AI in hospitality: turn your venue into a 24/7 digital concierge
If your venue could talk to guests, remember every preference and upsell politely all day without getting tired, you’d call it a dream employee. That’s essentially what AI in hospitality promises – a digital concierge that never sleeps.
And here’s the good news: this isn’t just for five‑star chains with Silicon Valley budgets. Small hotels, restaurants, pubs, B&Bs and event venues can now tap into the same tools – often for the price of a weekly deep clean.
In this guide, we’ll look at how AI in hospitality can:
- Make guests feel known and remembered (without being creepy)
- Reduce admin and no‑shows
- Increase spend per guest
- Turn your website into a proper booking and service hub – not just an online brochure
Along the way, we’ll keep things jargon‑free and firmly grounded in what’s realistic for UK SMEs.
The creative angle: running your venue like a boutique hotel in your pocket
Think of AI as a boutique hotel manager in your pocket.
A good manager does three things brilliantly:
- Remembers people – their favourite room, drink, table, pillow type
- Anticipates needs – offers late checkout to tired travellers, a quiet corner to business guests
- Protects margins – fills empty rooms, promotes the lunch menu when dinner is full
AI in hospitality lets you scale that kind of care – even if you’re a 12‑room guesthouse or a busy high‑street restaurant.
Your website, booking system and email list become the “memory” and “brain” your digital manager works from. The clever bit is stitching these together so it feels seamless to the guest.
What is AI in hospitality (in plain English)?
Strip away the buzzwords and AI in hospitality is just:
Software that learns from your guest data and day‑to‑day operations, then makes helpful suggestions or takes simple actions automatically.
It’s less “robot butler” and more “super‑organised assistant” that:
- Spots patterns you’d miss (e.g. which offers bring locals in on rainy Tuesdays)
- Answers common questions for you (e.g. parking, allergens, check‑in times)
- Nudges guests at the right time (e.g. “Would you like breakfast added to your stay?”)
If you use Netflix, Spotify or Amazon, you already use AI daily – it’s the same idea, just adapted to bookings, menus and guest experiences.
Where AI can help hospitality businesses right now
Let’s break it down into practical areas any small hospitality business can relate to.
1. Smarter bookings and fewer no‑shows
No‑shows and last‑minute cancellations hurt – especially when margins are tight.
AI‑powered booking tools can:
- Predict risky bookings (based on past behaviour, booking channel, time of day) and:
- Send extra reminders
- Ask for card details or a deposit automatically
- Offer to reschedule instead of cancel outright
- Fill gaps by:
- Promoting last‑minute availability on your website
- Triggering a special offer email or SMS to locals
Example: A small restaurant in Leeds uses an AI‑enabled reservation system. It spots that Friday 7pm bookings made via a particular app have a higher no‑show rate. The system automatically:
- Sends an SMS reminder 24 hours before
- Asks for card details for those high‑risk slots
- If a table is cancelled, it texts people on a waiting list and updates the website availability instantly
Result: fuller tables, less phone admin.
2. A website that feels like a helpful receptionist
Most hospitality websites still act like static brochures. AI can turn yours into something closer to a friendly, always‑on receptionist.
On your website, AI can:
- Answer common questions via a chat widget:
- “Can I bring my dog?”
- “Do you have parking?”
- “What’s the gluten‑free option?”
- Guide people to the right option:
- “I’m travelling with kids” → family room suggestions
- “We’re a group of 10” → private dining info
- Capture leads when people aren’t ready to book:
- “Planning a wedding? Download our guide and we’ll email you a sample package.”
The magic is in connecting the AI to real information:
- Your room types and live availability
- Your menu and allergen info
- Your FAQs and policies
At Los Webos, we build sites so this kind of AI layer can plug in neatly – no messy bolt‑ons that confuse guests.
3. Personalised guest journeys (without feeling creepy)
Personalisation is just a fancy word for being relevant.
