Mews launches AI-powered guest messaging and hotel automation tools

AI answers 80% of routine guest queries

Hotel technology provider Mews has launched two new features, Guest Messaging and Automations, designed to reduce administrative workloads and give hotel staff more time to focus on guest experience.

The Amsterdam-based hospitality operating system provider said the tools address the volume of repetitive tasks handled by hotel teams, from responding to routine guest enquiries to managing operational workflows and delivering personalised services.

Guest Messaging brings communications from multiple channels into a single, AI-powered inbox, linking conversations to individual guest profiles and reservations.

The feature supports SMS, WhatsApp, Booking.com, Expedia and the Mews Guest Portal, allowing guests to switch between channels while hotel staff retain a single view of the conversation.

Mews AI, trained on individual properties' data, can respond instantly to up to 80% of routine guest questions, including enquiries about breakfast, parking, pool opening times and late checkouts.

The system also uses information held in the property's management system, including room status, billing details and special requests, to provide contextually informed responses without asking guests to repeat information already held by the hotel.

Mews said the launch aims to address communication challenges faced by hotel teams, with one in three guest messages currently going unanswered and guests waiting an average of eight hours for a response, according to figures provided by the company.

Matt Marrs, operator at Llano Real Estate Group, said the technology had helped the business communicate with guests more efficiently, including sending bulk messages to guests checking in or out on a particular day.

He added that AI trained on the property's own responses could handle common enquiries, reducing the time staff spent answering repetitive questions.

The second feature, Automations, enables hotel general managers and IT teams to create no-code workflows that automatically trigger operational tasks and personalised guest interactions.

While many hospitality automation tools focus on revenue generation through upselling, dynamic pricing and paid upgrades, Mews said its new feature is also designed to support guest loyalty and recognition.

Hotels can configure workflows around specific events and guest characteristics, such as birthdays, returning visitors, loyalty status and VIP preferences.

At selected Strawberry properties, up to 60% of upgrades for Gold and Platinum loyalty members were automated using the technology.

When combined with Guest Messaging, Automations can also trigger personalised welcome messages containing door access PINs as soon as guests check in.

Mews said the no-code system allows hotel teams to build and manage workflows without requiring engineering resources, with the aim of ensuring operational tasks are completed consistently across shifts.

Maurits Bots, hotel ICT specialist at WestCord, said: “I built a fully automated room check workflow without a single hour of engineering time.”

He added that automation allowed the hotel to ensure tasks were completed consistently rather than relying on staff to remember them.

During its beta phase, Mews Automations ran 47,000 workflows, the company said.

Mews said the two features are designed to complement each other, with Guest Messaging reducing the time staff spend managing communications and Automations ensuring operational processes and personalised interactions happen without manual intervention.

Joel Ndreu, vice-president of product and engineering at Mews, said: “Your front desk team isn’t slow, they’re drowning. Checking multiple inboxes when they should be looking up from the screen isn’t what hospitality is about. 

"Guest Messaging is about giving them that time back, and Automations means the things that make a guest feel remembered happen automatically, without anyone having to be the one who remembers.”

The company said Automations will continue to expand, giving properties greater flexibility to design operational workflows around their individual requirements.

The launch forms part of a wider move towards AI-powered hospitality technology, as hotel operators look to streamline operations while maintaining personalised guest experiences.