Hotel guest messaging software: Top use cases & providers

Hotel guest messaging software has completely changed the way hotels engage with guests. It’s no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a must.

For example, in a recent study by Oracle Hospitality in partnership with Skift*, 77% of hotel guests said they were interested in using automated messaging or chatbots for customer service requests.

Guest communication platforms can do much more than simply help hotel staff send and respond to messages. They’re powerful tools for hotels to create deeper connections with guests, drive loyalty, and elevate service quality. Plus, they’re one of the best ways to increase operational efficiency.

This guide explores how hotel guest messaging software is transforming the guest experience, the operational advantages it brings, and the top ten platforms helping hotels build a new standard of communication and efficiency.

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What is hotel guest messaging software?

Hotel messaging software enables operators to provide guests with convenient and efficient communication through automation, real-time responses, and personalized notifications.

It reduces tedious, manual tasks for front and back-of-the-house staff while providing faster responses and better service to guests.

Messaging software also addresses guests’ increasing demand for communication via channels like email, SMS, hotel apps, and messaging apps like Messenger and WhatsApp.

As Wouter Geerts, Director of Market Research at Mews told us, “Offering guest messaging in WhatsApp or the hotel’s app makes it much easier than the guest having to phone the reception or try to figure out where they can find information on their own.”

What are the benefits of hotel guest messaging software?

There are multiple benefits of guest messaging software for hotels:

• Enhanced guest experience and loyalty. Messaging automation allows hotels to provide quick, comprehensive responses and proactively share important information. Real-time updates—like room service status or early check-in alerts—and automated communication from booking through post-checkout ensure smoother interactions. This seamless approach boosts guest satisfaction and fosters loyalty.
• Better reviews and enhanced reputation. Automated surveys sent during a guest’s stay capture real-time feedback, helping improve the guest experience. Well-timed review requests (e.g. sent during in-app check-outs) can increase both the volume and quality of feedback, strengthening brand credibility.
• More memorable branding. Hotels can customize their messages to align with their brand guidelines—like colors, tone of voice, and style— creating a consistent, familiar experience from booking to post-stay.
• Increased revenue. Guest messaging tools can be integrated with property management software (PMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. This allows hotels to collect, segment, and analyze guest data, using the insights to automate personalized upselling offers. As a result, hotels can increase ancillary revenue from extra services, upgrades, and packages before and during the guest’s stay.
• Cost savings. By automating manual tasks like answering common questions or handling guest requests, guest messaging platforms save staff valuable time and reduce labor costs. Plus, staff can use the extra time to provide more personalized service and build meaningful relationships with guests, increasing retention rates and encouraging repeat bookings.
• Greater operational efficiency. Guest messaging unifies communication, data, and operational tools into one system, automating workflows and creating value for guests. Automatically assigned tasks based on guest requests improve response times and streamline operations while providing guests with real-time updates and faster service.
• Reduced carbon footprint. Guest messaging tools allow hotels to digitize a variety of internal workflows (like housekeeping and lost-and-found ticketing) and communication (like booking agreements) to create a paperless environment for both staff and guests.
• Employee satisfaction. Automating guest messaging reduces time spent on routine tasks, freeing staff for more meaningful guest interactions—something that team members value.

What are the challenges of implementing hotel guest communication platforms?

While there are many benefits to using a hotel guest communication platform, it also comes with a few drawbacks:

• Upfront cost. The initial investment may deter hotels, especially small, boutique properties on a tighter budget than large chains and resorts. Expenses include recurring software subscriptions, implementation, training, software integration, and consultation.
• Integration with existing tech stack. Hotels tend to have complex technology stacks that often include outdated legacy systems, which are difficult to integrate seamlessly with new technologies. If the existing system is inflexible, it can be a huge barrier for hotels wanting to add new guest communication tools to the mix.
• Staff training. Implementing new guest messaging solutions impacts multiple departments. But not all staff are tech-savvy and not all messaging systems have the same learning curve. While training ensures both front and back-of-house staff get to grips with the new technology, it may take some time before it becomes second nature to all team members.
• New processes and workflows. New guest messaging systems may require hotels to adapt their way of working. New processes and workflows may take time to develop and trial and error to perfect.

9 use cases of hotel guest messaging technology

Hotel guest messaging can transform the experience of guests, staff, and operators alike. Here are nine top uses for hotel guest messaging tech:

1. Centralizing messages with a unified inbox

Guest messaging tools allow hotels to manage communication across multiple channels—such as email, SMS, WhatsApp, and messaging services from online travel agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com or Expedia—through a single, centralized inbox.

This unified inbox gives hotels complete oversight of guest inquiries, regardless of the channel. For example, a hotel can manage 150 guest requests, send personalized upsell offers to 95 guests, and handle 72 internal requests daily, all from one system.

