Hotels
An AI receptionist for hotels
Front desk is the only department that never closes and is always understaffed at the wrong moment. Check-in rush, a queue in the lobby, and the phone ringing with a guest who wants a late checkout or a room for next Thursday.
A typical call
Where the calls go missing
The lobby always wins
When there is a queue at the desk, the phone loses. That is the right call for the guest in front of you and the wrong one for the booking on the line.
Overnight is a skeleton crew
One person covering the desk cannot take a booking enquiry, handle a guest request and watch the door at three in the morning.
Direct bookings are worth more
A caller sent to voicemail usually completes on an OTA instead, and that booking costs you commission you did not need to pay.
What Hilda handles
- Capturing direct room enquiries with dates, occupancy and rate questions
- Answering routine guest questions on check-in times, parking, breakfast, wifi and amenities
- Taking in-stay requests (extra towels, late checkout, a taxi) and routing them to the right team
- Handling overflow at check-in and check-out so nobody in the lobby waits while the phone rings
- Covering overnight so the night porter is not the only line of defence
What it deliberately does not do
Knowing where a system stops matters more than knowing where it starts.
- It does not take card details or process payments over the phone.
- It does not authorise refunds, upgrades or rate exceptions; those route to a duty manager.
- It does not handle a guest safety or security issue. Those reach a person immediately.
Further reading
What your hotel's front desk misses after 10pm
Common questions
- Can an AI receptionist for hotels take card payments over the phone?
- No; Hilda does not take card details or process payments over the phone, and it does not authorise refunds, upgrades or rate exceptions. Those route to a duty manager.
- Does it cover the front desk overnight?
- Yes; Hilda covers overnight so the night porter isn't the only line of defence, handling room enquiries and routine guest questions around the clock.
- Can it capture a direct booking instead of it going to an OTA?
- Yes; it captures direct room enquiries with dates, occupancy and rate questions, so a caller who'd otherwise be sent to voicemail (and likely book on an OTA instead) gets answered.
- How much does an AI receptionist cost?
- Hilda AI is $199 a month per location, with 500 minutes included and $0.25 per additional minute. There's no setup fee, and you can cancel anytime.