Hotel guests expect “home from home” TV experience

Nearly one in five hotel guests demand an upgrade or switch to a different hotel if the in-room entertainment is poor, according to new research by Samsung Electronics Europe, a leading supplier of flat-panel televisions. The online survey of 1,000 people also showed that nearly one in three boycotted future visits to hotels with disappointing entertainment offerings, while 32 per cent broadcast these bad experiences to friends and family or on travel review websites. Pammi Mudhar, European B2B sales and marketing director of Samsung Electronics Europe, said: “Despite the slowing economy, consumer expectations for a ‘home from home’ experience are rising. Most homes these days are equipped with an array of advanced technologies. As a result, three quarters of us expect hotel entertainment systems to at least match our home set-up, with over one in four expecting an even higher standard. “Business travellers in particular are not shy about making their technology demands known and their loyalty is based on using stylish, functional entertainment systems that they’re already comfortable with.” Samsung recently announced that it is working to roll out its new range of Four and Six Series industry-specific high-definition LCD TVs across a range of hotel chains including Marriott, Intercontinental, Wyndham Hotel Group, Sheraton, Hilton, Shangri-La, Westin and Hyatt, many of which have already placed orders. Those hotels already fitted with Samsung hospitality TVs include Dorchester Group’s Le Meurice in Paris, The Cavendish and The Connaught in London, the Staybridge Suites in Liverpool, Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, and Hotel Adlon in Berlin. For more information visit samsung.com/hospitality. Report by Jenny Southan