What is hotel automation?

Hotel automation is a way for manual and time consuming tasks to be done with little to no human intervention. 

Usually performed via software and technology, hotel automation can benefit both hoteliers and their guests in similar ways – often by saving time, saving money and removing stress.

Hotel automation has started making a real mark in the hospitality industry in recent years too, with owners and operators looking to save money, improve processes, get more revenue, and offer better guest experiences.

This article will highlight exactly what hotel automation is, how it can work across your business, and how you can adopt and apply it to your small property.

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Why is hotel automation the next big thing in hospitality?

It could be argued that hotel automation systems aren’t the next big thing in hospitality, but the current big thing. Automation in hotels has exploded over the last decade, on the back of ever smarter and more easily accessible hospitality automation tools.

The reason that automated hotel tech is such a big deal? It saves your hotel business vast amounts of time and money, it increases accuracy and reduces the chances of human error, and it enhances the guest experience by making it quicker, simpler and smoother.

What are the key benefits of hotel automation software?

What is the benefit of hotel automation? More specifically, how is this hotel automated system going to help you in the future as a business operator? And how will it enhance the experience that you provide to your guests?

The (rather extensive) benefits of hotel automation include:

  • Increasing the efficiency of your hotel, by automatically taking care of those manual and time-consuming daily tasks.
  • Reducing error in recording information and reporting on data, by taking the human out of the equation.
  • Eliminating the friction and frustration of manual and paper-based operations.
  • Boosting revenue and cutting costs through greater efficiency – one staff member taking care of a workload that may previously have required two or three.
  • Increasing productivity and enhancing the guest experience by allowing you more time to focus on higher value tasks.
  • Increasing connectivity between hotel systems and booking channels by allowing them to talk to each other.
  • Flexible and automatic check-in/out to minimise guest wait times and offer a smoother, more convenient hotel experience.
  • Automated upselling and packaging opportunities to generate extra revenue.
  • Increased personalisation through the collection of customer data, which can be used to customise your service to each guest.
  • Streamlining communication between staff, management and guests.
  • Better reporting and analysis to aid in business decision making, from setting rates to identifying new customer segments.
  • An enhanced ability to manage your property remotely and take holidays.

Given you likely don’t have the in-house resources to automate on your own, automation is usually introduced via a hotel software provider or a hotel app provider. Depending on everything you want to achieve, you can adopt both.At the moment chain hotels are more than twice as likely as independents to utilise technology so it’s an opportunity to get ahead of your small competitors. Without automation, the risk of double bookings and other factors that could cost your business money are always present.

hotel automation

Top hotel automation solutions in 2025

Now that we understand why automated hotel tech can prove so valuable, what exactly do these hotel automation solutions look like?

Hotel automation systems come in a few different forms, including:

Front desk automation

The front desk or reception area of your hotel will be where much of the admin action takes place, so should be a focus for your automation efforts.

The best front desk automation tools will let you manage your property and guests all in one place, and via a simple user interface, like a calendar that connects to all your booking channels and lets you view and manage reservations in a couple of clicks.

A quality front desk tool will let you do it all: organise your housekeeping, manage your rooms and rates, and review the most important numbers.

Guest services automation

Automation can be used for room and property features, not just your own administration. For your guests, the less time they have to spend waiting to check-in and get to their room the better. After a potentially long trip, any delay at the front desk will be frustrating.

In the room, some properties use automated smart apps so guests can easily control lighting, heating, fans, TVs, and blinds etc to ensure they have a constant sense of comfort and convenience.

Automation can also help guests order room service, make requests, or ask questions on a device like an iPad instead of having to call up the front desk. 

Post-check out you can also send out automated communications asking for reviews or conducting feedback surveys.

Hotel operations automation

Automation can help the owners and managers in charge of bigger hotel decisions too. Smart hotel automation systems can gather and analyse vast amounts of data to identify trends and untapped opportunities. These insights can guide you on everything from room rates to the booking channels you should be focusing on and investing in. 

The best tools will also analyse competitor rates, compare your own rates across all your booking channels, and grant you the ability to track your own performance based on key metrics over time.

How to implement hotel automation strategies effectively

Between hotel automation technology providers and hotel app providers, all your automation needs should be met. These companies design tools specifically for your industry and often have a variety of products, many directly related to your property type and size.

A hotel automation provider can help you automate all your daily tasks including:

  • Updating inventory and room rates across all booking channels
  • Accepting and processing reservations
  • Checking guests in and out
  • Sending guest communications
  • Organising housekeeping and maintenance
  • Producing reports
  • Performing data analysis

Listing all this out is kind of amazing – since you’ll realise how much work you were doing by yourself before. It will be very satisfying to lighten the load.

Take Posada del Cortés for example:

“In our first year alone with Little Hotelier, we were able to reduce our administrative tasks and manual changes by 80%.”

Automation can really increase your potential to earn more from each room you sell too. If you achieve this, the extra revenue is essentially pure profit. This is where upselling, extras, and packages are so important for adding value not only to your hotel, but to the guest as well. You can use specific apps to help and also software like online booking engines.

Hotel automation examples

Little Hotelier is an example of a hotel software provider that also offers a mobile app, which can help you automate your hotel or small property.

A range of features can be accessed on Little Hotelier. Here’s some examples and how they can automate what you do:

  • Front desk software

This is the central system where you can control and automate your daily tasks including updating inventory and room rates, processing reservations, managing guest details, sending communications, scheduling housekeeping, invoicing, and reporting.

  • Channel manager

A channel manager will let you connect to as many booking channels as you want, advertising all your rooms at the same time. When connected to your front desk, it will automatically update inventory when bookings are made or cancellations occur.

  • Online booking engine

A booking engine enables you to accept direct bookings, with less commission paid to third-party channels, on your website and from your Facebook page. You can also set up promotions, packages and extras in your booking engine. Guests will have a simple two-step process to make their choice and book.

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).