In-Room Entertainment Options Set Hotels Apart From The Competition

Guests expect to have access to streaming apps and premium channels.

By Tim Minsart, Network Engineer, Spectrum Business

The sweet spot for in-room entertainment options for hoteliers is an ever-evolving target. IRE is currently comprised of live TV, interactivity, hotel content, menus, on demand and streaming options, and various revenue opportunities for hotels.

Now, with the ubiquity of streaming entertainment apps, hotels that cannot offer their guests all the popular streaming options may find themselves behind the curve.

“There’s a shift in consumer expectations where travelers are now prioritizing flexibility, convenience and experiences. They want instant access to all the entertainment options they've become accustomed to at home or on the go,” Lorraine Ou, Director of Partner Management at HBO, told Hotel Management last year.

Absolute base-level table stakes would be offering guests entertainment options at least as good as what they have at home – winning strategies include offering better viewing choices than can be had back home. Industry analysts are finding that guests prefer free on-demand content from streaming services and an easy-to-navigate interface. 

Streaming services, in part, have forced hotels’ hands in this. For instance, guests used to be able to check into a hotel room and cast a service like Netflix from their personal device onto an in-room screen. No more: Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs.

App Organization is the New Gold Standard

Hotels that can offer streaming services and broadcast TV, as well as localized content, in an organized and user-friendly manner such as ROOMNET are well-positioned. Offering IRE with these parameters provides a competitive edge. The way guests consume content has changed, and seamless entertainment via streaming apps is fast becoming an expectation. In 2025, Attest found that 87% of hotel guests still watched live TV, but 72% now use streaming services and premium channels as well.

For hotels looking to attract younger guests and build lifelong brand loyalty, another Attest survey found the difference between live and streamed TV viewing is wider in younger demographics. More than two in five under-30s reported watching no live TV at all, and those who do tend to watch much less than older age groups. According to a 2019 Customer Engagement Technology study, 72% of guests are likely to return to a hotel if it provides advanced technology for in-room entertainment. That means catering to under-30s viewing choices may prove to be a winning strategy.

Guests Want Their Stories, Games, and the Weather

Today’s IRE platforms need to check off several items to meet the challenge hoteliers have of providing guests a world-class technology experience:

• Not every consumer subscribes to every app, but hoteliers are expected to.
  
• Delivering content via streaming apps in a reliable and effortless way is now expected.
  
• Live and local TV are still of importance as major sporting events are still broadcasted, and live local news provides guests with the weather and traffic info they need.
  
• Ease of access, use and navigation is critical to minimize friction points, reducing calls to hotel staff.
  

Solutions are available today that not only meet the above criteria but deliver a hotel-branded interface that promotes amenities and services, as well as local attractions, on the in-room TV. Hotel staff can quickly and easily add, change or remove content (such as menus, guides and offers) via a user-friendly administrator interface.

Make Sure Your WiFi Is Up to the Task

The strength of WiFi and the hotel’s network are crucial to delivering the best IRE experience in today’s streaming world. Subpar WiFi can negatively affect remote responsiveness, picture quality, and lag-free navigation. Additionally, in a Travelers United poll of 12,000 travelers, free WiFi topped out as the number one most important amenity.  

For hotel operators, your Internet Service Provider likely offers scalable and turnkey WiFi solutions that provide design, installation and operation of wireless infrastructure, ensuring high-quality connectivity with reduced IT burden and no equipment to buy.

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About the Author

Tim is a Network Engineer and has been in Hospitality for over 30 years. As an industry expert, he has seen the evolution of technology in hotels and works at the forefront of guest's needs.