Do you know that 60% of guests would pay more for a rental with a smart home feature? This clearly points out that a fresh set of towels and a comfy bed are no longer good enough amenities for Airbnb to attract guests and other Airbnb amenities are necessary for doing so.
So, it is time to keep up with the change of the amenities for Airbnb and Airbnb must haves. Let’s start with one of the highly desired smart home technologies, slightly ahead of smart locks on the list, Smart TVs and Smart TV apps as Airbnb essentials.
What is Smart TV and What is a Smart TV App?
A smart TV is basically a TV with an internet connection. What makes Smart TVs Airbnb essential is that the streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, which are known as the best Smart TV apps allow you and your guests to watch unlimited movies and TV shows. But then what is Smart TV app, right? Smart TV apps are usually free platforms which allows you to access various contents. Even if these apps are free to download, you still need a subscription to stream.
First, we’ll cover why you should consider Smart TVs as Airbnb must haves then, we’ll come to streaming services that you can run through your Smart TV with apps
When Did Smart TVs become an Airbnb Must Have?
You might be asking if having a Smart TV available for your guests is really necessary. In most situations, the benefits are clear and a smart TV is necessary. However if your Airbnb listing is on the lower end in terms of pricing or if your Airbnb rental has more of a rustic feel, a smart tv may not be mandatory. However, for many of the listings out there a smart TV can be seen as a huge asset. Read below to check out the reasons and benefits of adding a Smart TV with an app to the list of amenities for your Airbnb.
1. Airbnb Hosts Offer a Real Home Experience
Don’t forget that your guests choose to stay at your Airbnb listing over a hotel. This means they are looking for a more homey experience and you can easily do this with the specific amenities for Airbnb. When you have short term guest, having access to a Smart TV just like at their own home serves as the easiest way to pass on that ‘home sweet home’ feeling.
On the other hand, if your guests mostly stay long term, there is nothing better than giving them the opportunity of not missing the new episodes of their favorite shows during their stay.
2. Take Advantage of a Competitive Market
Considering that not all hotels or Airbnbs offer Smart TVs, having a Smart TV with apps can greatly distinguish your place and make it your selling point. Given listings at the same price, many guests will opt to choose the room that has the smart TV.
3. Cater to Business, Leisure, and Staycation Travel
Travel or business are not the only reasons for Airbnb rentals these days. You might also come across with small friend groups looking for a space for themselves for a staycation where they spend a day or two for just spending time together, maybe for binge-watching their all-time favorite movies or TV shows.
Here is another clientele that you can only reach if your amenities for Airbnb include Smart TV with apps.
4. Consider Families with Kids
When it comes to families with kids, you cannot even imagine how thankful you’ll make the parents for allowing them to put on a cartoon for the kids. Even if almost all kids own their tablets these days, nothing is more attractive than a bigger screen.
5. Make your Airbnb Guests Happy
Of course, there will be guests who might not be interested in watching TV. However, as an Airbnb host, the last thing you would want not being able to answer your guests’ needs and cause disappointment. And this is only possible to equipped your house with the up to date Airbnb amenities.
Knowing that almost everyone expects to watch whatever and whenever they want, it is better to be ready to cater accordingly. Considering your guests’ changing TV watching habits, it is hard to disagree that Smart TV with apps and a subscription plans is amongst Airbnb must haves.
Best Smart TV Apps and Streaming Services for Your Airbnb
Now we are settled that streaming services are an essential part of having Smart TV in your Airbnb, which one is the best for you?
All streaming services have different subscription plans according to the number of screens you can use, quality of the video, and various types of TV shows and movies in their libraries. Here we are going to help you to make the best decision for your needs!
Netflix: An Option for All Airbnbs
Netflix is the most favorite streaming service globally, with more than 195 million subscribers, and it is one of the best Smart TV apps to have. It offers three different subscription plans, and all of them let you watch unlimited movies, TV shows in the Netflix library on any device you have.
A wide range of shows and its original content make Netflix more desirable than other platforms, so it might be a good option if you wish to buy a service that appeals to everyone.
However, Netflix subscription plans differentiate when it comes to video quality and, most importantly, the number of screens that you can stream on simultaneously. Netflix subscription starts from $8.99 a month for SD quality streaming on a single screen. This will be a good option for you if you are buying the service specifically for your guests’ use and not considering using it yourself at the same time.
On the other hand, if you want to use the service on multiple screens simultaneously, you need to go for the standard plan to stream on two screens for $13.99. The standard plan also offers HD video quality to its users. Another option is the premium plan to maximize your screen use up to four screens at once with Ultra HD quality for $17.99 monthly.
