The owner of six self-catering cottages near Lamlash on the Isle of Arran spent Saturdays from April to October changing beds, collecting laundry, and answering the phone in between, with one hand holding a pillowcase. Most calls were from people asking about availability for a week in August that had been booked since January, and from guests on the ferry at Ardrossan asking where to collect the key.
The businesses in this article are illustrative examples, not named StartAutomate clients.
Key takeaways
- Holiday let owners get asked the same things all season, whether the August week is free and whether the dog can come, and most of the answers already sit in their booking system.
- An AI receptionist checks live availability, takes direct bookings or sends a booking link, and answers arrival questions for guests on their way.
- Maintenance emergencies during a stay go straight to the owner or the housekeeper on duty.
Availability and direct bookings
Owners who take direct bookings avoid the commission charged by booking platforms, but only if somebody answers the phone. The agent reads live availability from the booking system, whether that is Lodgify, Guesty, Supercontrol, Bookalet or a channel manager, and tells callers which cottages are free for the dates they want.
It can take the booking itself where the system allows, or text a payment link that holds the dates, and it answers the questions guests ask before booking, such as how many dogs are allowed, whether there is a cot, and whether the cottage near the shore is the one with the steep steps.
Arrival questions from guests
Guests travelling to an island have specific worries, and most of them arrive by phone on the day. The agent explains the key safe or collection arrangements, gives directions from the Brodick ferry terminal, reminds guests of the check-in time, and tells them where the nearest shop is open late on a Saturday.
If CalMac cancels a sailing in bad weather, the agent can call or text guests due that day, using the wording the owner has agreed, so nobody is left sitting at Ardrossan wondering whether the cottage will be kept for them.
Problems during a stay
A broken boiler, no hot water, a leak, or a lost key during a stay goes straight to the owner or whoever is on duty that day, by call and text with the cottage name and the guest's number. The agent tells the guest who will be in touch and roughly when.
Smaller questions, such as how the wood burner works or where the spare toilet roll is, get answered from the cottage's own guest information, which is usually a folder on the kitchen table that nobody has opened.
Scottish short-term let licensing
Holiday lets in Scotland need a short-term let licence from the local council, and North Ayrshire issues them for Arran. The agent can give the licence number if a guest asks, and it follows the maximum occupancy set in the licence when taking bookings, so a group of ten is not offered a cottage licensed for six.
It does not advise other owners on licensing, and it does not change prices or cancellation terms without the owner's rules telling it to.
Common questions
Can an AI receptionist take holiday let bookings?
Yes. It checks live availability in your booking system and either takes the booking or sends a secure payment link, depending on what your system supports.
Which booking systems does it work with?
We connect to common holiday let systems and channel managers including Lodgify, Guesty, Supercontrol, and Bookalet.
What happens if a guest has a problem at night?
Urgent problems such as leaks or no heating are passed to you or your on-duty contact immediately by call and text, and the guest is told who will be in touch.