As we step into 2025, the landscape of in-room guest communication is evolving as rapidly as ever, driven by technological innovations like AI and shifting guest expectations. Hotels are redefining how they connect with their guests, putting more effort into creating a more personalized, engaging, and sustainable guest experience. Here are 10 trends we believe will play a major role in shaping the future of in-room guest communication.
Gamification of Guest Experience
Hotels will experiment with gamification via guest engagement tools, encouraging guests to engage with services by offering rewards for completing activities like eco-friendly challenges or visiting on-site amenities.
Tip: Create interactive campaigns that reward guests for participation, fostering engagement and loyalty.
Integrating Guests Into Digital Processes
Guest behavior will play a more active role in hotel operations, with personalization and interaction reaching new levels through technology. They’ll have more power to tailor their stay, creating a personalized “pick-and-choose” guest experience.
Tip: Use interactive and accessible in-room communication tools with configuration features that allow guests to customize their stay.
Chatbots as a Digital Concierge
AI is already revolutionizing hotel operations, and its role in guest communication will only grow. Chatbots will serve as digital concierges, providing instant answers to hotel-specific questions while aligning with the hotel’s preferred tone.
Tip: Analyze guest interactions comprehensively to identify common questions and build a database to streamline chatbot integration into your digital tools.
Guest Engagement Beyond BYOD
Without the guest participating, guest engagement is a one-way road. As BYOD solutions continue to see low usage rates during stays, hotels will turn to additional in-room technology to close the gap of reach.
Tip: Invest in in-room technology that complements existing tools, focusing on solutions that drive engagement and interaction.
The Rise of AI-Powered Personalization
By 2025, personalization will be powered by the perfect marriage of AI and first-party data. Hotels will increasingly rely on advanced analytics to anticipate guest preferences—whether it’s adjusting the room temperature before arrival, suggesting curated dining experiences, or crafting bespoke itineraries. This trend will redefine the guest journey, creating hyper-personalized experiences from the initial booking to post-stay communication.
Tip: Embrace AI-powered tools and data-driven CRMs to unlock guest insights, enabling predictive personalization that elevates satisfaction and loyalty.
Social Media and Influencers as the Dominant Marketing Channel
As Gen Z and Millennials become the top traveler demographics, a strong social media presence will increasingly become the new industry standard. These younger guests rely on influencer content to make decisions, making it essential for hotels to weave influencer-driven touchpoints into the guest journey moving forward.
Tip: Collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content tailored to your location and integrate it seamlessly into your in-room tech or integrate a social board on your tablet to motivate guests to share their experiences.
Skipping Room Cleaning Becomes the Standard
Sustainability being a trend for many years, is not news, but skipping daily room cleaning specifically is evolving from an optional perk to an industry norm. Guests increasingly see reduced housekeeping as a way to align with their eco-conscious values while also appreciating the privacy and convenience it offers. For hotels, this shift not only reduces water, energy, and labor costs but also provides an opportunity to reframe the guest experience around sustainability.
Tip: Use in-room communication tools to educate guests on the environmental impact of their choice and introduce incentives, like dining credits, to encourage participation.
Design-Centric Guest Communication
Design is already key in hospitality, but its role in guest communication is growing. Hotels are embracing cohesive Corporate Identity (CI) to leave lasting impressions, with boutique properties leading the way in stylish, design-driven approaches.
Tip: Partner with a tool that supports implementing your unique CI with a content team and use AI-driven features like animated splash screens and branded layouts to maintain creative consistency and elevate guest experiences.
Saying Goodbye to Hotel Phones
As guests grow accustomed to app-based communication and in-room tablets, traditional room phones are becoming obsolete. This shift aligns with the demand for seamless and modern experiences, where tablets and personal devices offer an all-in-one solution for service requests, dining orders, and local information.
Tip: Replace traditional room phones with in-room tablets or app-based solutions that streamline communication and enhance guest convenience.
AI-Powered Multilingual Translations
AI is breaking down language barriers by enabling seamless multilingual communication. From in-room tablets to digital concierge systems, guests will be able to interact in their native language in real-time, ensuring clarity and comfort during their stay.
Tip: Implement AI-powered translation tools across guest-facing touchpoints to cater to an increasingly international clientele.
About Suitepad
SuitePad stands as the leading provider of in-room tablets in the hotel industry. This award-winning solution combines a digital guest directory, booking tool, hotel phone, remote control, and various other functionalities into a single device. With over 1,000 clients worldwide, SuitePad transforms guest communication, boosts revenue, and streamlines operations. For more information, visit www.suitpad.de/en.
Dilara DeveliJunior Marketing ManagerSuitePad GmbH
