As the entertainment landscape shifts, so too have guest expectations. With smartphones and laptops, travelers now have access to limitless content wherever they go. And, consumers have more choices than ever in how, where, and what they consume for content.
Whereas pay-per-view movies were once viewed as exciting features in hotel rooms, today’s guests are looking for other ways to access entertainment. To keep exciting patrons with in-room entertainment, hotels must evolve.
Two important new aspects of in-room entertainment to consider are video gaming and streaming services. Read on to learn more about how to incorporate these options and improve your in-room entertainment, offering your guests a memorable experience.
Playing Video Games in Guest Rooms
According to Statista, there are nearly 3 billion expected active video gamers as of 2021. What was once a niche technology has become the overwhelming norm, which may mean a majority of hotel guests are engaging with gaming in some way. If your hotel fails to support gamers, it could be failing to accommodate a massive population of customers.
Hotels have several options to support video gaming in their rooms, extending beyond offering consoles themselves. To help keep gamers satisfied, hotels should offer the tools gamers need to successfully access content.
Access to HDMI Ports
While a simple solution, providing easy access to HDMI ports can help please most gamers.
Many gamers may choose to bring their dedicated console with them on the road to access their personal gaming accounts. Some video game developers even offer access to their console games on the go, such as Microsoft’s Cloud Gaming or the hybrid Nintendo Switch console. Gamers expect to be able to play their games virtually anywhere.
By allowing guests to connect to an HDMI port, gamers can plug their console directly into a high-definition television and play from their room. Offering top-of-class televisions can pose an additional perk for visiting gamers.
High-Speed WiFi Tiers
While an HDMI port alone will satisfy some, a large portion of gamers prefer to play online. Online gaming requires high-speed internet access, beyond the limits of most free options hotels provide. As such, online gaming presents a unique opportunity to monetize hotel WiFi networks.
Offering several WiFi speed tiers gives guests options on how reliable they want their online gaming experience. A top-end wireless connection may even offer a better connection than a guest has in their own home, adding an extra perk to their stay at your hotel. By offering them access to high-speed, reliable managed WiFi, gamers may not mind paying a little extra.
Hotels with Game Consoles
Some hotels go above and beyond by offering in-room game consoles to hotel guests. Hotels with game consoles often market gaming rooms as an alluring feature to guests. Some even offer immersive “gaming suites,” complete with gamer chairs and themed accommodations.
While currently somewhat of a novelty, designing such rooms is one way to help bring gamers to your hotel. Many gamers will prefer to play on their own consoles, but trying something new may still entice guests during their stay.
Pay-Per-View and the Rise of Streaming
Streaming services have fundamentally changed the way consumers view media. With accessible, diverse media options available for a monthly subscription, hotel guests are less and less inclined to pay extra for in-room entertainment.
Increased streaming options, however, does not mean there should be no more pay-per-view. Hotels should seek to balance traditional pay-per-view options with access to the streaming content hotel guests demand, alongside linear content.
Incorporating Streaming For In-Room Entertainment
Much like with gaming, consumers often expect access to their favorite streaming platforms wherever they go. While a reliable internet connection will let guests view content on their laptops and phones, truly excellent in-room entertainment gives guests a variety of options to access their streaming accounts.
There are two main ways hotels can implement streaming for in-room entertainment. The first is to allow guests access to content through built-in applications. These apps let guests sign in to their accounts directly through television, allowing available high-definition access to their content throughout their stay.
The second, screencasting, allows guests to connect their mobile devices to in-room television to stream the service of their choice. While this option requires a separate device, it allows guests who are uncomfortable with sharing their information on the hotel television an option to access their content in high-definition when available.
Whichever way you implement streaming, Hospitality Network can help ensure a smooth process. Our in-room entertainment solutions help you exceed guest expectations, featuring favorites such as Netflix and Youtube, to keep visitors engaged.
Pay-Per-View’s Place in Modern IRE
With such diversity within streaming, pay-per-view content needs to be incredibly worthwhile for customers to purchase. Thankfully, streaming does not have everything.
Many of the latest movie releases take months to appear on streaming. Meanwhile, select films and adult content avoid streaming altogether. By catering pay-per-view options to selections unavailable through streaming, hotels can still entice guests into buying pay-per-view content.
The Value of Linear Content
As with pay-per-view, linear television also still has a role for in-room entertainment. Live television, including local news and live sporting events, is still relatively inaccessible through streaming services, despite some newer, more niche streaming options.
Upgrade Your In-Room Entertainment With Hospitality Network
Both video gaming and streaming content offer ways to help bolster your in-room entertainment experience. However you decide to upgrade your options, Hospitality Network solutions can help. Our networks power diverse in-room entertainment options across the country, working at the cutting edge to keep hotels, stadiums, and convention centers up to technological standards.
Request a consultation today and learn how IoT solutions can take your hospitality business to the next level.