Digital Signage in hotels: screens and totems to elevate the guest experience
The guest experience is the cornerstone that sets one hotel apart from another. Every detail matters, and ensuring a seamless stay can lead to glowing reviews, attract new guests, and ultimately secure the longevity of your business. But how can you achieve this? While many factors contribute to a memorable guest experience, Digital Signage has emerged as a game-changing tool for creating unforgettable moments.
In recent years, the hospitality industry has undergone significant changes. From managing check-ins and check-outs to reimagining the guest welcome, these transformations have been driven by hygiene protocols during the pandemic and an increased demand for unique guest experiences.
To stay competitive, hotels and restaurants have had to rethink their guest offerings from the ground up. In this renewal process, Digital Signage has proven instrumental.
Hotel owners and managers have discovered that nothing captures attention or leaves a lasting impression like dynamic videos, images, and real-time information displayed on screens and totems. The key, however, lies in crafting these displays strategically.
6 ways to use Digital Signage in hotels
If you’ve been thinking about revamping your guest experience but don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. Here are six tips to use Digital Signage to create a luxurious and cutting-edge environment that puts guests at ease while enhancing the perceived value of your hotel and brand.
Digital Signage applications in hotels are practically endless. From sharing information to promoting events or facilitating payments, much of the staff’s workload can be delegated to screens. This allows concierge and reception teams to focus on tasks that truly require human interaction.
Strategically, Digital Signage systems should be placed in three key locations:
- The Fitness Center
- The Lobby
- The Conference Center
1. The lobby
First impressions matter, and nowhere is this truer than in a hotel lobby. Guests form their opinions within moments of stepping through the door. How can Digital Signage help you make an excellent first impression? These displays can position your hotel as cutting-edge, sophisticated, and committed to guest satisfaction. Use video walls or monitors to share your hotel’s story, highlight its amenities, showcase nearby attractions, and even promote affiliated restaurants.
2. The conference centre
Large hotels often host conventions, trade shows, or international meetings. In such cases, Digital Signage can replace traditional paper signage, providing:
- Interactive maps to help attendees navigate the venue.
- Real-time updates for schedules and speaker sessions, eliminating the need for printed programs.
- Large screens or video walls for multimedia presentations, enhancing engagement during meetings.
Not only does this save time and resources for your staff, but it also elevates the professionalism of your venue.
3. The gym
Fitness amenities are increasingly important to today’s health-conscious travellers. Enhance your fitness centre by integrating Digital Signage to:
- Demonstrate proper exercise techniques
- Offer injury prevention tips and promote the correct use of gym equipment
Avoid audio-based content, as guests often bring their own headphones and music playlists.
Digital Signage content tailored to hotels
As we have already mentioned in many other articles, what makes the difference in the effectiveness of a digital signage system is the content.
In particular, in the case of the hotel sector, images and videos can make guests feel at home immediately and help them find their way around the hotel and the destination.
We leave you with some examples of content you can create for your hotel. They will help both the customer and your staff, who will then have less to think about.
- Welcome and entertaining guests upon arrival
- Guiding them through events or conferences
- Upselling your services
- Providing a virtual concierge experience
- Assisting with emergency management
- Sharing real-time travel updates
Welcome and entertain guests
Whether guests are travelling for business or leisure, a streamlined check-in process and an inviting lobby set the stage for a positive stay. Digital Signage can:
- Display professional artwork, photography, or videos to create a welcoming atmosphere.
- Share practical information to speed up the check-in process, such as reminders to have passports and booking details ready.
For large properties, strategically placed displays can guide guests from the entrance to the reception desk.
Enhance conferences and events
Whether hosting an intimate meeting or a large-scale conference, Digital Signage helps guests navigate and engage with the event. You can:
- Monetize the space by promoting partner brands or sponsors through advertisements
- Share agendas, speaker profiles, and event locations
- Display real-time updates or session statuses
Promote your restaurant and upsell menus
You can use digital signage to present your restaurant’s menu to visitors. Menu boards are a particularly effective tool for guiding people in their choice of dishes. Moreover, unlike traditional menus, updating them is quick and easy. You can add, remove or change dishes in just a few clicks.
Placing one outside your hotel is also a great way to attract new customers. Who knows, they might turn from restaurant visitors into guests of your hotel in the future.
Offer virtual concierge services
Not all guests feel comfortable approaching a concierge in person. Digital Signage can bridge this gap by:
- Offering event or activity bookings
- Providing hotel and local information
- Assisting with self-service check-ins
Emergency management
In addition to using Digital Signage to inform and entertain, multimedia monitors and totems can also be used for emergency communications. Dangerous weather conditions, natural disasters or fire hazards are all messages that need to be disseminated as quickly as possible and Digital Signage is well suited for this purpose.
Even in the case of children who are lost and cannot find their families, screens can be particularly useful. Especially because high-resolution images and videos can be attached, making the person immediately identifiable.
Real-Time travel information
Monitors are a very efficient tool for providing real-time information. No doubt, traffic and delays are unpleasant experiences. That is why your guests will certainly appreciate being alerted and updated in advance or in real time on the status of planes, buses or trains.
You can also choose to display local, regional and national news or weather forecasts on the monitor.
Is Digital Signage worth the investment for hotels?
Absolutely. The hospitality sector has embraced Digital Signage for its versatility in enhancing the guest experience.
By replacing outdated static signage, hotels can create an interactive, memorable stay that fosters positive emotions and long-term loyalty. Customizable systems allow for minimal staff involvement while delivering tailored content that resonates with your guests.
When paired with stylish interiors, thoughtful lighting, and impeccable customer service, Digital Signage can elevate your property into a truly exclusive destination.