In luxury hospitality, in-room technology is expected to deliver modern convenience without compromising design. For high-end hotels and resorts, television concealment systems have become one way to balance functionality with aesthetics, particularly in premium suites where space, views and visual harmony are central to the guest experience.
Motorized TV concealment systems allow screens to disappear when not in use and reappear on demand. These systems are most often found in penthouses, presidential suites and other top-tier accommodations rather than standard guestrooms, largely due to cost and customization requirements.
Valencia, CA-based Auton Motorized Systems has been designing and manufacturing custom audio-visual concealment systems since 1978. According to James Famigletti, Auton’s senior design account manager and sales engineer, the company’s origins trace back to motorized drapery systems created for entertainers and high-profile clients.
“They asked, ‘What else can you do?’ and that sparked the whole industry,” he said.
Famigletti noted the appeal of concealed TVs in hotels often starts with guest reaction. “It’s a wow factor,” he said. “You reveal the TV and people say, ‘I didn’t even know that was there.’”
That reaction can become part of how guests remember their stay. Famigletti said he has encountered travelers who recalled hotels where televisions disappeared or emerged from unexpected places, only to later learn Auton supplied the systems.
Beyond novelty, hotels also consider security and durability. He said many hotel clients ask for modifications that help prevent theft and protect equipment from damage.
“A lot of our builds are designed to protect the TV from normal wear and tear and keep it secure,” Famigletti said.
Design considerations also play a significant role. While modern flat-screen televisions are slimmer than older tube models, they can still interrupt a room’s visual flow. Concealment systems allow designers to remove the screen from sight until it is needed.
“One of our big products is the TV that slides out from under the bed,” Famigletti said. “We get a lot of requests for those in hotels.”
In these systems, the television begins flat beneath the bed, slides toward the foot, rotates upright and then extends vertically. He noted under-bed lifts have become popular because “they’re very easy to install, very secure and keep everything out of the way without having to do any demo or renovation work.”
Other concealment options include televisions hidden behind artwork or mirrors. An older system still in use, known as an Inviso Track, allows a painting to move along a rail system to reveal a recessed TV.
Art Walker, Auton Motorized Systems’ CEO, said concealment helps preserve a room’s design intent, especially in suites with prominent views.
“AV concealment systems eliminate the unsightly black rectangles that disrupt well-appointed spaces by making TVs disappear when not in use,” he said. “This is essential when a TV’s positioning obstructs or distracts from ‘million-dollar’ views of outdoor landscapes such as a city skyline, beach or lake.”
Since 1978, Auton has provided custom systems for luxury hotels, including MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Bellagio Las Vegas.
In many hotel projects, Auton supplies the lift mechanism while the property’s architectural or millwork team builds the surrounding cabinetry or furniture. Famigletti said roughly half of his work involves adapting systems to existing conditions during renovations.
“As long as you don’t want me to violate the laws of physics, we can usually make it work,” he said.
Motorized concealment systems also manage cabling through protected pathways such as drag chains or retractable reels to prevent wear and maintain reliability over time.
