PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, has announced that 225 of its range of Google Cast and Netflix ready Philips MediaSuite TVs have been installed in the luxury guestrooms at the prestigious five star Grove Hotel in the UK.
A short distance from Central London and synonymous with the rich and famous – with Tom Cruise, the Beckhams, Hugh Grant, and Kylie Minogue among well-known guests in recent years – The Grove Hotel felt its existing TV setup had become outdated and was falling short of guest expectations.
Part of an extensive upgrade, The Grove Hotel – owned by the Ralph Trustees hospitality group – sought a new TV solution with casting capabilities, embedded streaming and gaming apps, plus the ability to deliver personalised content.
The Grove Hotel at first installed 189 Philips MediaSuite TVs in the guest rooms in The Grove Hotel’s contemporary West Wing. Following positive feedback, the project was quickly extended to include an additional 36 Philips MediaSuite TVs (43”-54”) in the 13 rooms and 12 suites in The Grove’s Grade II listed Mansion House.
Philip Hallam, group IT technical manager, Ralph Trustees, commented: “I have been continually reviewing the guest experience over the last 20 years or so. In particular, what I have been looking for is a product that can provide seamless streaming services and experiences to our guests. Five years ago, when I began this journey, I wasn’t able to find anything that matched our requirements or our ambitions. That was, until I found Philips MediaSuite.”
Launched in 2019, the Philips MediaSuite TVs enable guests staying at The Grove Hotel to cast content from their preferred accounts, including Disney+, Prime, YouTube, directly onto the TV using their own personal connected device. Guests at The Grove Hotel also have access to a multitude of apps via the Google Play store, with games, news, travel, weather, and information on local attractions among those available through the TV.
Philips MediaSuite TVs can also receive regular software updates, adding the latest apps, services, and features. PPDS says this allows the TVs to improve with age, reducing unnecessary hardware upgrades and electronic waste.
Each TV can now be configured to meet the requirements of each guest. This includes supporting different languages, adding on-screen messages (such as a personalised welcome or congratulations on special occasions), or specific services, such as games and channels suitable for guests with children, or health-related apps, such as Peloton and iFit.
Kendra Ingram, professional TV business manager at PPDS added: “The feature we’re finding both hoteliers and their guests enjoy around the world on Philips MediaSuite is Google Cast. It’s a fully certified Google product, allowing guests to come in with their phones and cast the content they really want to watch. It’s fast and incredibly simple. And the benefits of Philips MediaSuite extend much further, with an amazing choice of entertainment options to cover almost every preference a guest might have. We’re incredibly proud to have played such an important role in the experience at The Grove – one of the UK’s most luxurious hotels.”
