By Brendon Granger, Technology 4 Hotels
On the surface, hotel rooms haven’t changed much in the past 50 years or so; the main elements are still there such as a bed, a TV, and a hot shower. So while improvements in technology are changing the way guests interact with hotels, the purpose of a hotel room is still much the same: to have a comfortable, enjoyable and entertaining stay. And though most hotel rooms will still include the same essentials, technology is changing the way guests will use them.
Different types of digital entertainment that guests want
Whether your guest sees their hotel room as simply a place to lay their head or they plan on spending a good amount of time in there during their trip, there will be certain forms of digital entertainment that have quickly become a necessity rather than a luxury. Getting ahead of these trends will mean for happier guests, and could be easier than you think.
Streaming services vs hotel TVs
The increased ability to bring their own entertainment with them has left guests less dependent on the traditional hotel television. Recent reports from the US-based tracking firm Nielsen have shown that the amount of time spent watching media content online or through streaming services has increased, compared to watching content via traditional TV and cable services which has declined in recent years. In fact, as much as 40% of households now subscribe to a video-on-demand streaming service such as Netflix. With traditional TV network companies introducing similar services such as “Catch-up TV”, there is more content than ever available at the guest's fingertips.
With online streaming set to overtake broadcast TV in popularity, the appeal of pay-per-view movies and basic cable TV channels will dwindle dramatically. Instead guests will likely look for easier ways to view their own content whilst traveling. This will mean free and unlimited access to fast WiFi, plenty of charging points for their various devices, and the ability to stream content from their devices on in-room TVs. Watching their favourite Netflix show on a widescreen smart-TV will be a luxury that will quickly become expected by guests in the not-too-distant future. Smart TV’s that are connected to the Internet will also become the accepted norm in hotel guest rooms as more and more guests now have them at home.
Of course guestroom entertainment doesn’t begin and end with a nice TV, as online services are replacing other forms of entertainment as well. Internet radio services such as Spotify and Pandora are growing in popularity, while AM/FM radio listening time has decreased. Guests will be just as likely to bring their own music collections with them as they would their own clothes, and having the option to listen to their favourite playlist while they get ready for a day of sightseeing is an important added comfort that will help make them feel at home.
Digital vs print
With the almost universal use of tablets and smartphones to browse the internet, traditional print newspapers and magazines are steadily seeing a decline in readership. Meanwhile digital subscriptions have been rising for several years, and while a complimentary in-room newspaper does add a touch of intelligent class to the room, complimentary access to digital newspapers and magazines on a mobile device via a service such as PressReader is what future guests are more likely to be looking for.
And it’s not just magazines and newspapers, in 2014 half of Americans owned a dedicated device, either an e-reader or tablet, for reading eBooks. While many guests will always travel with a book, those that forgot one need not be bored while on the beach or when there’s nothing good on TV. EBooks are a great way to have a large quantity of reading material available to guests that can be quickly and immediately updated to keep offerings fresh.
Providing the future of guestroom entertainment
You’d be hard-pressed to find a guest that didn’t bring at least one piece of mobile technology with them, and most would plan to bring two or three. So while a large-screen TV is still somewhat impressive, it isn’t the be all and end all of in-room entertainment. What is becoming more important is that the rooms provide support for the devices your guests bring with them.
This means, first and foremost, free and unlimited access to high-quality, high-speed internet. Overly complicated log-in procedures, internet connections that time-out, and additional costs for accessing WiFi are an easy way to infuriate your guests. Imagine the internet logging you out half-way through the latest episode of House of Cards on Netflix, followed by a long, complicated and costly process in order to reconnect. These guests will jump straight on TripAdvisor when they get home and will be sure to let other potential visitors know about their frustrations.
The same can be said for access to powerpoints or USB chargers. The more difficult you make it for your guests to use their devices; the more frustrated you’ll make them. The number of times your guests will use the trouser press compared to how many times they will want to charge their devices, will make rethinking the layout of your rooms and outlets increasingly important in coming years.
As access to, and therefore dependence on, personal devices grows, the future of in-room entertainment looks set to be what your guests bring with them. Entertainment autonomy and an office away from the office is what guests will be looking for after a comfy bed and a hot shower.
