Three key ways in-room entertainment has been elevated thanks to hotel technology
The adoption of hotel technology has changed nearly every facet of today’s hotel stay. From mobile check-in that is powered by a branded mobile app to booking a spa appointment from an in-room tablet, technology in hospitality has, in many ways, mirrored the advancements in technology in nearly every other industry.
Take in-room dining for example. With a branded mobile app or a smart-room tablet placed bedside, guests can now view dining menus digitally, place their order, and then track its progress just like they would an order from their favorite taco shop on DoorDash.
But in-room dining isn’t the only portion of a hotel stay that has experienced a refresh thanks to technology in hospitality in recent years. Hotel technology has also greatly improved the in-room entertainment experience for hotel guests.
Here are a few ways smart-room tablets and other hotel technology can improve your guests’ room entertainment experience.
The Streaming Never Stops
According to an August 2023 TechCrunch article, streaming accounted for 38.7% of total U.S. TV usage, a new record high, and, in the past year alone, streaming usage has increased 25.3%. As more and more people take in their television via platforms like Netflix, Max, Hulu, and Disney+, hotels’ pricey cable TV subscriptions become less enticing. After a long day of business meetings, today’s hotel guests crave being able to retire to their rooms and pick up where they left off on their latest TV binge.
By enabling casting in your property’s rooms, you put guests in the driver’s seat for their entertainment. Using a solution like Google Chromecast, guests can stream content directly to their room’s television from their own device with no additional logins needed. On the operations side, cloud-based software eliminates the need for on-site servers, so casting can use scaled traffic management to minimize bandwidth requirements on your property. Plus, hotels can save money by cutting the cord on costly cable subscriptions.
Make Music Magic
Gone are the days of AM/FM in-room radios. Today’s guests want to listen to their own music playlists — and casting allows them to do just this. Similar to casting Netflix content to their in-room television, guests can also use Google Chromecast to play their Spotify playlist or Pandora station directly to the in-room TV. Additionally, bedside, smart-room tablets equipped with the Spotify app let guests create a comfortable environment to relax in.
Consume Content Digitally
Another form of entertainment becoming obsolete in hotels alongside cable subscriptions and AM/FM radios? Newspapers. According to a 2021 Pew Research study, 8 out of 10 Americans get their news from a digital source.
Instead of reading a physical newspaper alongside morning room service, today’s guests are opting to reach for a tablet, smartphone, or Kindle. By placing a smart-room tablet in your guest rooms, guests can read the latest headlines the way they prefer: digitally. This move to digital news consumption can also help your property save money on costly physical newspaper subscriptions, while also helping your property become more sustainable.
Interactive hotels that use technology to improve guests’ in-room entertainment options are becoming increasingly popular — and are saving hotels money in the process. Want to learn more about how technology in hospitality can improve your guest room entertainment? Request a demo today.
