Expectations for TV in holiday accommodation

[birdglasspen]

Not sure if this should go here. Looking for advice! Run a B&B with tvs in each room. They just get a few channels. Today I realised my fire stick works in them to make smart tvs.

I can’t afford to replace 5 TVs…I’m not sure If fire sticks in guest rooms are a good idea.

What do you want in a TV? Should I attempt to make them smart tvs.

Guests would have to use their own login for Netflix etc.

to watch normal tv on a smart tv do you have to have an account with everything. Channel4, BBC, itv etc!!

I don’t watch tv just Netflix on laptop so I really don’t know what’s a good idea. Or how to future proof TVs…..

Why not tell guests that they can bring their own fire sticks with them to use? We've done it on holiday and used our own Netflix etc. What problems are you worried about?

The most recent air bnbs we’ve been to have had their own Netflix account and we’ve really appreciated it.
But having a firestick so we could log in would be better than nothing!

A Firestick to log into an account is a good idea - but do them a favour and log them out if they forget to.

By far the best thing to do though, rather than ask us, is to stay in one of your rooms and be a guest - how would you access the tv and watch TV? It's a bit of a no brainer thing to do really.

Providing fire sticks for guests to log in to is an excellent idea. I would really have appreciated that in some places I have stayed. Just put up a note reminding them to log out when they leave.

Just advertise as TV with freeview/free sat or whatever it uses. Guests will know what that means.

Does the accommodation have adequate Internet access to support streaming?

For the terrestrial channels, just create dummy email addresses with Gmail, one per room, and register those accounts with each app (iplayer, itvx, etc). That way the channels just work without people who don't know anything about app-based TV having to faff around with logins. I don't think it's a GDPR breach that the people who arrive in week 2 will see what the people from week 1 watched on Channel 5, but you could presumably clear the history if you wanted to.

Expec at least one to be stolen

Most air bnbs I've stayed in have their own netflix account. I think it is a basic expectation now.
Although I realise it comes with a cost.

This. Unless you ask them to hand it over to you when leaving.

I don't think I've ever watched TV when on holiday. They probably mostly sit there unused collecting dust.

It's more likely these days that the people who want something to watch will do it on their phones or tablets, and have their own accounts.

In a b and b I would expect freeview only. Air b n b or a holidays cottage I would like a smart tv that I could log in to my own accounts if needed

I check what the blurb says ie freeview/smart TV.

if freeview I pack the cables to connect my iPad to the TV so I can watch Netflix etc. In hotels with built in TVs you can’t always get in to the connection bit to plug in but I know this.

fire stick would be easier but I think they would get nicked/ not everyone would know how to use it.

i’ve never yet stayed anywhere with it’s own Netflix account and am happy to log in to my own.

i’m often on my own and watch quite a bit of TV in accomodation.

you could make a fire stick available on request and charge a deposit for it which would get round them being stolen?

By "a few channels" do you mean all the Freeview channels? Unless you're in a remote area that gets very few of them?

I only watch Freeview channels at home and wouldn't expect more than that in a B&B.

And I also would expect Fire sticks to be stolen from the rooms.

I would hope for a decent TV in the living area but beyond that not too bothered about having a TV in rooms so I would possibly update the main TV and then have a note that people can bring their own fire sticks if they want to watch other channels in the bedrooms.

Free tv only wouldn’t bother me. Possibly offer up fire sticks to borrow for a £20 deposit from reception so they don’t get nicked. Like a Pp I bring a cable normally, DS has a switch and likes to play that on a big screen too.

When I stay in a B&B or hotel I just watch stuff I’ve downloaded to my iPad and don’t normally use the TV.

In a holiday cottage I like it if the TV has Netflix on. It’s normally logged into the owner’s account.

Just let people know they can bring their own fire stick etc.
if you provide them they are likely to get taken sadly.

what about a freeview box or roku box, probably a lot easier to find cheap second hand on facebook or at a carboot. Plus as they are not really worth anything and its hooked up by cables ,less desirable to steal

This. I've taken one on holiday because the hosts said the TVs are set up for them. Better to have your own and you can login to your own account, be at the right point with series you're watching etc. You're also motivated to remember to take it home!

This is less bother for you and avoids you losing out on costs of providing fire sticks, replacing lost ones and so on. Or setting up accounts for people. If your guests tend to stay for a week or more, they will probably like and use the option to bring their own. Short stay guests and some others won't bother, and they have the free channels. It just needs communication.

I think Netflix in a holiday rental is pretty much expected these days. Though I think it would be ok to only have it on the “main” tv rather than all of them, as long as that is made clear

I never watch an actual TV on holiday, always take my own ipad or laptop to use instead but I don't have young children so don't need to watch a larger communal TV.

I wouldn’t expect anything beyond free channels at a holiday let.

Thank you everyone! I’m not very high tech or interested in tv… we do have a main tv for self catering which has smart tv but you sign in to own account. When B&B there are 5 separate TVs so I think putting a note in confirmation email to say you can bring own fire stick and maybe having 2 to give out but returned on departure.

I don’t think they will be stolen due to our location…you can’t get far by the time rooms are checked.

In all honesty the tv is rubbish and not many channels. They are wall
mounted so not going to get free view boxes as nowhere to put them.

appreciate all the comments! Except maybe live in it yourself and see. I am due to renovations and I can’t wait to move out!
but I have my own tv with fire stick and I don’t use bedroom TVs. I guess on holiday I want Netflix for kids but if it’s not there I have my laptop. Other than that I don’t know what others want!

I hate having to log it in to someone’s tv and it sending a passcode and all that. Having an account for the bnb would be great. Im not sure what they’ve used in the places we’ve stayed in recently. I guess a mix of fire sticks or boxes of some kind which can access Netflix. One place even had a casting device. But for bedroom tvs I wouldn’t expect it.