HBO Checks In With Marriott Deal

HBO said it has struck a deal to provide complimentary access to HBO GO, the premium programmer’s authenticated streaming service, to guests staying at select Marriott properties in the U.S.

Starting this month, guests in supported hotels will be able to access HBO GO on in-room connected TVs without having to log in with user names and passwords. HBO said the app will initially be made available to more than 1,500 Marriott properties and about 575,000 rooms, and a more than 3,500 properties over the next several months.

Complementary access to HBO in hotels has been a long-time perk in the hospitality industry, while also giving HBO exposure to non-subscribers. This new offering tied to HBO GO will got a step further by also delivering on-demand streaming access to HBO-licensed movies and its mix of original series, such as Game of Thrones, Westworld and Silicon Valley.

HBO said the Marriott agreement is the first for this particular offering, but added that its distribution team is working across the lodging industry to evolve in-room entertainment experiences with digital offerings such as HBO GO.

The HBO-Marriott pact is one of several announcements being made Monday amid The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference, taking place this week in Houston.

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“Travelers today expect personalized experiences right down to guest room entertainment, being able to watch their favorite shows when they want to even on the road,” Scott Hansen, senior director of guest technology for Marriott International, said in a statement. “The addition of HBO GO demonstrates our ongoing commitment in expanding entertainment options while enhancing our guests’ travel experience.”