Whether as a vacation destination in and of itself or a pit stop on a bigger journey, your hotel is where people want to kick back and relax, unwind, and unplug—but maybe not unplug completely. After all, most of us keep our phones with us at all times, especially when visiting a new place. We use our smartphones to take pictures and videos, share what we’re up to, navigate to new destinations, and to stay in touch with the people in our travel party.
Mobile devices are now an indispensable part of travel, so naturally, hoteliers should be thinking about how to use them to surprise and delight guests at every moment of their stay. From offering quicker and more accessible support to enhancing comfort, you can use your mobile app and tools like QR Codes and short links as an extension of your staff and resources.
In fact, if you aren’t offering these mobile connections to your guests, you’re missing out on easy wins to take your guest experience to the next level. Let’s explore 11 ways you can use mobile-based tech to delight guests and make every stay extraordinary.
Using mobile as a means to dazzle guests
The personal, human touch remains one of the most important elements of the guest experience in hospitality. But that shouldn’t keep you from embracing tech-powered interactions with your guests, either.
A 2022 report from Skift and Oracle identified “three Cs” of essential hotel technology: comfort, control, and convenience. By tapping into the power of mobile tech, you can deliver all three to your guests. For instance, you can:
- Offer access to your app and make stays more convenient with contactless connections
- Allow guests to take control of their stay and book amenities straight from their smartphones
- Provide convenient access to information, room service, and staff support via QR Codes
Best of all, many of these mobile-based touchpoints don’t require an operational overhaul or huge investments in all-new technology. The presence of smartphones is a major asset, not only to your guests but also to your team. Introduce new resources for your guests—in addition to the ways you already go above and beyond—to care for your guests via their smartphone at every step.
11 easy ways to use mobile-based tech
Ready to implement more smartphone-friendly touchpoints at your hotel? Let’s get tactical—try these 11 simple ways to give your guests the engaging and enjoyable stay they’re after.
1. Room access and check-in
Skift’s 2022 research found that 54% of travelers said that they’d like to see contactless check-in and check-out permanently adopted over the next three years in hotels—and that “future” is almost here.
When guests arrive on property, they’re ready to put down their bags and start relaxing right away. You can give them everything they need for a quick and easy check-in via their mobile phones. At the front desk, share a QR Code or short link they can use to confirm their stay details and check in—without waiting in line or even talking to a staff member.
If their room is ready, you can even give them room access right away via their phones. Send a Bluetooth key to their device via mobile app; all they have to do is hold their phone near the door to unlock and open the room in seconds. Enhance guest satisfaction from the very start of their stay with contactless, seamless check-in—and send them on their way with ease with contact-free check-out.
2. In-room controls
Whether your guests are with you for just one night or a week or more, their room is their home away from home during their stay. Go the extra mile to help them feel comfortable, and let them make the space their own.
Offer next-level in-room personalization by giving them control over ambient elements of their room like lighting or temperature. As they start their stay, provide access to dim lighting for a relaxing evening or colorful to delight the kids. Temperature matters for a deep, comfortable sleep, so let them turn the A/C up or down before they even get back from dinner. These small touches let your guests enjoy convenient, contactless comforts that make them feel right at home.
3. Resources and amenities
To many of your guests, the days of calling down to the front desk for information or room service are behind them. In fact, 75% of millennials and 90% of Gen Z prefer not to make phone calls altogether—which means you need to offer your guests access to resources and support without having to pick up the hotel phone.
Give guests a direct line to your staff via mobile app so they can request concierge services or recommendations in minutes, and provide a QR Code they can scan to order room service or learn about amenities. You can also offer short links throughout your property that connect people to a staff member for assistance right away.
4. WiFi connection
You can be sure that one of your guests’ first questions as they settle into their room will be about WiFi access on-property. Help them connect as quickly and easily as possible with a QR Code available in each room for them to get online in seconds. As an “amenity,” offering free WiFi has been table stakes for quite some time now, so a great way to set apart your stay is by offering a seamless experience to connect to WiFi.
You can also take the guest experience to the next level by offering speedy service and lounge areas where business travelers can complete focused work or attend online meetings during their stay.
5. Entertainment access and curation
Help your guests get excited about the entertainment options you offer even before they’ve arrived. Share your current movie and show selections straight from your mobile app, so the whole family can look forward to what they’ll watch together during their stay. You can even offer pre-order options for rentals, so the latest blockbuster is queued up on screen as soon as they get back to the room.
6. Personalized notifications
For guests who download your mobile app to enhance their stay, notifications are a great way to keep them connected to everything going on during their vacation. At a moment’s notice, let your guests know about ways to get the most out of their stay, from last-minute spa openings to on-property or local events they might enjoy. Keep these notifications personalized by reminding them about breakfast buffet hours, the timing of their dinner reservation, or their upcoming check-out time.
7. Mobile app payment
“Surprise and delight” on your property is about the small details that let your guests focus on enjoying themselves, so they can forget about everything else—including taking out their wallets. Go beyond allowing people to charge room service and other expenses to their room number, and send each charge to the guest’s mobile app so they can complete payment straight from their phone. Rather than receiving a paper bill each time they need to pay (or at the conclusion of their stay, when they’re already eager to catch a flight or car home), your guests can complete each payment from one central hub on their phone.
8. Language translation
When guests come to visit you from all over the world, you can make non-English speakers feel right at home by offering helpful resources throughout their stay, all from their smartphones. For printed materials or signage, share a QR Code for them to view a translated version in their native language online. You can also offer in-app translation resources, such as a way to request a staff member to translate, either before their stay or in the moment.
9. Games and scavenger hunts
When families spend a few nights on your property, offer them unique and playful ways to engage their kids—after all, vacation is a perfect time to make lasting memories. Create mobile-based activities like location-based mobile games, AR experiences, or scavenger hunts around your property, and share a short link for them to join the fun.
Encourage them to explore, uncovering amenities or hidden gems along the way. You’ll keep younger guests excited for not just current adventures but future visits.
10. Virtual tours
There’s nothing like planning a trip or dreaming about your next vacation. How can your hotel help seal the deal while guests are researching accommodations? Skift reported that two-thirds of travelers were very or somewhat interested in taking virtual reality or metaverse tours before booking—and you can also bring the planning process to life right from travelers’ phones with virtual tours.
Share engaging videos or let them take a self-guided “walk” around your property, explore rooms, or preview local attractions. Whether they’re still deciding where to book or already reserved their stay, an online tour right from their phone will delight your future guests and have them counting down the days until check-in.
11. Direct booking
One-third of online travel bookings happen on a mobile device—this number has grown in recent years, and it’s sure to keep climbing.
Whether a guest needs to make a last-minute, impromptu reservation or wants to book next year’s trip while they’re still with you, offer simple and user-friendly mobile booking experiences, and special offers and incentives to secure their stay. Make sure the experience is mobile-optimized and user-friendly—be sure to remember their details and payment information through your website or mobile app to make their next stay a quick and easy “yes.”
Smartphones: The secret to smarter stays
With each short link click, app download, QR Code scan, and mobile touchpoint, you can meet your guests on their terms with the information they need and create more helpful, convenient, and immersive moments.
Add mobile-based tech to every stay to connect with every guest. You’re not just increasing satisfaction and connection for one stay; you’re building retention and loyalty that will last for years to come.
