Split-Flap Boards for Hotel Lobbies and Front Desks
October 12, 2026 · Captain
A split-flap board in a hotel lobby brings back the arrivals-board feeling that travelers love: a warm welcome, the day’s events, the weather, and the next departures, all flipping into place with the classic sound. It runs on a screen you already have, updated from the front desk, from €19.99/month. Here is how hotels put it to work.
Why the arrivals-board feeling fits a lobby
A hotel lobby sells anticipation. A split-flap board is the exact object that says “you have arrived somewhere,” because it is the sound and motion of travel itself. It does something a static screen never manages: it draws the eye every time it moves, and it feels considered rather than corporate. That is why the hotels and hospitality venues using Split-Flap TV put one where guests first walk in.
What to put on it
A lobby board earns its place by being useful, not just handsome.
- A welcome. Flip a greeting for an arriving group, a wedding party, or a conference. A named welcome is the kind of touch guests photograph.
- The day’s events. Meetings, the restaurant’s hours, the spa’s last booking, a wine tasting at six.
- Weather and departures. Today’s forecast and the next trains or flights, pulled in live so the front desk never updates them by hand.
- Wayfinding. Which room is where, which floor for the pool.
Boards that update themselves
The front desk is busy, so the best lobby board mostly runs itself.
- Live weather and news flip in on their own through news and weather feeds.
- The day’s schedule can be set to change through the day with dayparting: a breakfast board in the morning, events by afternoon, a good-night message at eleven.
- A quick manual flip from a phone or the desk computer handles the one-off welcome for an arriving group.
More than one screen, one account
Hotels rarely have just one spot for a board. A welcome in the lobby, a schedule outside the meeting rooms, a departures board by the door for guests heading to the airport. One account runs all of them, each with its own content, so the front-of-house team is not juggling systems.
What it takes
- A screen you already own, in the lobby or by the desk.
- A cheap streaming stick, or a smart TV that runs apps.
- The app, and a phone or the desk computer to change it.
You can be live the same afternoon. The getting started guide has the steps, and the hotels and hospitality page shows more examples.
FAQ
What can a hotel put on a split-flap lobby board? A guest welcome, the day’s events, weather, departures and wayfinding. It flips each line into place with the classic sound, and much of it can update on its own.
Can it show live weather and departures? Yes. Weather, news and similar feeds flip in automatically, so the front desk does not update them by hand.
Can we welcome an arriving group by name? Yes. You flip a named welcome from a phone or the desk computer, which is a small touch arriving guests tend to notice and photograph.
Do we need special hardware? No. It runs on a screen you already own plus a cheap streaming stick, or a smart TV that runs apps.
How much does a hotel lobby board cost? From €19.99/month per screen, with a free trial and no card. Many hotels run several screens from one account. See pricing.
Give your lobby the arrivals-board welcome. Start a free trial or see how hotels use Split-Flap TV.