20. June 2024

4 hospitality tech recommendations to give your guests an unforgettable stay

Did you know that 69% of hotel guests say good technology amenities influence their choice of hotel? 

The tech you use to improve the guest experience can be the difference between a good stay and a great stay - and we all know that a truly great stay means returning customers.  But why can technology have such an impact on the guest experience today? 

Let’s start with the obvious: how we use technology as consumers have changed. Today, our experiences are mobile-first, and so seamless we barely notice them. Experiences that aren’t like this make your hotel stand out. And not in a good way. 

On the other hand, technology allows your staff to go above and beyond for your guests - without running themselves into the ground. Take a guest that arrives at midnight. They’re jet-lagged and exhausted after a long day of travelling. The last thing they want to do is wait around at reception, then manually fill in a registration form and have their passport scanned. If they’ve checked in online before arrival, they don’t have to! 

The next day, this same guest (still jet-lagged and exhausted) is lying by the pool. They need an extra towel - imagine the difference it makes to their satisfaction levels being able to ask for it via WhatsApp and have the charge added straight to their room, rather than queueing at reception in flip flops. 

The best bit? Technology experiences like this also help your staff, by filling in for people shortages and allowing them to focus on providing an excellent service. 

Sold? Good! Now for some pointers. This blog post recommends four of our favourite hospitality tech tools to improve the guest experience. They’re at the cutting edge of hotel tech today - AI-powered, direct-to-mobile information, integrated guest communications - and cover every part of the guest experience from pre check-in to the end of the trip. 

If you’re ready, let’s get started.  

AeroGuest: communications and interactions with guests 

AeroGuest was built to help hoteliers make time for what matters: making great personal connections with guests. By streamlining hotel operations, AeroGuest gives your staff more time to focus on the little details that make a hotel experience so special. 

Property type 

AeroGuest is available for small, medium and enterprise hotels. 

Key features

AeroGuest journey: puts guests in charge, with online check-in, room selection, digital room keys and a guest app. 

AeroGuest flow: lets general managers and front desk staff see reservations, communications, usage, payment and overall setup from one simple dashboard. 

AeroGuest payments: lets guests make automatic contactless transactions, pre-pay for reservations and make automatic payment updates.

AeroGuest communications: simplifies guest communications by letting managers schedule and send out emails, SMS and app messages from one place. 

Integrations

AeroGuest integrates with major PMS systems, payment providers and digital room key providers. 

Price

For small hotels, AeroGuest has a flat fee of €300 a month. For medium hotels, the price rises to €400 a month, and for enterprise hotels, they offer custom pricing. 

Duve: pre-arrival check-in and engagement 

Hospitality tech platform Duve, made it onto the list thanks to its pre-arrival check-in and post-arrival engagement opportunities. It gives your staff the chance to improve guest happiness, reduce operational costs and maximise every single revenue opportunity. 

Property type

Hotels, hostels and vacation rentals. 

Key features

Online check-in: guests can check in online before arrival, eliminating the need for long queues at the front desk. Guests can upload IDs and sign documents electronically before arrival, making the check-in process smoother and reducing administrative work for hotel staff.

Communication hub: a centralized platform for communicating with guests through various channels such as SMS, email, and chat. This helps in managing guest inquiries efficiently and enhancing overall guest engagement.

Tailored upselling: hoteliers can offer personalized upsells and additional services based on guest preferences, maximizing the revenue potential of each guest.

Mobile Key Integration: never worry about guests misplacing keys, or having to provide keys in person– hoteliers provide digital key card systems from anywhere at any time.

Guest app: once guests have arrived, you can give them everything they need through a branded web app. This app can integrate mobile keys and offers guests the chance to purchase extras like upgrades or additional meals. It also provides guests with all the information they need about the hotel’s services, amenities, and local attractions, and offers a built-in chat so guests can easily contact the property.

Analytics dashboard: Duve offers advanced analytics and guest segmentation capabilities, helping hoteliers understand guest behaviour and preferences to tailor their services accordingly.

Integrations

Duve integrates with 100+ industry-leading PMS systems, PSPs, and digital key providers. 

Price

Duve starts at €5 per room per month for online check-in and guest app. A premium experience costs €9 per room per month. They also have enterprise options available. 

Runnr.ai: WhatsApp communications for guest experiences 

Runnr.ai is an AI-powered virtual hotel concierge that lets you communicate seamlessly with guests via WhatsApp. Runnr.ai delivers personalised information straight to their phones, so you can improve their stay without overloading your front desk.

Property type 

Runnr.ai works with hotels of all shapes and sizes. Winning! 

Key features

Omni Language support: Runnr.ai auto-translates for both sides of the conversation, no matter the language spoken. 

Proactive messaging: users can stay in touch with guests pre-arrival and post-stay. 

Messaging dashboard: users have a bird’s eye view of each conversation, and can easily jump in to answer questions and requests if they need to. 

Guest analytics: keep an eye on what type of messages and requests you receive, to build a clearer picture of your guests. 

Integrations

Runnr.ai integrates with major management tools and other guest-facing technology.  

Price

Users can try Runnr.ai for free, and going forward will pay €3 per room per month. 

UpMarket: AI-Powered Guest Experience Automation

UpMarket leverages advanced AI technology to enhance guest satisfaction and drive revenue growth for property managers. Currently trusted by over 1,000 properties worldwide - we love Upmarket's central question, “How can we make things better?”.  

Property type

UpMarket caters to a diverse range of properties, including vacation rentals, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and resorts.

Key Features

Virtual Concierge: UpMarket's AI-powered digital concierge is accessible via Instant Messaging apps, enabling guests to easily communicate their needs and requests directly from their phones.

DirectBook Chat: utilizing AI, the DirectBook Chatbot is available 24/7 to answer guest inquiries and facilitate a seamless online booking experience.

Online Check-In: guests complete their check-in before they arrive and receive all essential information, saving them precious time. Guest information gets automatically reported to local authorities to ensure compliance with local regulations.

Guest App: one dedicated space for your guests, where they can access all the information and services they need for their stay from their phones. 

Digital Keys: guests receive their room keys digitally via email or Instant Messaging, eliminating the hassles associated with physical keycards.

Payments: automate and manage guest payments from one user-friendly dashboard.

Intelligent Upselling: strategically tailor upselling opportunities to each guest using AI, based on their preferences and behaviour, significantly increasing revenue.

Integrations

UpMarket integrates seamlessly with over 20 leading Property Management Systems (PMS) and other guest service technologies - plus, there’s the option to request an integration you’d like if it’s not on the menu. 

Pricing

UpMarket offers tailored pricing options based on property type, with both monthly and annual payment plans available. They offer a one-month free trial to hoteliers to let them experience the benefits of the platform.

Contact us if you’d like to know more about these solutions! We’d be happy to give you more information. 

Oh wait, there’s one hospitality tech tool we forgot to mention - Sweeply, of course! To find out how we streamline your housekeeping operations, just head to our Sweeply features page.