When done well, AI in hospitality can:
- Show different homepage content to:
- Locals vs. tourists
- Business travellers vs. families
- Suggest add‑ons based on the booking:
- Late checkout for Sunday stays
- Airport transfers for late‑night arrivals
- Kids’ activity packs for family rooms
- Time emails perfectly:
- A “what to do nearby” email three days before arrival
- A “hope you got home safe” message the day after checkout
- A “same time next year?” offer 11 months later
Analogy: It’s like your favourite pub landlord who remembers you like a quiet corner and a particular ale – but scaled to every guest, every time.
4. Smarter upselling that actually helps guests
Upselling often gets a bad name because it feels pushy. AI can make it helpful instead of hard‑sell by:
- Only suggesting upgrades that make sense for that guest
- Timing offers when guests are already engaged
- Respecting budgets and preferences
Examples:
- During online booking:
- “You’ve chosen a double room. For £15 extra, you can have a late checkout and breakfast included.”
- On your website for locals:
- “You’ve looked at our Sunday roast menu three times – would you like to book a table for this weekend?”
- For events:
- Suggesting AV packages, canapés or extra breakout rooms based on the event type and previous similar bookings
You don’t need fancy custom software to do this – many booking engines and email tools now have AI‑powered recommendation features built in. The key is integrating them properly with your website.
5. Better reviews and reputation management
Your online reputation is like word‑of‑mouth on steroids. AI in hospitality can help you:
- Spot unhappy guests early by scanning feedback and review text
- Reply quickly with suggested responses you can tweak
- Ask for reviews at the right time, from the right guests
Practical ideas:
- After checkout, an AI‑driven survey tool:
- Flags low scores for personal follow‑up
- Automatically sends a TripAdvisor/Google review link to happy guests
- An AI tool monitors reviews across platforms and:
- Notifies you of anything urgent
- Drafts polite, on‑brand responses for you to approve
This keeps your responses fast and professional, even when you’re rushed off your feet.
6. Menu and pricing decisions based on real data
For restaurants, bars and hotels with F&B, AI can quietly work behind the scenes to:
- Identify best‑selling and low‑performing dishes
- Suggest menu tweaks (e.g. removing consistently poor sellers)
- Highlight waste patterns (e.g. side salads always left uneaten)
- Support dynamic pricing for rooms or set menus based on demand
You don’t have to change prices every five minutes like an airline. Even simple things like:
- Slightly higher room rates on local event days
- Fixed‑price menus on quieter nights
…can add up over the year when guided by accurate, AI‑driven forecasts.
Where AI in hospitality can go wrong (and how to avoid it)
Like any tool, AI can cause problems if used badly. Here are the main pitfalls for smaller hospitality businesses – and how to sidestep them.
Pitfall 1: Replacing humans instead of supporting them
Guests come to you for human warmth, not just efficiency.
Avoid this by:
- Using AI to handle repetitive, low‑value tasks (FAQs, reminders, simple bookings)
- Keeping humans visible and easy to reach on your website
- Training staff to work with AI tools (e.g. picking up complex chat enquiries)
Think of AI as the extra pair of hands that frees your team to do the things only humans can do: genuine hospitality.
Pitfall 2: Creepy or clumsy personalisation
No one wants to feel like they’re being stalked online.
Avoid this by:
- Being transparent about what data you use and why
- Keeping personalisation simple and obvious:
- “Because you stayed with us last Easter…”
- “You told us you’re travelling with children…”
- Giving guests easy ways to opt out of marketing
If it wouldn’t feel comfortable for a receptionist to say it at check‑in, don’t have your AI say it via email.
Pitfall 3: Overcomplicating things and never launching
It’s easy to get carried away with big visions and end up doing nothing.
Avoid this by:
- Starting with one clear problem:
- Too many no‑shows
- Too many phone calls about basic info
- Poor website conversion
- Choosing one simple AI tool to address that
- Making sure it integrates with your existing website and systems
Once you see results, you can layer on more.
What you can implement this quarter (realistic ideas for SMEs)
Here’s a practical roadmap for using AI in hospitality over the next 3–6 months.
