“For reception, key 9”. Most hotel rooms have this phrase somewhere on a card or sticker. But how often does a hotel guest still use that line? Is the telephone in the room being used at all? After all, we are devoted to our smartphone and voice control is on the rise. So… does that room telephone still have a future or can it be thrown in the trash?

Our observations

Hotel guests almost only use the room telephone for a question or request at the reception. For several years now, they have been using their own telephone for outside calls. If they already call, because an app via the hotel WiFi is the way to keep in touch with all those who stay at home.

Advantages and disadvantages of the hotel room telephone

Advantages and disadvantages of the hotel room telephone

Nowadays, the room telephone is mainly a revenue generator for hotels, because it allows guests to order additional services. That quickly yields an average hotel of € 20 per room service order. We don’t even count other services. The costs involved are nowadays limited to a few tens per month thanks to VoIP.

What do the trends say?

Sometimes different rules apply abroad. There, the use of a fixed land line may be legally required. Baby boomers also often want to use that familiar room telephone. Yet more than 80% of baby boomers have a smartphone.

Vision Guest Compass

In our opinion, it depends on your location and the age and habits of your guests whether the hotel room telephone will reach your hotel by 2025. But within the EU and for the majority of hotel guests, the room phone will soon become an antique accessory (if they don’t find it already). They prefer to use their own smartphone to order their extras! Stories from the last century of the hotel guest who called the reception at 19:00 for an Escort. So we will have to miss out on the hotel manager calling all the Ford garages in the area.

”Will the hotel room telephone still exist in 2025”.

What does our panel say?

More than two thirds of hotel guests indicate that they do not need a room telephone. This is a lot more than a few early adapters. Still, almost a quarter want to keep the phone. That actually requires further research: why do they want that? Is that room phone really indispensable? Is the preference age related?

Our panel of hotel professionals shows a small majority that wants to do away with the hotel room telephone. Still, a significant proportion are apparently hesitant to take this step. They can of course offer their guests an alternative or investigate their preference in their hotel.

The hotel room telephone makes way for technology such as: chat, whatsapp, web app, hotel TV, hotel app or speech something else. If it may not be in 2025, it won’t be much longer. The convenience of the guest is paramount and from hotel management, alternatives also offer more opportunities for an optimal guest experience at lower costs and effort.

* More about our panel

Together with a panel of seven different hotel experts, we explore the hotel amenities of the future. In addition, we asked 482 hotel guests in the Netherlands and Belgium for their opinion about these facilities.