If you choose to go with Netflix, you can also enjoy downloadable content that you can access at any time on any device without an internet connection.
Hulu: Great Airbnb Option
Hulu is known for offering the most current TV program apart from the hit movies and exclusive series. Depending on the subscription plan and your location, you can even watch Live TV via Hulu.
Hulu subscription plans work slightly different from Netflix’s, so let’s dig into what Hulu’s subscription plans offer the viewers.
The most popular and economical subscription plan Hulu has is called just Hulu, and it comes with full access to all the exclusive series’ movies and shows in the Hulu Streaming Library. What makes this plan popular is its price of $5.99 a month instead of $11.99 for Hulu (No ads). As the name suggests, Hulu (No ads) offers ad-free streaming; however, you should be aware that some shows are not included with the Hulu (No ads) plan.
Hulu + Live TV is the plan which allows you to stream more than 65 channels of Live TV and on-demand TV. Subscribing Hulu + Live TV costs you $64.99/month with ads; if you want to go with the ad-free option, that would be 70.99/month. However, there are some specifications that you need to follow if you are thinking of subscribing to live TV, starting the regional availability and the device restrictions.
Even if Hulu’s subscription plans sound a bit complicated, as opposed to Netflix, you can get a free trial on its most subscribing plan Hulu to see if it is for you.
Amazon Prime Video: Airbnb Hosts Proceed with Caution
Using Amazon Prime Video for your Airbnb might be enticing if you are already an Amazon Prime member, as it is a free add-on for the members. If not, it is just $8.99 per month to subscribe to the video service alone.
Needless to say, Amazon Prime Video is pretty good when it comes to classic movies, and its original series are not to be missed. However, if you consider offering your Airbnb guest Amazon Prime Video at your Airbnb, you should be very careful.
Even if it comes with various TV shows and movies, Amazon Prime Video also allows users to make video purchases. For many TVs, you have to enter your 5-digit security code to purchase anything on Amazon Prime Video. This provides a huge safety feature to keep unwanted purchases away.
For streaming through Amazon Prime Video, your guests either need to use your Amazon Prime account or log in with their own. If you are logged in with your account, you have to make sure that none of your information, including photos, is accessible. On the other hand, if your guest needs to log in to their accounts to use it, then logging out your guests’ account should be on the top of your to-do list after the checkout to ensure that the next guests won’t have access.
So, no matter but you have to be extremely careful if you are using a streaming service integrated part of a bigger platform that you are already using.
Smart TVs with an Amazon Interface
These days many new Smart TVs utilize an Amazon interface. What this means is that Amazon is the platform used to access all apps. Think of Amazon in this case being similar to an Android or Iphone. Since Amazon controls all app access, you must be logged into your account for guests to access any of the apps available. For this scenario, you will not be able to control your guests’ access. All personal information and photos will be accessible. Additionally, you will not have the protection of the 5-digit code. Guests will be able to make all sorts of purchases with the click of a single button so beware of providing Amazon access to your Airbnb guests.
YouTube TV: A Great Alternative for a Traditional Cable TV
YouTube TV is one the most fabulous alternatives for someone who wants to get rid of their cable TV subscription and try something new.
It is better to point out that YouTube TV is entirely different from YouTube, the free video service we all know. YouTube TV subscription plan costs $64.99 a month, and it allows the users to access over 85 live TV channels depending on the area they live in and various TV shows and movies from the YouTube TV library.
If you are considering getting a Youtube TV subscription as an alternative to your cable TV, it might be an excellent choice for you. However, apart from the Live TV access, it is hard to consider YouTube TV as a strong competitor considering the on-demand content it offers. Even if the YouTube subscription plan brings you original YouTube TV content, we have to say that they haven’t gathered that much attention from the viewers yet.
On the bright side, you can try YouTube TV subscription for free for a month to decide if it is for you.
Main Takeaways
You now must be convinced that it is time to upgrade the amenities for Airbnb and prioritize to have Airbnb must haves. Your Airbnb highly benefits from a Smart TV with apps and access to the best streaming service for you and your guests. We hope that our review of Netflix subscription plans, Hulu subscription plans, Amazon Prime Video subscription and Youtube TV subscription guide you in your quest of upgrading your amenities for your Airbnb and ensure the best experience for your guests.
Here is a little checklist for you to keep in mind while searching for the best streaming service for you and your guests!
- Check the list of programs, TV shows, movies, and kid shows in the streaming service’s library.
- Ask yourself if you want to watch TV simultaneously on different screens, especially when you have guests. If so, how many screens you need to use at once?
- Is being able to download the shows and watch them offline a must for you or just nice to have?
- Do you need your streaming service to offer Live TV?