TV or not TV?

[Jill-And-Scotty0]

Hi Hosts,

Started hosting in January and everything is going very well so far...we just had a guest that is traveling for business suggest we add a TV to each of our listings.

We already have a 55” TV in a common living area that is available for our guests.  But he felt that it would also be nice to have a small tv in each of our rooms for guests.

I personally am NOT a big TV person.  I NEVER watch tv or even turn one on if I am on vacation...and in this techy day and age I honestly found more people watch things on their phones, laptops, and tablets.

What are your thoughts?  TV or Not TV?  That is the question...

🙂 Jill 

Louisville, KY

[Rebecca181]

@Jill-And-Scotty0 Not sure how your listing(s) are configured. Are there shared walls? Could one guest's TV sound disturb another guest in a nearby room?

[Jill-And-Scotty0]

Hey Rebecca!

No...no issue there...there is a bathroom in between rooms.

Thanks 

[Jill-And-Scotty0]

I guess I am just wondering if that is a common practice amongst hosts to HAVE TV’s in their bedrooms of their listings...just seems like that is very “hotel-ish”...we always use Airbnb when we ourselves travel and I don’t recall that many TV’s in any of the bedrooms we stay in...how many hosts out there have TV’s in their bedrooms of their listings??  Can we take a poll??

[Dee33]

I have TVs in all 3 of my rooms. Younger guests tend not use them, in favor of laptops, but for other guests it's really an essential that, if missing, is really noticed. This is especially true for news & sports junkies.

[Michael956]

I am also not a TV person, and I decided "no TVs" in  the 2 (soon to be 3) bedrooms I rent on Airbnb or even in the common areas.  First of all, I don't want the type of guest who would come to San Francisco, a city so full of things to do and see, and sit around watching TV.  Secondly, TVs are just too much of a source of additional noise that might bother other guests. And finally, I don't need or want the additional cost of cable.  I have good wi-fi and lots of books and magazines in the house, and I've never had a guest ask for TV.  There is not a single TV in my house--not even in my own bedroom--and I like it that way.  

[Willow3]

I'm not personally a TV person, and I haven't had cable in over 6 years.  But I DO have a TV in my guest room, with a ROKU for streaming.  My guests use and enjoy it.  

[Jill-And-Scotty0]

Thank you, Michael!  I so couldn’t agree with you more!!  🙂

[Jill-And-Scotty0]

Hey Willow...thank you for posting...any issue with noise?

[David126]

You should be able to gauge TV usage from how often the one you have is watched. I am looking to add rooms and have wired them for TV but seems that hardly any of my guests want to watch it, wifi yes.

[Willow3]

@Jill-And-Scotty0 - only once when my guests were hard of hearing. 

[Jill-And-Scotty0]

So true, David!  No one has YET to use the big tv in the common area!  I guess I will keep an eye and ear open and see if this request comes up again...and monitor the usage of the common area TV.  Thank you so much for your input 🙂

[Dee33]

I disagree that the common TV is a good indicator. People like to watch the late shows in bed. 

[Willow3]

I'm with Dee... TV viewing options are so personal - my own family is evenly split between sports and true crime documentaries - that I personally wouldn't put on my choice, in a common space. I would just not watch anything.  Especially on a 55" screen... no one else could escape it.  

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Jill-And-Scotty0

I don't have a TV in my home....Henry and I both prefer to be on our respective laptops and we have limitless high speed wifi in our home. Most of our guests are exchange students and also have laptops so for us not having a TV hasn't been a problem, and everyone comments on how fast the internet connection is!

But truth be told, my parents never stay long at my house because I don't have a TV 🙂 I think it really depends on the type of guests you usually get.