Guests judge a hotel from the moment they walk in, and signage is part of that first impression. Good screens help guests find what they need, learn what is on offer and feel looked after, without adding queues at the front desk. This guide is for hotel operations managers, marketers and IT leads.
Where screens go
- Entrance and lobby. A welcome message, brand content and a few useful details, such as the weather and what is on today.
- Front desk and check-in area. Check-in times, key information and queue messages. A kiosk can handle simple tasks if you want a self-service option.
- Elevator lobbies and corridors. Directions to rooms, restaurants, spa and pool, shown at the points where guests choose a route.
- Restaurants, bars and cafes. Menu boards and daily specials. Keep these consistent with printed and online menus.
- Meeting and event spaces. Room-door screens with the event name, time and welcome, plus directional signs on the way.
- Pool, spa and leisure areas. Opening hours, class schedules and etiquette notes, in weather-resistant hardware where required.
- Back of house. Staff notices and schedules, kept apart from guest-facing screens.
What to show
Guests glance at screens as they pass, so keep each message short and useful.
- Welcome and arrival. A warm greeting and the next step, such as where to find reception.
- Today at the property. Dining hours, activities, spa times and live entertainment.
- Events. Weddings, conferences and meetings, with names, rooms and times. Check the details with the events team on the day.
- Local information. Weather, transport and nearby attractions. Live feeds keep this fresh, though they should be reviewed for suitability.
- Dining and offers. Menus, specials and promotions with clear dates.
- Wayfinding. Maps and directions that match the names on signs and room cards.
- Loyalty and brand. Program benefits and brand content, kept to a small share of the playlist.
- Safety information. Evacuation routes and notices, planned with your safety lead.
Wayfinding and concierge screens
Large properties and resorts confuse arriving guests. A wayfinding screen with a clear map and a simple list of destinations saves staff from answering the same questions again and again.
A digital concierge, whether a kiosk or a lobby screen, can point to local attractions, show dining options and offer a QR code to take information away. Plan it with your concierge team. Their knowledge is the real content, and the screen is a way to share it when they are busy. Make sure every listing stays current. A closed restaurant on a concierge screen annoys guests and creates work for staff.
Content and brand
Hospitality screens work best when they feel like part of the property, not a separate system.
- Use your brand colors, fonts and tone, and keep the style consistent from lobby to restaurant.
- Choose imagery that fits the space. A calm spa corridor and a busy bar need different looks.
- Use motion gently in public spaces. Slow transitions suit lobbies.
- Keep sound off unless you have a considered plan for it.
- Match content to time of day, with breakfast in the morning and evening offers later.
- Plan content for peak seasons and special dates in advance.
Practical considerations
- Brightness and glare. Lobbies with floor-to-ceiling glass need brighter displays, and interior corridors need less. Check at different hours.
- Viewing distance. Guests often view screens from a few meters away while moving. Use large text and short messages.
- Multiple languages. Decide which languages guests need, and test how they appear on screen.
- Accessibility. Use high contrast, readable type, captions on video and reachable touch screens. Offer staff help as a fallback.
- Privacy. Do not show guest names or room numbers on public screens unless your privacy lead has approved the approach. Plan welcome content with privacy rules in mind.
- Integration. If screens draw on booking, events or menu systems, agree how data flows and what happens if a feed fails.
- Network. Wired connections are best for key screens, and Wi-Fi in busy public areas can be less predictable. Place players where staff can reach them.
- Noise and light at night. Dim or switch off screens in areas near guest rooms overnight.
- Maintenance. Plan how and when work can be done without disturbing guests.
Keeping content accurate
An incorrect event room or an old special is easy to spot and hard to forgive.
- Name owners for events, dining and general content.
- Use templates for room-door screens so staff add details, not design.
- Set end dates on every promotion.
- Check screens each morning as part of the duty routine.
- Agree a quick path for last-minute changes, such as room swaps.
Common mistakes
- Showing the same welcome loop all year.
- Cramming too much text onto a lobby screen.
- Leaving old event names on room-door screens.
- Using a style that does not match the property.
- Placing screens near entrances without testing glare.
- Letting content drift out of line with printed and online menus.
- Not planning who maintains kiosks or concierge screens.
A planning checklist
- Which spaces do guests pass or pause in?
- Which screens are guest-facing and which are for staff?
- Who owns event, dining and general content?
- How will last-minute changes be made?
- Which languages and accessibility needs apply?
- How will screens be monitored and supported?
How ChannelSay helps
We supply displays, kiosks, media players and mounts for lobbies, restaurants and event spaces, and our team creates brand templates, motion graphics and live weather and news feeds that suit your property. Our managed services cover scheduling, remote monitoring and support. Read more on our hospitality page or contact us to plan your first screens.