Meet the robot that delivers fresh towels and coffee at hotels across Silicon Valley

Melia Robinson

At first glance, Botlr might be mistaken for a glittering garbage can on wheels.

It sits in a docking station in the lobby of the Aloft Cupertino, a high-end hotel located steps from the Apple headquarters, charging patiently until a guest calls it to duty.

The robotic butler is part of a fleet of autonomous helpers that California-based robotics company Savioke is making for the service and hospitality industry. They've made 30,000 deliveries to hotel guests to date, and traveled a total of 870 miles on their own.

Business Insider recently visited the Aloft Cupertino to see how Botlr works - and find out whether they're making hotel employees scared for their jobs.