For decades, hotel TVs have been often considered a universal travel stress point. From patience-testing interfaces, locked HDMI ports, and clunky remotes that force you to spell out passwords one letter at a time, trying to relax with your favorite show ended up being a notoriously frustrating task. 

Seamless smart TV capabilities have become a top “need-to-have” amenity for 40% of hotel guests, nearly doubling in recent years, according to a JD Power study. As many as 60% of surveyed guests confirmed commonly using smart TV during their stay. 

Despite the importance for guests, TVs in hotel rooms remain a frequent source of frustration for guests, who often complain about network buffering, streaming issues, and login security anxieties. 

Now, the luxury hotel giant, Marriott, has made a major move in an effort to enhance its in-room entertainment experience and provide its guests with a hotel display that works as close to the screen in their living room as possible. 

Marriott enhances its hotel room TV experience

Marriott announced a major change for guests’ entertainment experiences through a new partnership with a tech leader, LG Electronics. The luxury hotel chain is launching a new cloud-based platform that replaces traditional cable setups with a modern, connected display. 

Instead of flipping through limited channels or struggling to connect personal devices, guests will have access to a single screen packed with viewing options, according to the press release. 

New Marriott/LG TV interface will include: 

• More than 40 popular streaming applications, including linear TV and FAST channels. 
• Over 250 free channels. 
• Hotel details. 
• Options to adjust room settings directly on the screen. 

“A prime goal is to make the TV part of a connected guest room experience rather than a standalone device,” stated John Won, LG Electronics senior vice president. 

Marriott’s new guest room technology platform details 

The new platform will not roll out across all hotels nationwide or globally, instead, travelers will first be able to enjoy these upgraded displays in a 40-hotel pilot program across the U.S. and Canada. 

Marriott is planning an eventual global rollout across participating properties. 

“Our collaboration with LG reflects Marriott’s commitment to building technology that elevates the guest experience across our portfolio,” said Drew Pinto, Marriott International executive vice president. 

In addition to improving the guest TV experience across its prestige hotel rooms, Marriott also aims to improve the operational side of the business through this technology. 

The new cloud system allows hotel employees to monitor device performance and make necessary updates remotely. 

“By combining LG’s connected-device capabilities with Marriott’s hospitality expertise and enterprise platform, we are creating a more seamless, personalized guest room experience while helping hotel teams operate more efficiently,” 

Marriott and LG are looking into expanding similar connected technology into public spaces like hotel lobbies. 

Marriott guests TV experience and how to bypass certain issues 

Marriott’s official support documentation acknowledges the inconsistency of in-room entertainment features across its global property portfolio and outlines property-by-property app limitations.

TheStreet’s review of Marriott guests’ comments on platforms like FlyerTalk and Reddit reveals a number of guests have been frustrated with the TV experience in their rooms. 

Reddit users commonly complain about laggy interfaces and remotes, inconsistent casting and apps, annoying promotional content and system outages. 

Travelers who shared their thoughts on FlyerTalk, frequently expressed frustration over disabled or modified HDMI ports on in-room TVs. Guests complain that full-service Marriott properties often have locked TV inputs preventing them from plugging in laptops, gaming consoles like Xbox or streaming sticks. 

While some hotels offer connectivity “jack packs” on the desks, guests report these are frequently broken or completely useless.

Frequent Miler even has a post on how to use TV streaming devices at Marriott properties suggesting guests try plugging the streaming device into the HDMI port on the modem module attached to the back of the TV rather than the television’s main HDMI slot. If the inputs remain blocked, enter default PINs like 0000 or 1234 in the TV’s system settings to unlock the input menu. 

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What this tech upgrades means for Marriott and its guests 

Despite some guests complaining about TV in-room experience, when it comes to the highest ranking in overall guest satisfaction in the luxury segment, Marriott’s The Ritz-Carlton takes the top spot in the 2025 J.D. Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index study (NAGSI). 

However, neither brand can keep ranking the highest if it doesn’t adapt to changing customer needs, and outdated TVs that lack streaming can contribute to lower guest satisfaction scores, according to industry data. 

“We’re at an important inflection point in the travel marketplace where several years of record-high hotel demand and the pace of room rate increases is starting to slow,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at JD Power. 

Stokes added that while guest room décor and furnishings, and bathroom upgrades are frequently paying off in higher satisfaction ratings, one area that can “significantly influence guest satisfaction without massive capital expense is with technology like smart TVs and updated room temperature controls.”

She concluded that travel is growing more complex with the frequent flight delays or dense road traffic making guests more demanding, expecting that hotels will provide the “comforts of home.” 

Marriott’s latest move suggests that is exactly what the giant is trying to achieve. 

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