A few months ago, we published the blog post Technology Advances for Your Home. We continue to see questions about technology, Smart TVs, etc. on our Facebook Community Group (which, if you don’t follow, please consider – it is a community of vacation rental homeowners on the Cape and Islands). So, as technology seems to advance every fifteen seconds, we felt another blog post may be helpful. In addition to what we suggested previously, we’ll offer a few other recommendations based on what we hear from our vacationers.
Bring your TV’s up to this Century
First off, if you haven’t taken the leap to convert all of your TVs to flatscreen TV, this is the time. Between the higher quality and the now more affordable price, vacationers will be delighted with updated technology. Flat screens are really the expectation now, and vacationers may be disappointed if offered a box TV.
Providing Smart Devices in Your Home
Consider adding a Smart Speaker such as an Amazon Echo Dot or a Google Nest to your rental. This is a convenient way for vacationers to play music, check the weather, answer a trivia question, or learn how to steam a lobster. These can be purchased for about $50 and plug into any outlet. “Hey Alexa, Play Old Cape Cod by Patti Page!”
Smart TV’s vs. Cable
Now for the more complicated debate and conversation. Should we cut the cord to cable TV? If your rental house offers a streaming device or Smart TVs, then we believe vacationers will be satisfied and not miss Comcast. The three components necessary to abandon cable are:
- strong Wi-Fi providing at least 50 Mbps speed for 2-3 TVs. Here’s how to check this – Xfinity Device and Plan Speed
- A Streaming Device – such as a Roku or Fire Stick or Xbox – this connects the internet to the TV. If you have a Smart TV, not needed.
- Streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
Want to learn more?
These were the three articles we found helpful when writing this blog. (We consider ourselves vacation rental experts, not technology experts!):
How to Ditch Cable
Cord cutting: A beginner’s guide
What is a Smart TV?
Your Guests Need to Know
Whether you decide to offer these technology amenities or not, we encourage you to inform your guests prior to their arrival of your TV and music capabilities and offerings so they have accurate expectations.
