köhler. What’s more, the cameras from the manufacturer, based in the Palatinate region of Germany, stand out thanks to their decentralised system.
Recording takes place both internally on an SD card and externally on a USB stick or on NAS hard drives via the IP network, offering nearly unlimited storage capacity. The number of cameras per server can be up to ten times higher than the central VMS-based recording offered by competitors thanks to this decentralised recording via the network using the cameras themselves.
| Fewer cameras are required than would be needed with analogue or standard IP systems, due to dual images and hi-res |
No PC or additional software is required. Even if there are a large number of cameras recording, this decentralised solution can considerably cut down on storage requirements, as each camera can reduce the video to the frame rate and image size required for storage, independent of the live video.
Hemispheric technology to eradicate blind spots
The M24M Allround video systems and T24 Door Station are quick and easy to install, and guarantee the necessary security for different entrance areas. The T24 IP Video Door Station relieves the night porter’s workload in particular as a solution for door communication and entrance control. The camera module stores all activities outside the entrance door, triggered by the doorbell, movements in the image area or electrical contacts. Hemispheric technology allows the camera to cover the entire entrance area from wall to wall and from floor to ceiling without any blind spots, and without ever needing to mechanically tilt or pan.
The parking lot and the various service passages are secured with DualDome D14 cameras. With a 90 degree viewing angle and telephoto lens, the cameras make it possible to monitor the path and parking lot in wide range while simultaneously recording details with the telephoto lens. The digital sensor switching function of the D14 day/night camera is particularly suited to this task as it is also equipped with one colour and one black/white module. This ensures strong colour accuracy during the day and high sensitivity at night.
Instant alert notifications
Constant surveillance from a video control centre is not necessary as the camera also features motion detection, which can trigger recording and alert notifications via e-mail or VoIP telephone call with two-way communication. “Our workload is significantly lightened by the fact that MOBOTIX cameras are equipped with motion detectors and we are immediately alerted if any movement occurs. This means that employees are no longer required to constantly sit in front of a screen and view the recordings,” explains Köhler. “If and when an alarm is triggered, we view the frames and react accordingly.”
Furthermore, like all MOBOTIX cameras, it is very robust, requires little maintenance and is highly weatherproof. It can be installed in areas with temperatures between -30 to +60 (-22°F to +140°F) degrees without any problems.
Benefits for security personnel
The DualDome D15 camera, installed in the reception area, also features this motion detection. The integrated MxActivitySensor is particularly beneficial to the security personnel at the Mawell Resort. This new video motion analysis is integrated into all cameras with 5-megapixel technology and significantly reduces the number of false alarms. For example, shadows or plants moving in the wind, which are in the camera’s viewing screen, are no longer classified as relevant events, something that would not be possible in systems without this technology. Only relevant events, such as people entering the area, trigger an alarm.
Two separate areas or rooms can be monitored simultaneously without any blind spots thanks |
The camera’s new 5-megapixel technology impresses with clear colour images even under low light conditions thanks to enhanced light sensitivity. This presents a major advantage due to the changing light conditions in the foyer. The image sensor technology ensures top-quality dual images of 2 × 5 megapixels, meaning that the reception area can be secured with a single camera.
Because of dual images and high resolution, fewer cameras are required to record the necessary image sections than would be needed with analogue or standard IP systems. This reduces the number of cameras required for the Mawell Resort, thereby saving on costs. Discreet Security guaranteed an S15 FlexMount was installed in the entrance area for deliveries. The compact video system can be installed universally and is suitable for concealed mounting. The weatherproof IP camera has two miniature sensor modules, which are each connected to the camera housing with a two-meter cable. For example, two separate areas or rooms can be monitored simultaneously without any blind spots thanks to the hemispheric dual lens.
“We are really impressed by the video systems currently installed in the entrance areas. They provide us and our guests with the necessary security,” says Wolfgang Maier, Director of the Mawell Resort. “This puts our guests completely at ease and guarantees a relaxing time at the idyllic wellness hotel.”
The Mawell Resort plans to soon install a further three S15 cameras. These should ensure even more security for the other entrance areas.