Contactless experiences have become the new standard in the hospitality industry. Today’s hotel guests expect fast, app-free ways to check in, order services, and access information. Long wait times at the front desk and a reliance on physical contact no longer meet guest expectations.
This guide makes the case that contactless service is essential for guest satisfaction and loyalty; it is a competitive necessity, not just a tech trend. Bitly’s platform helps hotels create seamless, secure, and trackable guest interactions through QR Codes and short links, enhancing hotel operations from arrival to checkout.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
What “contactless service” really means today
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, “contactless” became associated with hygiene and social distancing. Today, its meaning has evolved. Contactless hospitality is now about convenience, personalization, and giving everyone control over their customer experience. It is about removing friction from the guest journey.
Hoteliers use QR Codes and short links to connect guests to everything they need, all without requiring them to download proprietary mobile apps. A guest can scan a QR Code in the lobby for mobile check-in, use another in their hotel room to order room service from a digital menu, or click a short link in an email to manage their booking. These simple, app-free contactless solutions are the new foundation of a modern hospitality experience.
Why contactless is now the guest expectation
Modern travelers expect seamless, mobile-first experiences in every other industry. They use their smartphones to check in for flights, order food delivery, and hail rideshares. They now expect that same level of self-service convenience from the hotel industry. A 2023 survey found that 73% of travelers want to use their mobile device to manage their hotel stay.
As part of the contactless hotel experience, short links and QR Codes empower guests by improving comfort and control, allowing them to manage their stay on their terms and on their schedule. They can bypass front desk queues, make requests without picking up a phone, and access information in real-time. This shift is not just about technology; it is a fundamental change in guest expectations.
Common challenges when going contactless
Hoteliers often face barriers when adopting contactless technology. Fragmented systems that don’t share data between a PMS (Property Management System) and new hotel technology can create data silos. Staff may require training to adapt to new digital workflows. Some operators also worry about losing the “personal touch” that defines white glove guest service.
However, contactless tools should enhance hospitality, not replace it. By handling transactional tasks like check-in or payment, automation frees hotel staff to focus on more meaningful guest interactions and concierge services. App-free tools like QR Codes and branded links generated with URL Shorteners make implementation simple for teams of any size, avoiding the high development cost and guest friction of a dedicated mobile app.
Benefits of contactless service for hotels and guests
Contactless services provide clear advantages for everyone. Hotel guests enjoy a faster check-in experience, easier service requests, and more control over their stay. Instead of waiting in long queues at the front desk after a long flight, they can use contactless check-in on their mobile device and go straight to their room. The self-service convenience extends to ordering room service from a digital menu or requesting housekeeping with a simple QR Code scan, all without picking up a phone. This autonomy empowers your visitors to manage their entire guest journey on their own terms.
For hotel management, the benefits are operational and financial. Contactless solutions and automation significantly lighten front desk workloads, which reduces wait times and frees hotel staff to focus on more complex, high-value guest interactions rather than transactional tasks. It also reduces manual data entry errors, ensuring guest data flows accurately and instantly into the PMS.
This improved operational efficiency leads to better reviews, higher guest satisfaction, and new, data-driven opportunities to streamline upselling by presenting personalized experiences or upgrades during the digital check-in process. Contactless hotel services can also offer significant sustainability perks by reducing the paper waste from printed menus and the 750 tons of plastic waste from disposable key cards that end up in landfills across the USA every year.
Key contactless use cases for modern hotels
A contactless guest experience is not one single feature but a series of connected touchpoints. Hoteliers can optimize the entire guest journey using simple, effective tools.
Digital check-in and check-out
Hotel owners can use short branded links and QR Codes to allow guests to check in and check out quickly from their own devices. This setup eliminates front-desk queues. A guest can receive a short link via SMS or email on the day of arrival, complete the process online, and get their room key sent to their phone. Using QR Codes for hotel check-in and check-out creates a smooth first impression and improves guest satisfaction from the very moment they arrive.
Mobile keys and digital access
Digital keys offer secure, convenient room access and eliminate the problem (and waste) of lost or demagnetized plastic key cards. Hotel chains can deliver mobile key access through QR Codes or secure short links sent directly to a guest’s smartphone, bypassing the need for an app download. This technology integrates seamlessly with most modern PMS platforms and NFC phone hardware, enhances security, and supports sustainability goals.
Direct access to safety information is also an important consideration. By using QR Codes for hotel guest safety procedures display, you can help ensure that every visitor has an easy way to view life-saving instructions when and where they need them most.
Contactless payments and billing
Secure, digital payment flows increase guest confidence and can reduce errors or chargebacks. A guest can scan a QR Code at the restaurant to pay their bill or click a short link to settle their folio from their hotel room. These smooth, trustworthy payment experiences can encourage hotel guests to spend more on-site, as they remove the friction from purchasing ancillary services. Maximizing the value of this captive market is a core part of using QR Codes for operational efficiency in hotels.
On-demand services and upsells
QR Codes placed in rooms, lobbies, or elevators allow guests to instantly order services or make requests. Examples include spa bookings, room service orders, room upgrades, or late check-out offers. This self-service model feels convenient for the guest and functions as an effective, low-pressure upselling tool for the hotel. QR Codes for housekeeping requests provide the perfect low-friction opportunity for guests to feel fully in control of their in-room environment when visiting your hotel.
How contactless experiences drive revenue and loyalty
Every digital touchpoint, from check-in to room service orders and contactless payments, creates an opportunity to increase guest satisfaction and drive repeat business. When the guest journey is easy and frictionless, guests are generally happier, can leave better reviews, and are more likely to return.
You can use scan and click data from Bitly Analytics to identify which offers or touchpoints resonate most with guests. For example, do QR Codes for spa discounts get more scans than those for restaurant specials? This data, combined with analytics from your hotel management tools, can help you optimize your upselling strategies based on real-time guest preferences.
Scale contactless guest experiences with Bitly
Contactless service helps hoteliers deliver the modern convenience guests expect while making hotel operations easier and more efficient for hotel staff. You can improve the in-room experience, streamline check-in, and create new revenue streams.
Bitly Codes (our Dynamic QR Code solution) and Bitly Links make it simple for any hotel to create smooth, secure, and connected guest experiences without complex tech setups. Our platform is SOC 2-compliant, providing the enterprise-grade security and governance that hotel chains and their guests demand. We help you build a better guest journey, one secure connection at a time.
Ready to enhance your guest experience with the perfect digital touchpoints? Log in to Bitly today to learn more about how we can help you get the most out of your facility.
