The days when guests appreciated a mere WiFi connection are long gone. Surveys from 2026 clearly show: a hotel's technological level influences its Booking.com rating just as much as room cleanliness or breakfast quality. Yet, most hotels in Prague still operate on technology from 2018.
What the data says about guest expectations
A 2025 study by Oracle Hospitality surveyed 5,000 hotel guests worldwide. The results are clear:
- 🔹 73% of guests would pay 10–15% more for a room with digital room service
- 🔹 68% of guests shares a negative review if the Wi-Fi does not work reliably
- 🔹 54% of guests Under 40s prefer digital check-in without waiting at reception.
- 🔹 81% of hotels With an interactive TV system, room service reports a 20-35% increase.
5 technologies every modern hotel must have in 2026
1. Interactive TV system with room service
The strongest trend of 2026. A guest in the room sees the restaurant's current menu, can order food directly via the TV, book a massage or read information about the hotel, all without needing to call reception. Reception can serve more guests, the kitchen receives structured orders, and the hotel earns more.
Practical example: The boutique Aria hotel in New York increased its room service revenue by 34 % within six months of implementing an interactive TV system. The average order value rose from 28 USD to 41 USD, guests find it easier to click on food photos than to remember the room service number.
2. Reliable, segmented WiFi
Basic requirement, yet a surprisingly large proportion of hotels still fail to meet it. Having "some kind of WiFi" is not enough. Guests expect:
- ✓ Speed of at least 50 Mbps per room for 4K streaming
- ✓ Login without complex passwords (captive portal)
- ✓ Coverage in every corner of the hotel, including lifts and the lobby
- ✓ Network segmentation for guests, staff and IoT devices
3. Digital check-in and check-out
Business travellers particularly dislike waiting at the reception desk after arrival. Digital check-in via app or kiosk reduces arrival time from an average of 8 minutes to less than one minute. Hotels that introduce this report a significant increase in ratings for the "reception" column on Booking.com.
4. PMS integration as the foundation for everything else
All the technologies mentioned above only function to their full potential when integrated with the hotel system (PMS). The TV system must know which guest is in the room, when their check-out is scheduled, and what tariff they have. Only then can it personalise, and personalisation sells.
5. Intelligent monitoring of IT infrastructure
Preventive care is cheaper than firefighting. Modern monitoring detects problems before a guest notices them: an overloaded access point, dropping internet speed, or a partial network outage. The IT team receives an alert at 6 am, not at 9 pm from an angry guest.
Where to start? A practical guide for a hotel in Prague
There is no need to do everything at once. Recommended procedure for a hotel with 20–80 rooms:
- Step 1: Audit: Map out the current situation. Where is the WiFi weak? How does the current TV system work? Which PMS do you use?
- Step 2: Connectivity: Fix the foundation. Without a reliable network, other technologies are worthless.
- Step 3: PMS integration: Connect existing systems so that guest data flows automatically.
- Step 4: Interactive TV: Install on a pilot floor (5-10 rooms), monitor metrics, then expand.
- Step 5: Monitoring and Support: Set up proactive monitoring so you discover issues before guests do.
Do you want to know exactly where your hotel is falling behind?
We offer a free IT audit for hotels in Prague 1. We will visit, review the network, TV system and PMS integration, and provide you with specific recommendations, without obligation.
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