Guest messaging in hotels: trends, best practices, and how to get it right

Guest messaging has become one of the most essential tools for ensuring seamless communication. A good guest messaging system can improve the guest experience and hotel operations. It can help with requests, upsells, and issue resolution. But how can hotels use it effectively, and what are the trends and best practices for 2025? Let’s explore.

Table of contents
1. Personalisation through guest messaging
2. Seamless in-stay communications and service requests
3. Multilingual support to remove communication barriers
4. Pre-arrival and post-stay messages to build engagement
5. Upselling via messaging platforms
6. Integration with other hotel systems

Personalisation is now a key trend in hospitality. Guest messaging is no exception. It's no longer just about automating responses; it's about tailoring them to make guests feel valued.

A best practice is to use guest profiles. This allows for personalised greetings, recommendations, and even room upgrades. For instance, The Savoy Hotel in London sends pre-arrival messages. They ask returning guests if they want their usual room or a different one. Small touches like this, rooted in data, make all the difference.

Another key tip is using automation smartly. While automation saves time, guests appreciate the human touch. Automated messages should feel personal, not robotic. They should address guests by name and cater to their preferences. Imagine a message saying, "Hi Sarah, would you like to reserve a spot at the spa again during your stay? We know how much you enjoyed it last time!" — that’s personalisation done right.

Best practices:

• Tailor messages using guest history.
• Use automated messages that feel personal.
• Anticipate guest needs by leveraging past preferences.

One example of a hotel nailing personalisation is the Four Seasons, which uses a custom messaging app to provide a highly personalised experience for guests. They track preferences to ensure that repeat visitors feel like they’re coming home.

A quick response time is critical when it comes to in-stay guest messaging. Whether a guest is requesting extra pillows or asking for the room to be cleaned, hotels that respond swiftly and clearly always have the edge.

Automated responses for common inquiries like the Wi-Fi password or room service hours can be a game changer. Hotels can also use real-time status updates to let guests know when their requests are being handled. For instance, "Your fresh towels will arrive in five minutes," goes a long way in maintaining guest satisfaction.

For instance, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park uses real-time messaging to update guests on the status of their requests. This reduces waiting time and keeps guests informed, whether they’ve asked for housekeeping or a dinner reservation. Guests are notified right away when their request is processed. This creates a smooth, efficient experience.

Best practices:

• Implement 24/7 automated replies for common inquiries.
• Provide real-time status updates for requests.
• Ensure a smooth transition to live agents for complex queries.

In today's globalised world, it's essential that hotels offer multilingual support in their messaging systems. Guests from all over the world expect a seamless experience, regardless of the language they speak.

Multilingual messaging platforms can eliminate communication issues and enhance the guest experience, especially in cities that attract international travellers like New York, Paris, or Dubai. It’s vital to use systems that allow for automated translations, making it easy for staff to communicate without language becoming a barrier.

A standout example is Marriott International. Its mobile app offers multilingual support. This helps international guests communicate and access hotel services in their native language.

Best practices:

• Use platforms with built-in multilingual support.
• Automate translations to streamline communication.
• Offer seamless language switching based on guest preferences.

Guest engagement doesn’t begin at check-in and end at checkout. Pre-arrival and post-stay messages play a crucial role in building rapport and driving repeat bookings.

Pre-arrival messages can be used to upsell room upgrades or amenities such as spa treatments and restaurant reservations. For instance, The Peninsula Hong Kong sends pre-arrival messages offering guests an opportunity to upgrade their room or reserve a table at their Michelin-starred restaurant. Post-stay messages, on the other hand, allow the hotel to gather feedback and encourage repeat visits, often by offering personalised discounts on future bookings.

Best practices:

• Send pre-arrival messages to offer upgrades and important hotel info.
• Use post-stay messages to request feedback and encourage repeat bookings.
• Include personalised offers in both pre-arrival and post-stay communications.

Upselling through guest messaging isn’t a new concept, but it’s becoming more sophisticated. Hotels can use messaging to offer personalised upsells, like room upgrades, dining, or late checkouts.

A new trend is using messaging apps for digital menus. They let guests browse and order room service from their devices, without an app.

A recent example is Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. It used a messaging system that sends guests personalised upsell offers. These include room upgrades or special deals on in-house spa services. The result? A 10% increase in ancillary revenue within the first six months of implementation.

Hotels can also add digital menus to messaging apps. This lets guests browse and order room service from their devices. For example, La Mamounia in Marrakech saw a 15% rise in room service orders after it introduced a digital menu. Guests could now browse the menu and order without calling the front desk.

Best practices:

• Use real-time messaging to promote upsell offers.
• Offer personalised recommendations based on guest preferences.
• Integrate digital menus for room service and amenities. They should have visual and multilingual support.

Guest messaging should never work in isolation. The real power of a messaging system comes when it integrates with other key hotel systems, such as housekeeping, room service, and feedback platforms.

Imagine a system where a guest’s request for extra pillows is logged through a messaging platform and instantly forwarded to the housekeeping team, who can update the guest on the status of their request. At the same time, the hotel management can monitor this interaction, ensuring that no request is missed. This level of integration ensures that operations are streamlined and guests are satisfied.

At The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, guest requests are routed to the right department via an integrated messaging and housekeeping system. If a guest requests extra towels, the housekeeping staff is notified instantly, and the guest is updated once the task is completed. This seamless integration has resulted in a 12% improvement in task completion times.

Best practices:

• Integrate messaging systems with property management systems (PMS).
• Link messaging with housekeeping and room service for real-time updates.
• Connect with guest feedback platforms to address concerns promptly.

Guest messaging is more than a communication tool. It's a way to enhance the guest experience and improve efficiency. A good messaging platform is a hotel’s best asset. It can upsell services, respond to requests in real time, and provide multilingual support. By using best practices and tech, hotels can give guests a seamless, personalised experience that keeps them coming back.

For hotels looking to enhance their operations, a comprehensive guest messaging solution that integrates with other hotel systems will be the key to success in 2025 and beyond.