Multiple staff members can access the inbox and view the full conversation history, ensuring seamless communication no matter which team member is on duty.

By centralizing messages, guests can communicate via their preferred channels, while hotels can respond faster and proactively send offers and notifications, improving overall communication efficiency.

2. Creating seamless guest communication flows with automated messages

Guest messaging systems automatically prioritize urgent notifications and requests, send responses to common questions, and assign more complex inquiries to staff.

They can also be used to create automated communication flows that guide guests from booking to post-checkout. Hoteliers can set up triggers to send messages at the ideal moment—such as an early check-in offer the day before arrival or driving directions on the morning of check-in.

This set-and-forget system ensures that staff no longer need to manually send standard updates or offers, saving time and reducing errors.

Integration with a hotel’s PMS and CRM enables pre-check-in tasks, such as uploading ID documents and completing registration forms via a dedicated app. This seamless, cloud-based connection boosts operational efficiency and streamlines the guest check-in process.

3. Providing instant responses with chatbots and AI concierges

Guest messaging software can act like a virtual customer support agent and concierge.

Chatbots respond to frequently asked questions, while AI-driven concierges recommend local activities and personalized itineraries in real time, available 24/7.

Hotels can also offer multi-language support via their messaging software and dedicated apps.

Through machine learning, AI-powered chatbots and concierges improve their responses over time and recognize when to assign more complex messages to staff.

With AI-enabled messaging tools, hotels can deliver fast, efficient communication at scale throughout the guest journey, enhancing customer service.

4. Sending automated and personalized offers with upselling tools

When guest messaging integrates with a hotel’s PMS, CRM, and data analytics tools, it allows for personalized offers at every stage of the guest journey—pre-arrival, in-stay, and post-stay.

For example, an international resort that wants to upsell services to families can automate a host of offers throughout the guest journey:

• After booking: Families receive tailored offers for room upgrades, special packages (e.g. family cooking classes and local culture activities), and add-ons like airport transfers.
• During the stay: The AI-run concierge proposes a personalized itinerary based on in-stay requests and past booking data, offering local activities like guided tours and babysitting services.
• Before check-out: Late check-out and future-stay offers are sent via push notifications in the hotel app or on an in-room tablet.
• After the stay: The hotel sends tailored messages offering loyalty rewards and exclusive family discounts.

Hotels can also promote loyalty programs at any point in the guest journey, highlighting benefits and encouraging enrollment.

Automated messaging allows hotels to send targeted offers without being pushy, increasing engagement and driving revenue by matching personalized experiences with guest preferences.

5. Automating staff tasks

Guest messaging plays a significant role in automating tasks across hotel operations, including guest-facing services and internal messaging, to increase operational efficiency.

For example, a guest’s extra towel request automates several steps:

• The request triggers automatic assignment to on-duty housekeeping staff.
• Push notifications alert staff on their internal messaging app.
• The guest receives real-time updates on the request status via the hotel app or in-room messaging.
• Once completed, staff marks the task as done, triggering an automated notification to the guest.

This automation can be applied to a wide range of services, from room service to spa treatments and upgrades, streamlining operations and improving guest satisfaction.

6. Giving guests access to room info and local recommendations with digital guidebooks

Digital guidebooks are another form of digital guest communication that helps hotels enhance the guest’s stay.

Operators can share essential information about the hotel and its rooms via online guides that guests can access via a link sent to them in an email or text message, the hotel app, or even their in-room smart hotel technology, like a smart TV.

This reduces requests for information and provides local information, like dining recommendations, itineraries, and attractions, all at the touch of a button.

Hotels can also share real-time information, like special events, weather updates, transportation schedules, or temporary service changes via digital guides. This keeps guests informed and enables quick adjustments to their schedules, helping to manage their expectations and increasing satisfaction.

7. Providing fully mobile guest journeys with guest apps and digital keys

Hotels can enhance the guest experience by providing virtual keys and mobile access through a link or a dedicated hotel app.

Digital access empowers guests to check in and check out using a mobile keycard or a preconfigured code.

This mobile-first approach satisfies guests’ growing desire for independence, allowing them to manage their stay directly from their smartphones.

It also reduces waiting times and increases convenience and efficiency, ultimately boosting guest satisfaction.

8. Collecting and acting on feedback with automated review requests and review analytics

Guest messaging software streamlines the feedback-gathering process by automating review requests and centralizing responses on a single platform.

With hotel communication tools, operators can schedule guest review requests to be sent at optimal times, like at digital check-out. They can even send customer satisfaction surveys during the guest’s stay for real-time feedback.

AI-powered review analytics then analyze responses to uncover trends and generate actionable insights for hotel staff.

