Digital Guest Directory: What It Can Do and How Guests Use It

Anyone who has ever flipped through a folder of yellowed printouts in a holiday home knows the problem. Opening hours are outdated, the hiking trail is closed, and the phone number for the pizza delivery no longer exists. A digital guest directory is meant to solve exactly that, without requiring guests to install anything.

What a digital guest directory actually is

A digital guest directory is a web app that runs in the browser. With BELTURO, it is a PWA that requires no app store download. This sets it apart from classic apps, which guests would first have to find, download and set up before they could even look anything up. Instead, the directory opens directly in the browser, just like an ordinary website. Use is free for guests, while the property pays a monthly subscription for it.

How guests access the digital guest directory

Access works via a QR code, which the property provides as a stand or sticker. Alternatively, the host sends their own link, for example directly in the booking confirmation. This means the directory is accessible even before arrival, not just at check-in. Guests who want to use more features, such as the trip planner or chat, create a free account. According to the provider, this takes under a minute. The property sets the language of the app, with examples including German, English, Czech and Polish. This allows the same directory to be offered to guests from different countries without anyone needing to translate it separately.

What is inside the digital guest directory

The scope depends on the plan booked. The Start plan, which covers one property, already includes the digital guest directory itself, a QR code, a personal link, as well as the Discover the Region, Events, Weather and Forecast sections. Those who need more can book the Region plan, for up to three properties. This adds custom branding, a trip planner, chat, spa, restaurant and room service, custom events and tips, and the AI concierge. Groups of properties, networks and regions with unlimited properties use the Pro plan. This also includes multiple regions, a custom domain and a personal contact person.

In summary, depending on the plan, a digital guest directory includes:

• Regional guide with restaurants, tours and an event calendar
• Weather and forecast
• Trip planner with saved excursions
• Chat and service requests sent directly to the property
• AI concierge that answers based on information provided by the host

All paid plans can be cancelled monthly, with no setup fee and no minimum term. This lowers the barrier for hosts who want to try it out before committing long-term. The cheapest plan is enough to get started, and an upgrade to a larger plan is possible later.

How the AI concierge works within the directory

The AI concierge is not a loose chat tool that pulls together random information from the internet. It draws on the information the host has entered themselves. If a guest asks about breakfast times or the nearest hiking trail, the app answers with the property’s own details, not general guesses. This keeps the reception desk relieved of extra work, without incorrect information circulating. The concierge is also included in the Region and Pro plans, alongside chat, spa, restaurant and room service.

In this way, the digital guest directory takes over some of the questions that would otherwise end up at reception. Guests ask their question directly in the app, regardless of the reception’s opening hours. The concierge answers exclusively with what the property has provided.

Regional guide using Saxon Switzerland as an example

BELTURO’s pilot region is Saxon Switzerland, with restaurants, tours and an ongoing event calendar for the whole region. The website names rock towers, the Malerweg trail, boat trips and the view from the Bastei as features of the region. Tours are displayed in the app with length, elevation gain and a GPX track, which makes planning an excursion easier. According to the homepage, trip plans that guests create remain saved for a year. So someone planning in summer but arriving only in autumn will find their routes again without having to search from scratch. For hosts in other regions, this example shows how a regional guide can be structured within a digital guest directory.

The event calendar runs continuously for the entire region, not just for a single property. Guests therefore also see events that have nothing to do with their specific accommodation but take place nearby. According to the provider, this principle can be applied to other regions as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install anything as a guest?

No. The digital guest directory is a web app that runs in the browser. A download from an app store is not necessary.

Does it cost guests anything to use?

No, use is free for guests. Only the host pays, via a monthly subscription.

How quickly can I access the app as a guest?

Access works via a QR code at the property or a link in the booking confirmation. Guests who also want to use the trip planner or chat create a free account, which according to the provider takes under a minute.

Which plan suits which property?

A single property is covered by the Start plan. Those managing up to three properties choose the Region plan. Groups of properties, networks and regions with unlimited properties use the Pro plan.

Bildnachweis: Pexels, Foto: Helena Lopes