Buying TVs for a hotel sounds straightforward enough until you’re buying them for hundreds of rooms.
A TV in a guest room has a harder job than the one at home and needs to feel familiar to the guest while fitting in with the way a hotel works. People check in and use the screen for a night or two before leaving. The next guest expects everything to feel fresh and simple to use, regardless of what came before.
Hotels tend to buy hospitality TVs as opposed to normal retail models because they need screens that can handle this constant turnover and instantly reset for the next arrival. They might look similar on the wall, but they’re built for a different setting. The hotel needs a screen it can manage, while the guest wants an experience that feels easy from the moment they pick up the remote.
Here, we’re looking at the TVs hotels tend to use, the brands buyers will come across and what to consider before placing an order.
What makes a hotel TV different?
Made for the guest room, a hotel TV is designed for repeated use by different people across a large number of rooms.
Because the way we watch TV has changed, guests typically use them in unpredictable ways. One person changes the language settings, while another signs into a streaming app. Someone else connects a device and leaves the input switched over. At home, this is just the day-to-day use of a TV. In a hotel, however, it creates extra work before the next guest arrives.
Hospitality TVs give hotels a way to manage screens centrally and set up a consistent guest experience, all while making the TV feel part of the room as opposed to a separate piece of kit.
LG’s Pro:Centric platform is one example that allows hotels to manage in-room TV content and settings, while also supporting guest features such as Google Cast on compatible hotel TVs. Guests can pair their device by scanning a QR code, so they don’t need to enter personal details directly into the TV.
Moreover, LG’s hospitality TV materials offer 120 settings that can be accessed remotely and changed universally, including default channel and volume limiter options
Essentially, a retail TV is built for one household. A hospitality TV is designed for rooms that change hands every day.
Which brands do hotels usually use?
Most hotel buyers will see LG and Samsung at the front of the market. Philips is also a recognized name, especially across parts of Europe.
LG
LG is one of the primary hospitality TV brands because of Pro:Centric. It gives hotels a way to create a more managed in-room experience, from the welcome screen to how guests connect their own devices. It’s also the relevant brand for MDM Commercial customers, as MDM works with LG hospitality TVs.
Samsung
Samsung has its own hotel TV setup through platforms like LYNK REACH and the newer LYNK Cloud. Hotels get remote access to in-room TVs and help with settings such as channel maps and basic TV functions. By syncing management systems with the hotel PMS, guest credentials can be automatically cleared after checkout – an important feature when guests are using built-in apps like Netflix.
Philips
Philips MediaSuite sits in the same broader conversation, offering hospitality TVs with Chromecast built in. It also has access to apps such as Netflix and YouTube. For many hotels, it’s a familiar comparison point when looking at guest streaming.
The brand names may sound familiar, but the hotel models aren’t normal smart TVs with a different label.
What size TVs do hotels use?
Once upon a time, a 32-inch screen was common in many rooms. Guest expectations have changed, however, and people are used to larger screens at home. The shift in mindset has changed expectations in a hotel room.
Budget hotels and select-service properties still often use 32-inch to 43-inch TVs, which works well in smaller rooms. Take a bed close to the wall-mounted screen. In this scenario, a 32-43-inch TV will likely still be the ideal set up.
When it comes to upscale hotels, they tend to go one better and sit closer to 50-inch or 55-inch TVs. This size feels more current in a standard room without making the screen dominate the space.
Suites go another step further, often moving to 65 inches or above. In larger rooms, a smaller TV can make the space feel under-finished, especially when the rest of the room is positioned as premium.
As well as the size, brand standards heavily dictate the exact hardware. Major flags like Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt have strict supplier guidelines that say which models are approved for their properties.
For instance, buyers benchmarking standards will frequently see the LG UK660H and UK670H series specked as the industry gold standard for LG properties, while Samsung’s NT670U series is a common approved counterpart. Just make sure you always cross-reference their flag’s current requirements, but these models are a good benchmark for what you’ll typically see in hotels.
The best starting point is the room itself. A TV needs to meet the standard, but it should also make sense once it’s on the wall. A 55-inch screen might be right on paper, but it can feel oversized in a smaller room where the bed sits a few feet away.
What about streaming and casting?
Guest room TVs have changed most when it comes to streaming and the expectations around it.
They no longer see the TV as something that only shows hotel channels and arrive with streaming accounts and shows they’re already watching across several apps. The hotel TV needs to help them continue the same experience without making them work for it.
Thankfully, casting solves the problem. LG hotel TVs can support Google Cast and AirPlay on compatible models so guests can stream from their own phone or tablet. The guest pairs with the TV during their stay, then the connection can be cleared when they leave.
Samsung’s hotel TV systems also lean into streaming with its LYNK Cloud platform that supports safe access to entertainment apps and can clear guest credentials after checkout when connected to a PMS.
Philips MediaSuite has taken a similar route with Chromecast built in, making it easier for guests to cast from their own device rather than sign in through the TV remote.
Streaming goes beyond giving guests another feature and covers a raft of pain points, whether it’s guests continuing their favorite show in sleek hotel settings or parents having easy access to kids shows to keep little ones entertained.
Are ‘normal’ smart TVs good enough?
A normal smart TV might seem like the obvious way to save money. It can look like it does the same job if it has apps and the right screen size.
The problem usually comes later on down the line.
- Retail TVs aren’t designed around hotel use and can be harder to set up across a whole property.
- They’re often more difficult to manage after installation and less suitable for secure guest streaming.
- They may also create warranty issues when used in a commercial environment.
- Consumer TVs can cost hotels more over time for exactly this reason.
For a one-off screen, the saving might look tempting. Across a full property, the cheaper option often ends up being the more frustrating one.
Where MDM Commercial fits in
Because of LG’s superior management and casting capabilities via Pro:Centric, MDM Commercial partners exclusively with LG to supply hospitality displays.
If your hotel is ready to upgrade, we can make the choice easier. The LG UK660H is a strong example of a modern, brand-standard hotel TV. It functions as a premium 4K UHD smart hospitality TV equipped with Pro:Centric Direct, Netflix, AirPlay, Google Cast and LG Channels. It’s designed for hotels that want a top-tier guest room experience that aligns with major flag requirements without breaking the budget.
Conversations tend to start with the property rather than the product. How many rooms need TVs? What sizes make sense? Does the hotel need casting? Are there brand standards to meet?
Once those answers are clear, the right LG hospitality TV becomes much easier to choose.
Choosing the right hotel TV
Hotels use hospitality TVs because guest rooms aren’t living rooms. The screen has to work for the guest and for the property.
If you’re planning a refresh or fitting out a new property, the best move is to choose a TV around the way each room functions. That way, the screen on the wall feels simple for guests and sensible for the people managing it.
Ready to spec your next order? Request a quote, and our team will help you find the exact LG hospitality TVs to match your room sizes and budget.