For example, if multiple reviews mention issues like outdated bathroom fixtures or dusty rooms, the software can flag these patterns. It can even trigger automated notifications, such as notifying the maintenance team of needed bathroom upgrades or alerting housekeeping to improve room cleanliness.

Here’s another example from Shahar Goldboim, founder of the AI-powered property management software Boom: “AI can optimize… identifying opportunities for improvement. If pest control is scheduled every two months, but complaints about cockroaches arise after a month and a half, AI can determine that the service should be adjusted to every month and a half, recommend using more supplies, or suggest switching to a better service provider.”

9. Gathering guest experience insights with data analytics tools

Data analytics tools are essential for summarizing thousands of data points from various sources in seconds, spotting patterns, and offering suggestions for improvement.

When applied to the guest experience, AI in hotel hospitality can analyze not just feedback but all hotel interactions with the guest. This 360-degree view can aid hotels in creating deeper guest conversations and experiences.

For example, with AI, hotels can enhance the experience for returning guests, personalizing stays based on previous requests, preferences, and past interactions.

AI tools can also refine guest segmentation, uncovering new subgroups and trends, such as regional business travelers seeking specialized fitness services or baby boomers showing interest in adventure-driven experiences.

With these insights, hotels can craft tailored promotions, customize offers for loyal guests, and time campaigns strategically to maximize engagement and guest satisfaction.

The top 12 hotel guest messaging platforms

Here are eleven of the best hotel technology companies offering a variety of tools for the many use cases of hotel guest messaging:

1. Like Magic

Like Magic is an operations and guest experience platform that combines all the essential applications hotels need in a single platform. From a booking engine to task management and guest messaging, Like Magic has it all covered.

With Like Magic, hotels can collect, manage, and store guest data in a centralized dashboard. All the behavioral and transactional data that Like Magic gathers synchronizes in real time, allowing operators to access accurate analytics.

Like Magic excels in streamlining operations, helping staff cover 80% of daily tasks, and boost efficiency by 30%. For example, staff can instantly retrieve contact details, guest preferences, and past communication and transactions at the touch of a button.

As Markus Feller, CEO of Like Magic said: “Incorporating AI into a hotel’s day-to-day operations is akin to providing every member of staff with their own personal assistant – a helper with an encyclopedic knowledge of the hotel, its guests, and the power to pre-empt what comes next – and then action it. This frees up an enormous amount of time and headspace for staff.”

Guests can save time with Like Magic, too—the intuitive, download-free web app gives guests full control of their journey, from booking to check-out. This makes for a seamless, personalized experience that guests love.

The software’s open architecture also makes it easy to integrate with existing tech stacks, from PMS and CRM to smart-access tools and payment systems.

2. Operto

With Operto, hotels can manage and automate their entire property management and guest experience operations from a centralized platform.

Operto’s guest communication features include digital check-in, guest messaging, and mobile keys. Using Operto guest apps, hotels can also create branded digital guides for a consistent and memorable guest experience.

In addition, hotels can use Operto’s hardware as a service feature to rent technology, like smart locks and energy management devices, to enhance their operations without the steep upfront costs.

3. Duve

Duve‘s guest experience platform offers a wide range of AI-powered guest messaging solutions.

It allows hotels to eliminate front desk queues with online check-in, and create a seamless guest experience with a web-based guest app and mobile keys. Hotels can also automate personalized upsells to boost revenue and save time by using generative AI agents to handle guest communications.

Duve can also aggregate guest information with OTA data, helping hotels create targeted offers, like personalized upsell opportunities, to boost customer engagement and increase revenue.

4. Stay

Designed for hotel chains and resorts, Stay is a guest experience platform that helps hotels make guests feel at home. It consists of a guest app, a CMS, and a staff app that allows hotels to handle guest requests from anywhere.

Stay offers guests access to all hotel services: for example, they can book restaurants and spa treatments, order room service, and request amenities directly from their smartphones. Guests can also access a live concierge chat for further requests, while hoteliers can automate conversations and manage guest requests from a unified inbox.

Stay’s digital directories reduce wait times and increase staff efficiency. Hotels can add information about services and amenities, from Wi-Fi details to parking instructions. With Stay, guests get real-time availability information for top services and feedback requests after every experience, while hotels receive a wealth of invaluable data.

5. Enso Connect

Enso Connect combines a guest web application with an AI-driven unified inbox and guest engagement tools. It allows hotels to automate operations, minimize wait times, and maximize revenue.

For example, guests can access the Boarding Pass, which includes in-app messaging, digital guidebooks, local recommendations, and self-managed check-ins and check-outs.

EnsoAI saves hoteliers tons of time by automating responses and creating personalized content and upsells. The guest experience dashboard allows hotels to track, analyze, and manage guest interactions in real time for an efficiency boost.