Step 1: Fix the basics on your website
Before you touch AI, make sure your website:
- Loads quickly on mobile
- Has clear “Book now” or “Reserve a table” buttons
- Explains the essentials: location, parking, check‑in, allergens, accessibility
There’s no point adding clever AI on top of a confusing site.
(If your site is creaking at the seams, we’ve written separately about modern SME websites and technical SEO – worth a look once you’ve finished this.)
Step 2: Add an AI‑powered FAQ/chat layer
Choose a simple website chat tool that:
- Can be trained on your FAQs, menus and policies
- Lets you hand over to a human when needed
- Captures email addresses for follow‑up (with consent)
Start by training it on:
- Check‑in/check‑out times
- Parking and directions
- Pet policy
- Allergen and dietary info
- Event enquiries basics (capacity, hire fees, minimum spend)
This alone can cut down phone calls and emails significantly.
Step 3: Tidy up your booking journey
Check that your booking engine or table reservation system:
- Works smoothly on mobile
- Has automated email and SMS reminders
- Offers simple upsells (breakfast, late checkout, set menus)
If your current system is clunky, consider switching to one with built‑in AI features like:
- No‑show prediction
- Smart overbooking safeguards
- Simple yield management (price adjustments based on demand)
Make sure the design matches your website – a jarring experience can lose bookings.
Step 4: Start one simple AI‑driven email journey
Pick one guest type to focus on, for example:
- Weekend leisure stays
- Local regular diners
- Wedding or event enquiries
Then set up a basic email flow using AI‑assisted timing and content suggestions:
For hotel stays:
- 3 days before arrival – Welcome email with parking, Wi‑Fi, what’s nearby
- Morning after check‑in – “Anything we can help with?” message
- Day after checkout – Thank you + gentle review request
- 11 months later – “Same time next year?” offer
Many email tools now use AI to optimise send times and subject lines based on your audience.
Step 5: Review, refine, then expand
After 2–3 months, look at:
- Fewer no‑shows?
- More direct bookings vs. OTAs?
- Better review scores or more reviews?
- Shorter response times to enquiries?
Then decide your next layer:
- AI‑assisted menu analysis
- Smarter event enquiry handling on your site
- More advanced personalisation on your homepage
How your website ties it all together
You can think of your digital setup like a small hotel:
- Website = the lobby and reception
- Booking engine = reservations desk
- Email and SMS tools = concierge
- Review platforms = guest comment book
AI in hospitality is the communication system connecting all these rooms so they work together instead of in silos.
For that to work, your website needs to be:
- Technically sound – so AI widgets don’t slow it to a crawl
- Well‑structured – so AI can find and use your content (menus, rooms, FAQs)
- Designed for conversion – so all this cleverness leads to actual bookings and enquiries
That’s where agencies like Los Webos come in: we build fast, SEO‑friendly hospitality websites that are ready for AI from day one – not patched together afterwards.
Getting started with AI in hospitality (without the headache)
To recap, here’s a simple, low‑stress way to dip your toe into AI:
- Pick one pain point – no‑shows, constant phone queries, poor online bookings
- Choose one AI‑enabled tool that fits that problem
- Make sure it integrates neatly with your website
- Explain it to your team in plain English and get them involved
- Measure one or two outcomes – bookings, calls reduced, reviews
You don’t need a “digital transformation strategy”. You just need to make your guests’ lives easier – and your team’s day a bit less frantic.
Want your website to behave more like a digital concierge?
If your current site feels more like a dusty brochure than a helpful host, we can fix that.
At Los Webos, we design and build hospitality websites for:
- Independent hotels and B&Bs
- Restaurants, pubs and cafés
- Wedding and event venues
- Holiday lets and serviced apartments
We focus on:
- Fast, mobile‑first design that guests actually enjoy using
- Clear booking journeys that reduce friction and no‑shows
- SEO foundations so you’re found by the right people locally
- Smart integrations so you can plug in AI tools as you grow
If you’d like to explore how AI in hospitality could work for your business – starting with your website – get in touch with Los Webos for a friendly, no‑jargon chat. We’ll show you what’s realistic for your size and budget, and help you turn your site into the 24/7 digital concierge your guests deserve.