The hospitality industry has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years. Today’s travelers arrive with different expectations than guests did five years ago, when the pandemic was in full effect. Understanding these evolving preferences has become crucial for hotels looking to help boost guest satisfaction and secure repeat business.
Entertainment Takes Center Stage
A recent study reveals a surprising trend: in-room entertainment now ranks as the fourth most important guestroom feature, trailing only room cleanliness, bed comfort, and a quiet environment. This places TV content and features above traditional amenities like coffee makers, room service, and even workspace areas.
The study, which surveyed 1,500 Americans who stay in hotels at least five nights annually, identified the “most important” features they would choose if they could craft their ideal in-room entertainment experience:
- Fast, reliable Wi-Fi
- Access to personal streaming accounts
- Live national networks
- Premium cable channels
- Local television stations
- On-demand content library
What makes this data particularly compelling is its consistency across all hotel categories—from economy to luxury properties. Today’s travelers expect all the technological comforts of home, which is why it is important for hoteliers to offer robust and varied in-room guest entertainment offerings to meet these demands.
The Business Impact of In-Room Entertainment
The financial implications of meeting guests’ expectations are significant. Research from the same study° shows quality in-room entertainment influences their decision on where to stay, especially for guests aged 21 – 49:
- 47 percent would return to a property they’ve stayed at previously
- 44 percent would recommend a hotel to others
- 42 percent would choose one hotel over another
- 38 percent would pay more for their room
These statistics demonstrate that entertainment isn’t just a nice-to-have amenity; it’s a revenue driver directly impacting a hotel’s bottom line by helping influence repeat stays.
Meeting Modern Guest Expectations
While in-room entertainment’s prominence continues to grow, so do guest expectations. Hoteliers should embrace this opportunity to meet guests where they are by helping transform ordinary stays into extraordinary memories by focusing on three key areas.
Personalization: Consider using the property management system to collect and use data to help build guest profiles and customize their experiences. This includes room preferences, in-room dining service dietary requests, allergies, temperature settings, and entertainment preferences. Surprise and delight guests with attentive service and attention to detail.
Technology and Connectivity: Having frictionless, tech-enabled services in place to meaningfully interact with guests or provide them with seamless experiences is key. In addition to strong Wi-Fi, hoteliers should strive to provide smart room controls, mobile check-in, and keyless entry options for those who value those features. Balancing technology with human interaction lies in ensuring tech solutions are designed to complement, rather than replace, the personal service the Hospitality industry is known for.
Contactless Hospitality: The pandemic permanently shifted guest expectations around cleanliness and hygiene standards. What once was a “nice-to-have” has become a “must-have.” Guests now expect contactless services that allow them the option of “right now” convenience versus face-to-face interaction with hotel staff. This progression can be through texting hotel staff for room service requests, scanning a QR code to view a room service menu, paying via their mobile devices in the hotel restaurant or through the entertainment they watch in the guest room.
There are many other areas hoteliers can consider focusing on to help meet guest expectations. However, hoteliers should be mindful of the technology they implement to help guests feel more empowered during their stay, rather than having technology just for the sake of having it. Guests crave technology that delivers an optimized experience, thus encouraging hotels to embrace the technology that makes the most sense for their property operations and customer profiles.
Looking Forward
The hospitality industry continues to evolve as new technologies emerge and guest expectations shift. Hotels that stay ahead of these trends, whether by upgrading entertainment systems, enhancing digital services, or improving fundamental comfort features, position themselves for long-term success.
Sponsored by DIRECTV HOSPITALITY.
