How Easily Can Guests Communicate With Your Hotel Team?

Why it matters

Guests contact hotels at every stage of the journey. Before booking, they ask about parking, pets or room types. Before arrival, they share flight times or special requests. During the stay, they ask for extra towels, restaurant tips or a late check-out. If the only option is a phone line that rings unanswered, or an email that takes days to answer, small requests turn into frustration.

Guests also have clear preferences about how they want to talk to you. An eviivo survey of 430 travelers worldwide, published in November 2025, found that 58% prefer to communicate with their accommodation by SMS, WhatsApp or email links, while only 4% want to download the property’s app or scan a QR code. It is a small survey, but it is useful guidance for any hotel. Meeting guests where they already are is often better than asking them to learn something new.

How to check where you stand

• Are your phone number, email and messaging options easy to find on your website and Google Business Profile?
• Do you reply to most guest messages within a few hours during the day?
• Can several team members see and answer messages from one shared place?
• Do you send guests useful messages before arrival and during the stay?
• Do guests know how to reach someone at night or outside reception hours?

How to improve step by step

1. Choose your main channels. Pick a small number of channels you can answer well, such as email, phone and one messaging app like WhatsApp Business. Be present where your guests are, not everywhere.
2. Show contact options clearly. Place your phone, email and messaging links on every page of your website, in booking confirmations and on your Google Business Profile. Use the same details everywhere.
3. Use a shared inbox. Make sure messages do not live on one person’s phone. A shared inbox or team messaging tool lets reception, reservations and management see the full conversation.
4. Set response time goals. For example, aim to reply to messages within two hours during reception hours and by the next morning for overnight messages. Tell guests what to expect.
5. Prepare ready answers for common questions. Write short, friendly replies for parking, breakfast times, Wi-Fi, late check-out and directions. Adjust each one to the guest so it does not feel robotic.
6. Plan your message journey. Send a booking confirmation, a pre-arrival message, a short welcome message on arrival day and a thank-you after departure. Each message should be useful, not just promotional.
7. Make after-hours contact clear. Tell guests how to reach someone at night for urgent needs. A clear night number or emergency process gives guests peace of mind.

How AI assistants see this

AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews can answer simple traveler questions, such as “Does this hotel have 24-hour reception?” or “How can I contact this hotel on WhatsApp?” They are more likely to answer correctly when your contact details and service hours are clear and consistent online. Reviews that mention fast, friendly replies also shape how AI tools describe your service. Clear contact information and steady communication habits help your hotel come across as helpful and easy to deal with.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Listing a messaging option on your website and then rarely checking it.
• Keeping guest conversations on one staff member’s personal phone, so others cannot follow up.
• Asking guests to download an app just to send a simple request.

Key takeaways

• Use the channels guests already know, such as email, SMS and messaging apps.
• A shared inbox and clear response times stop requests from getting lost.
• Useful messages before and during the stay reduce phone calls and improve the experience.
• Clear contact details online help both guests and AI assistants.

Frequently asked questions

Should my hotel use WhatsApp to talk to guests?

Many hotels find it useful because guests already know how to use it. If you use it, check messages often, use a business account, and make sure more than one person can answer.

How fast should a hotel reply to guest messages?

A good goal is a reply within a few hours during the day and by the next morning for messages sent at night. Tell guests your usual response time so they know what to expect.

Do hotels need their own guest app?

Not necessarily. Many guests prefer simple options like SMS, email or messaging apps. A clear website and good messaging can cover most guest needs without a separate app.

Sources

1. eviivo, guest communication preferences survey (2025): https://eviivo.com/blog/eviivo-survey-communication-preferences/