Is WIFI enough?

Question

Are you guys still offering some sort of basic programming on your Smart TVS - cable, YouTube TV, etc., or are you just providing WIFI and guests then log on to their own accounts?

Lauren Kormylo · Answer

Only streaming with Roku TVs in Guest Mode.  Simple, no switching back and forth with the input selector, nothing to confuse guests.  I say in my description that's what we have, that they'll have to have their log-ins.  In 3 years, I haven't gotten a call or text about the TVs or how to work anything, and no complaints about the service at all.

Michael Baum · Answer

We only have WiFi and Roku tv's everywhere.

Leora Merrell · Answer

I'm cancelling all cable at my properties that have WiFi. I'm going to streaming with your own apps only. It's a huge money saver. I've been asked once in almost 6 years over 7 properties if I get a certain channel so they could watch a football game. Other than that, I never, ever get comments on the cable and 100% of the time when I check on a property after check out, every single tv is on a streaming app. They're never on cable even though that is the default. Tells me it's not being used. Most major sports games require a streaming app nowadays anyway. It's time to move on from cable. I don't even have it at my own home. It's a waste of money.

Reid McCutcheon · Answer

We do Roku TV's. I kind of think that the younger generation doesn't really expect cable at all. Just internet to watch whichever streaming services they want. Over the course of the last three years, we've never been asked about cable TV. A couple times we've had inquiries about certain football, basketball, or baseball games. If you want to be extra safe, might sign up for ESPN+ and have it available for your guests. But with cable tv prices I don't even have cable myself, recently got rid of it when it went to over $300 a month, and that wasn't even with the sports package. I think cable TV will eventually price itself out of being relevant.

JD Martin · Answer

Wifi & Roku TVs on guest login, they stream their own subscriptions from wherever they are coming from. At the beginning I kept cable but over the last year did an informal survey (I asked the guests if they used it while they were there) and not a single guest used it while they stayed - they all streamed their own content. I dropped it over the winter, upgraded the internet to a faster fiberoptic, and have had zero complaints or inquiries. Originally I thought older people would be baffled by it but we've had a number of 70+ people stay without any issue whatsoever.

We advertise this fact right on the front end. I don't look at it as cutting corners, I look at it as not wasting money on a service absolutely no one is using. I should note that a fair number of our guests spend most of the day out doing parks & tourist things, and rarely hang around the house, so that could make a difference if people tend to stay in and look for entertainment. I think you just have to know what your own market will support.

PS: Even with the streaming options, sometimes the TVs don't even get turned on for months at a time. I found this out by accident a few months ago. I stayed at my property back in May of last year for about a week while I was getting some work done. Apparently I forgot to log one of the TVs out of my owner's account, so all of my own personal streaming options were available in that particular bedroom for anyone to use. No one used that TV until December, and the only reason I know is because in December suddenly on all my streams weird things started popping up in "recently watched". So not a single guest used my streams in that particular bedroom from May until December when finally one guest did.

Andrew Steffens · Answer

We let our owners make their decision and there is a mix.  What I recommend for cheaper accommodations is Wifi and smart TV only, mid and higher end properties with Smart TV and basic cable.  Spectrum has a cool package where you get basic cable bundled in and you just set it up through an app on Roku (or Fire etc) and it streams, no more cable boxes.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

I have/had internet service and a streaming service. I ended up liking Fubo because they have a lot of sports options. Along with all of the standard programming ot course...I tried a few of the other services and found them lacking.

Ken Boone · Answer

I do the same thing John does. We have projectors in theater rooms and pool rooms and guests have asked on a few occasions if they will have access to watch certain sports games on TV before booking so we provide Xfinity with local channels. You only need to pay for one TV hookup with Xfinity (and it doesn't even have to be connected) in order to stream their Xfinity channel on all your Roku TVs/devices.I also think having local channels is very helpful when we have emergency situations, we seem to get fires quite a bit in the Smokys and it's nice being able to tell guests, watch this channel for updates kind of thing.It has gotten much pricier over the years though to do this.

Account Closed · Answer

We offer cable or Directv Stream packages (unlimited number of TVs streaming at one location/IP address) depending on the location/cable availability.  I would recommend people look at their nightly price point and target audience.  If I paid $150 or more a night I expect not to have to log in to my own accounts, and I expect a reliable TV service provided (I actually hate logging into apps myself).  I would probably ding on value for not providing reasonable access to college football (all of my rentals are in SEC territory). Eight of my nine rentals fall into this nightly rate category year-round.  I do have guests who still want to use their Netflix/Hulu/Disney+ apps even when I offer the top-of-the-line DirecTV Stream packages.  Therefore, I have gone to using Firesticks on all of my DirecTV Stream setups with instructions on how to access everything (Roku guest mode will not work for what I want to accomplish).

Tyler Divin · Answer

We also do Roku TV's in guest mode with the exception of one property where we have a 100" 4K theatre room it has a Roku stick and a DVD player.  We have a cabinet with a decent selection of DVDs that includes Marvel stuff, Lord of the Rings, Disney movies, comedies, Die Hard, Predator, etc.  A good 1/3 rd or more of the DVDs are big/action/adventure movies you would want to watch on a big screen.  Guests seem to enjoy the surprise of finding a good movie they haven't seen in a while.  You can find good deals on variety packs of DVDs on eBay to build a small collection.

Is WIFI enough?

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