Setting Up an App for Hotel Guests: A Guide for Hosts

An app for hotel guests is meant to make a stay easier while also taking work off the front desk. Instead of slips of paper, folders and phone calls, guests find information about the property and the region in one place. This guide describes how a host sets up an app for hotel guests step by step.

Requirements for the app for hotel guests

Before setup begins, it is worth looking at what a property needs for it. The following points form the basis for all further steps:

• A plan that matches the number of accommodations: the Start plan covers one accommodation, the Region plan up to three accommodations, and the Pro plan an unlimited number of accommodations and several regions.
• Content that the property supplies itself, such as details on room service, the restaurant or the spa, depending on the booked feature set.
• A decision on which language the app should display to guests, for example German, English, Czech or Polish.
• A way to pass the QR code on to guests, whether as a table stand, a sticker or a link in the booking confirmation.

It is also worth looking in advance at the monthly cancellation terms for the paid plans. There is neither a setup fee nor a minimum contract term. This means the chosen plan can be adjusted later if the number of accommodations changes.

Step 1: Choose a plan

First, the property determines how many accommodations the app should cover. For a single holiday home, the Start plan is enough, with a digital guest folder, QR code, own link, regional information, events and weather. Properties with up to three accommodations that also want to use their own branding, trip planner, chat and AI concierge choose the Region plan. Hotel groups, networks and regions with many accommodations opt for the Pro plan, which includes a custom domain and a personal contact. Details on the features included in each plan are shown in the overview of Features.

Step 2: Compile content for the digital guest folder

Next comes the content work. The host gathers what guests need to know on site and enters their own details on room service, the restaurant or the spa, if included in the plan. This information later also forms the basis for the AI concierge, which answers questions solely based on the information the property has entered. Anyone unsure how much effort this takes will find an overview of the process on the For Hosts page.

Step 3: Add the region and events

Alongside information about the property itself, the surrounding area matters too. In the pilot region of Saxon Switzerland, restaurants, tours and an ongoing events calendar are available for the whole region. The website also highlights rock towers, the Malerweg trail, boat trips and the view from the Bastei for the region. Properties in this region can use this content, while other regions can be arranged on request. Tours are shown with length, elevation gain and a GPX track, which helps guests plan hikes. According to the homepage, trip plans that guests create this way remain saved for one year.

Step 4: Set the language and branding

Each property decides for itself in which language the app is displayed to guests. Properties with international guests often set up several language versions. In addition, the Region and Pro plans allow custom branding to be added, so the app visually matches the property.

Step 5: Give guests the QR code and link

In the final step, the property makes the app accessible to guests. Access is via a QR code, which the property prints or displays as a sticker, or via a link in the booking confirmation. No app store download is needed, since it is a web app that runs directly in the browser. Using the app is free for guests. For features such as the trip planner and chat, guests also set up a free account, which according to the provider takes under a minute.

Common mistakes during setup

The same mistakes tend to crop up again and again during setup. Knowing them helps avoid them from the start:

• Adding too little content: if the digital guest folder stays empty, the AI concierge has little basis for answering questions either.
• Choosing the wrong plan: a property with several accommodations will not get by with the Start plan meant for one accommodation.
• Placing the QR code poorly: if the stand is tucked away out of sight, guests will never find the app in the first place.
• Mixing up regions: so far, only Saxon Switzerland is set up as a pilot region with restaurants, tours and an events calendar.

From plan to running app

Once these steps are done, the app for hotel guests largely runs itself day to day. The host updates content whenever something changes, for example new events or updated restaurant opening hours. That is why it is worth checking the app again and again even after launch, so guests always find up-to-date information. Even so, the effort involved stays low, since content can be managed directly by the property. Anyone who wants to go through the setup for their own property in detail can request a demo via For Hosts. An overview of all the regions where BELTURO is active can be found on the Regions page.

→ For Hosts

Bildnachweis: Pexels, Foto: freestocks.org