During a stay, guests need small things all the time: extra towels, a late checkout, a table for dinner, a taxi to the airport. Most hotels handle these over the room phone, which means a busy front desk, missed calls and requests that never reach housekeeping.
Using WhatsApp for hotels during the stay puts every request in writing, routes it to the right team and lets the guest see when it's done.
In short
- Give guests one WhatsApp number for everything during their stay.
- Route each request to the team that handles it: front desk, housekeeping, restaurant or maintenance.
- Let an AI agent answer the routine questions at any hour.
- Set response time targets and check them weekly.
One number, shared at check-in
Share your WhatsApp number at check-in, on the key card holder and with a QR code in the room. When a guest messages first, a 24-hour customer service window opens, and every reply you send inside it is free. During a stay, most of the conversation costs nothing.
The requests you'll get, and who handles them
| Request | Team |
|---|---|
| Towels, toiletries, room cleaning time | Housekeeping |
| Late checkout, extra night, invoice | Front desk |
| Table booking, room service, menu | Restaurant |
| AC, Wi-Fi, TV not working | Maintenance |
| Taxi, sightseeing, airport transfer | Concierge or front desk |
In SAMWAD's shared inbox, each conversation can be assigned to the team that handles it, with the guest's room number and history visible to everyone. Nobody has to relay a request over the radio.
Let AI handle the routine questions
Many messages are questions with a fixed answer: breakfast timings, pool hours, the gym, how to connect a TV, nearby pharmacies. An AI agent trained on your hotel's information can answer these at any hour and pass anything else to your team.
For requests with a few options, such as choosing a housekeeping time or booking a spa slot, a WhatsApp Flows form lets the guest pick in a couple of taps.
Hi {{name}}, welcome to {{hotel}}! I'm here for anything you need during your stay in room {{room}}.
Reply anytime, or pick one below.
HousekeepingRoom serviceFront desk
Set response targets
A WhatsApp request answered an hour later feels worse than a phone call answered in a minute. Agree targets with each team, for example a first reply within 5 minutes and towels delivered within 20, and review them weekly. Close every request with a short "done" message, so the guest knows it was handled.
Calls still matter
Some guests will still call. The Voice AI agent can answer inbound WhatsApp calls, handle the common questions and pass the rest to your team.
After the stay
Send the invoice and a one-question rating after check-out. A feedback request tied to the guest's stay fits Meta's utility category. Follow up personally on low scores, and invite happy guests to leave a review. At Meta's India rates as of January 2026, a utility message sent outside the 24-hour window costs about ₹0.115 before GST, and a marketing message about ₹0.86. Meta can change its rates, so check the current ones in your WhatsApp Manager.
Questions
Do guest conversations on WhatsApp cost money?
When the guest messages first, your replies within 24 hours are free. You pay Meta's charge only for template messages you start, such as a welcome message or a feedback request.
Can several teams share one hotel WhatsApp number?
Yes. With a shared inbox, front desk, housekeeping and the restaurant can each work their own conversations on one number.
What about guests who don't use WhatsApp?
Keep the room phone and the front desk. WhatsApp is an extra channel, not a replacement.
For messages before arrival, read WhatsApp booking confirmations for hotels, see WhatsApp for travel, or download the guest messaging playbook.
