Arcade/NS Systems in STR/MTR. Good or bad?

Question

What's this group thought on installing an arcade / Retro gaming (Sega/NS) systems in STRs/MTRs? I include crossword puzzles and board games with my beach house STR/MTR. Figured I'd see what others do!

Cliff H. · Answer

Hey @Andrew Bosco hello from a few miles south. I bought one of these systems a few months back from my STRs and as@Mason Weiss correctly points out, they're fragile and you have to put yourself in the shoes of the average 7yo when anticipating usage. I haven't found them to be much of a draw versus showcasing a property's board game collection since it's the parents booking the place not the kids. Agreed with others' points that there could be a dedicated game room opportunity where a stand-up system would fit right in, I just haven't seen it add much value outside of that niche.

Miguel Del Mazo · Answer

My wife is the design expert in our relationship, and she gave me the advice, "any thing that is there will be expected to work perfectly, so don't put in anything you aren't willing to go up and fix".  I was all set to put in a computer workstation with a scanner/printer in one of our larger MTRs, but she wisely talked me out of it. "If it's not there, no one will notice the lack. If it is there and there isn't printer paper, then we are bad hosts. No one is booking based on the expectation of a printer".

My wife is not just beautiful and kind and funny; she is also amazing.

Bonnie Low · Answer

This is going to be an unpopular opinion but I'm going to go ahead and share it anyway because I can't be the only one. I personallly loathe arcades and heavily "themed" properties that look like you're staying in an amusement park or movie studio. But that is just 100% personal opinion. As a business person, I realize that there are markets where this works really well and, in some cases, is necessary in order to be competitive. I just don't want to be in those markets. In most cases I don't think it will hurt you in an STR and may even help. However, in the midterm space, I don't really see a need or draw. When I think about all the different guest types in the MTR space, it doesn't seem like a great fit. If you're talking about traveling medical professionals - they work long hours and really just use your property for sleeping and eating (maybe). If you go with a larger property to handle families relocating or even insurance placements, those guests will bring their own gaming systems with them if they have them or want them. Would a retro game be fun or cool for the kids? Probably. Is it going to make or break you? I don't think so. It's always nice to add some fun amenities but unless you're talking about an STR I wouldn't personally invest in video games because I don't think it moves the needle. But that's just my opinion. I'm sure others feel differently.

Zachary Deal · Answer

I think it has to match the property and agree with @Allen Duan that I don't think it would be much of a value add for MTRs. I recently stayed at an STR that had a full game room (pool, ping pong, arcade, etc that was done really well and matched the vibe of the city/property.

Nicole Heasley Beitenman · Answer

Who is your target market? Is it families or traveling professionals? If it's families, those types of amenities are great. If it's traveling professionals, I don't think you'll see the demand.

Allen Duan · Answer

I think these will have a much bigger impact for STRs where travelers are there for leisure than for MTRs. It doesn't hurt for MTRs, but I don't think it MTR tenants would chose a property because it has it.

Karl B. · Answer

Buy a used 1UP arcade machine for $150-$200 on Facebook marketplace.

I bought one years ago and it has roughly a dozen games on there (Contra, Blades of Steel, Castlevania and some others).

You don't have to worry about anyone stealing any of the games as you would with a console system and it will keep the kids both busy and happy.

Mason Weiss · Answer

I like it if you come across one of these systems cheaply or even for free. I know from personal use that they break easily and frequently. Might not be worth the up front cash when it will see heavy wear and tear.

Arcade/NS Systems in STR/MTR. Good or bad?

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