The owners of a six-room B&B outside Kenmare, on the Ring of Kerry, served breakfast between eight and half nine, cleaned rooms until early afternoon, and spent the evening answering emails, and the phone rang through all of it. Callers wanted a room for two nights in August, or asked whether the road to the Gap of Dunloe was suitable for a hired car, and a good number of them booked through a booking site instead after nobody answered, which cost the B&B a commission on a guest who had wanted to book direct.
The businesses in this article are illustrative examples, not named StartAutomate clients.
Key takeaways
- Small hotels and B&Bs lose direct bookings when nobody can answer, and those guests often book through an online travel agent instead.
- An AI receptionist checks live availability, takes the booking or sends a payment link, and answers the questions guests ask before they arrive.
- Anything unusual, from a complaint to a special request, goes to the owner.
Direct bookings by phone
Every booking that comes directly to a B&B saves the commission charged by the booking sites, and many guests, especially older travellers and Irish families, still prefer to ring. The agent checks availability in the property management system, such as Little Hotelier, Cloudbeds, Sirvoy or RoomRaccoon, and takes the booking or texts a secure link to pay the deposit.
It answers the questions guests ask before committing, such as whether there is parking, whether breakfast is included, and whether the family room takes a cot, all from the owner's own information.
Guest questions before arrival
Guests on their way ring about check-in times, directions from Killarney, and whether they can leave bags early. The agent answers from the guest information the owners provide and texts the directions and the Eircode.
It can also suggest the local things the owners are happy to recommend, such as the pub with the music on a Tuesday, without inventing opening hours it has not been given.
Hotels with a front desk
Larger hotels have a front desk, but it is busiest at check-in and check-out, exactly when reservation calls come in. The agent takes reservation and restaurant booking calls during those peaks, and passes calls about existing stays to reception.
Group and wedding enquiries get the details taken and a call booked with the events or sales manager, since pricing for those depends on things the agent should not guess at.
Card payments and guest data
The agent never takes card details over the phone, sending a secure payment link instead, and guest data is processed under GDPR with EU hosting.
Complaints, refunds and anything involving a guest's health or safety go to the owner or duty manager, and the agent tells the guest who will be in touch.
Common questions
Can an AI receptionist take hotel bookings?
Yes. It checks live availability in your property management system and takes the booking or sends a secure payment link for the deposit.
Which hotel systems does it work with?
We connect to common systems used by Irish hotels and B&Bs, including Little Hotelier, Cloudbeds, Sirvoy, and RoomRaccoon.
Does it take card payments over the phone?
No. It sends a secure payment link by text or email so card details are never given to the agent.