6. Akia

Akia’s AI-based automation technology allows hotels to improve efficiency and reduce errors across their guest communications.

With Akia’s many guest messaging features, hotels can automate scheduled messages, responses, tasks, and room access distribution, while personalizing messages based on specific guest attributes.

Akia also provides guests with no-download mini-apps that contain essential details like breakfast, check-in, and check-out times, as well as on-site restaurant information and paperless menus.

To streamline the check-in process, hotels can also capture security deposits, collect IDs, and register guests before arrival. They can also create Arrival Guides with information about the neighborhood, property policies, and arrival instructions.

7. Canary Technologies

Canary Technologies is a guest journey platform that allows hotels to streamline check-in and guest registration, scale guest messaging, increase revenue through upsells and digital tipping, reduce fraud and chargebacks, and more.

Guests can check themselves in seamlessly from their smartphones without downloading an app, eliminating front desk lines and boosting guest satisfaction. Hotels can converse with guests through text messaging, and provide multilingual support in more than 100 languages.

The tool frees up staff time by responding to messages with smart replies, analyzing guest messaging to help hotels send strategic upsells at key touchpoints, automating housekeeping tickets, and more.

With Canary Technologies, hotels can also set up prompts during mobile checkouts, inviting guests to leave reviews on Tripadvisor or Google.

8. Triparound

Triparound is a guest services platform that allows hoteliers to streamline the booking process for experiences and ancillary services. It also automates communication with suppliers and guests, helping hotels boost guest engagement and increase ancillary revenue.

With Triparound, hotels get an all-in-one central hub to manage and promote their guest services, whether in-house or third-party.

Guests get full control of their trip: they can book activities and services whenever they want through Triparound’s digital concierge, without having to go to the front desk or contact hotel staff.

9. HelloShift

HelloShift is a guest messaging platform that automates communication with the guest and internally across departments and staff members.

Guest messaging solutions range from email and text to popular messaging apps like WhatsApp. HelloShift also allows guests to skip the front desk by checking in and out on their mobile devices.

As for streamlining cross-department collaboration, HelloShift organizes tasks based on requests and guest actions to automate ticketing, task checklists, reminders, and alerts. For example, it can help housekeeping prioritize requests and make it easier for staff to manage lost and found.

HelloShift integrates with a variety of messaging apps and hotel software to unify communication in a centralized dashboard, making hotel operations more efficient.

10. HiJiffy

HiJiffy is an AI-driven guest communication hub where hotels can find a variety of tools to enhance guest communication.

With HiJiffy, hotels can use a virtual assistant to answer routine requests and implement a chat-based booking engine so guests can feel supported right from the start of their booking journey.

Hotels can personalize welcome messages, send proactive information to guests, and automate the sending of surveys, upselling, or cross-selling offers.

Even staff can feel supported. HiJiffy can automatically assign special requests to staff, helping to streamline operations and avoid duplicating efforts.

HiJiffy accompanies hotels and guests until the end of the stay by automating check-out reminders and guest review requests.

11. Alliants

Alliants is a guest experience solution that combines automated messaging and digital concierge software with trip planning to help hotels enhance the guest stay.

With Alliants, hotels can offer guest communication on over 14 channels in more than 100 languages. Automated messaging happens via a dedicated guest app, where guests receive personalized offers and upgrades, contactless check-in and check-outs, and a digital concierge to craft shareable itineraries.

There’s also a messaging app for staff where team members can receive real-time alerts and updates of guest requests, ensuring enhanced experiences for guests and smoother operations for the hotel.

12. Bookboost

Bookboost is a CRM that helps hotels easily communicate with guests and build efficient operations.

The tool allows hotels to automatically send personalized messages from pre-stay to post-stay, designing seamless guest journeys.

It also provides a centralized inbox where hoteliers can keep track of all their messages and send quick responses.

Plus, Bookboost’s guest app gives guests a smooth online check-in and check-out experience and access to property information, while hotels can gather feedback effortlessly.

Hotel guest messaging FAQ

What is guest experience software?

Guest experience software facilitates communication between hotels and guests. Hotels can use this software to streamline guest interactions, manage feedback, personalize offers, and automate the exchange of essential information, enhancing customer satisfaction.

What are the latest trends in hotel guest messaging?

Current hotel technology trends in guest messaging include AI-driven chatbots, multi-channel messaging (SMS, WhatsApp), in-room tablets, and personalized, real-time communication. These trends boost guest engagement and increase operational efficiency for hotels.

How much does hotel guest communication software cost?

Prices of guest communication software can vary, from $50 to $500+ per month. This range depends on factors such as the software provider, specific features, add-ons like integrations, and the unique business needs of the hotel.

Are you a hotel tech startup looking to build your brand’s reputation through strategic PR? Drop us a line.

*https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4110830.html