Between booking and arrival, most guests have a question or two. What time is check-in? Is there parking? Can I book a table for the first night?

If that information reaches them before they have to ask, your front desk takes fewer calls and messages, and guests arrive knowing what to expect.

Three messages that work

You don’t need to write often. A few messages are enough, as long as each one has a clear job.

1. Confirmation and welcome, right after booking

A short message to say thank you and confirm the dates. It’s also the right moment to tell guests where to find useful information, for example with a link to your hotel’s digital guide.

2. Practical details, a few days before arrival

This is the message that does the most work. What to include:

  • check-in and check-out times, plus any early check-in or late check-out options;
  • how to get there and where to park;
  • anything guests need to bring (ID, access codes, special instructions);
  • a way to ask questions, ideally on the same channel as the message.

3. Services to book, while there’s still time

Restaurant, spa, airport transfers, excursions. A dedicated message, sent while the guest is still planning the trip, helps them organize and gives your team time to prepare.

The channel matters as much as the message

The same message lands differently depending on where it arrives.

  • WhatsApp and chat suit short, practical messages and let guests reply straight away.
  • Email works better for longer content or messages with images.
  • A digital guest guide keeps all the information in one place, so your messages only need a link.

A useful rule of thumb: if you expect a reply, use a channel where replying takes no effort.

Say more with less

  • One topic per message. People reading on a phone won’t scroll through long blocks of text.
  • Use the guest’s name and dates. It shows the message is about their stay, not a mass mailing.
  • Give one clear action. “Book a table”, “Open the guide”, “Reply to this message”.
  • Sound like your hotel. This is the first contact after booking, so it should feel like the welcome guests will get at the front desk.

Set it up once

Writing every message by hand for every guest isn’t sustainable. With automations you choose the event that triggers the message (a new booking, a change in the guest’s status), how long to wait, and what to send. Once the flow is in place, messages go out on their own and your team only steps in when a guest replies.