Hilton continues to enhance its Connected Room offerings. The company's latest addition is an integration with iHeartRadio that allow guests to stream live radio stations, thousands of music playlists and podcasts directly from their TVs through Hilton’s high-tech Connected Room guest technology platform. Hilton first introduced its Connected Room in late 2017. The high-tech platform allows guests to control their room’s thermostat, lighting, blinds, television, and other amenities with mobile phones or the TV remote.
With iHeartRadio, guests who stay in Hilton Connected Rooms will be able to play exclusive audio content and have instant access to thousands of live radio stations from across the country, customized music stations based on their favorite artists and top podcasts. Travelers can use either their Hilton Honors app or the in-room remote to access the content on their guestroom TV.
“We heard our guests loud and clear when they said they wanted the ability to stream music in their guestrooms, so we’re excited to bring this to life in collaboration with iHeartRadio,” Noelle Eder, Hilton's EVP/CIO/chief digital officer, said in a statement. “This addition to Connected Room is just another way we’re making travelers feel at home by giving them access to their favorite content and enjoying custom, curated playlists for any occasion or mood.”
As a special benefit to Hilton guests, iHeartRadio is free and no signup is required. Guests need only to open the app on their TV and press play.
“We are excited to join forces with Hilton, a leader in the hospitality industry, to provide a superior music experience for travelers,” said Michele Laven, president of strategic partnerships for iHeartMedia. “We look forward to helping enhance the guest’s stay by giving them the companionship of our live radio stations as well as quick and easy access to iHeartRadio’s massive catalog of music playlists, podcasts and more.”
iHeartRadio joins Netflix and Showtime in Hilton’s Connected Room technology, which also allows guests to access on-demand content and also control the temperature, lights and TV from their mobile device or in-room remote.
Earlier this year, Hilton and Netflix teamed up to allow guests to stream their favorite Netflix series, movies and more on in-room televisions in the Connected Rooms. The collaboration enables guests staying in Connected Rooms to access their Netflix account by entering their credentials either with the remote control or the keyboard on the Hilton Honors app.
The first Connected Room partnership was with Showtime back in 2018. The deal marked the first collaboration of its kind between a major hotel company and a premium entertainment provider, the hotel brand said. Hilton guests in Connected Room-equipped hotels receive complimentary access to Showtime service completely on demand, without requiring credentials or a subscription, via an application specially developed for the Connected Rooms.
Hilton has more than 3,500 Connected Rooms across 15 hotels and plans to roll out the technology to the majority of its portfolio of nearly 5,900 hotels over the coming years.
Both AccorHotels and Marriott also are investing in the smart guestroom concept. AccorHotels debuted a new smart room concept in 2018 that is designed to improve guestroom accessibility. Marriott created a guestroom prototype lab that allows guests to control everything from the temperature of the shower to the color of the light with the sound of their voice.