Blog

The night shift: 1.6 million guest messages reveal the after-hour demand.

A 30-day look at 1.6 million guest messages shows the ones that arrive after dark are urgent ones, and the slowest to get answered.

How to get direct bookings for your vacation rental (and stop paying OTA fees every time)

The real cost of OTA commissions, five ways operators win guests back to direct booking, and how vacation rental companies are converting one-time Airbnb and Vrbo stays into repeat direct revenue.

Hotel guest experience: how to design every touchpoint to earn 5-star reviews and repeat stays

A practical guide to improving hotel guest experience, covering pre-arrival communication through post-stay follow-up, and how properties deliver consistent service without adding headcount.

Early Check-In and Late Checkout: when guests actually buy them

Across a year of upsell purchases on Akia, early check-in sells on arrival day (42%) and late checkout sells on departure day (49%), and the bigger the party, the more likely they are to buy and the more they spend.

AI for hotels: the tools operators are actually deploying in 2026 (and what each one does)

A practical guide to AI in hospitality — the specific workflows hotels and vacation rentals are automating, what each AI category does, and how to build a stack that actually frees your team to focus on guests.

Hotel marketing: a practical playbook for filling rooms and building direct-booking loyalty

A practical guide to hotel marketing: what it covers, which channels drive the best returns, and how properties build direct-booking loyalty without depending on OTAs.

Hotel front desk software: what the best properties use (and why a unified inbox changes everything)

A practical guide to hotel front desk software — the five categories operators actually use, what to look for in each, and why the communication layer matters more than the PMS for day-to-day staff productivity.

Hotel upsell software: how to choose a platform that turns check-in into a revenue moment

A practical guide to evaluating hotel upsell software — what to look for, what to avoid, and how properties are generating $1K–$20K/month in ancillary revenue on autopilot.

Guest messaging: a practical guide for hotels and short-term rentals

Guest messaging is how guests expect to reach you now. Here's what works across SMS, WhatsApp, OTA inboxes, and web chat — without burning out the front desk.

Ask Akia: the same AI handling your guests, now works for your team

For every shift manager who's been asked the same question 40 times and every new hire who's had to call a manager on day two.

The #1 reason guests leave a 1-star rating.

Akia looked at one- and two-star guest reviews and found 21.8% are about the room itself — six times more than any other complaint category. An in-stay survey catches complaints privately before they go public, an AI agent that picks up on complaints in guest messages spins up tasks for the right team, and patterns across stays show which units and issues keep coming up.

Two things that make Akia work: Knowledge Base and Skills

We've reorganized your AI Agent settings around the distinction that matters most: what Akia knows vs. how she behaves.

What 900,000 guest messages reveal about how properties actually run

Across a 30-day sample of 900,000 guest messages flowing through Akia, roughly 4 out of 5 are repetitive questions an AI agent handles on day one. A smaller middle tier requires an agent trained on the property's specific policies. A final tier are complaints, refunds, and safety issues that should always escalate to a human.

Akia UI Updates: April 2026

We made updates to the Mini Apps, Knowledge Base, and Orders interfaces. Here’s what changed and where to find things in the new layout.

Lost in translation: hotels are turning language barriers into 5-star reviews

The small operational fix that turns frustrated foreign-language guests into five-star reviewers.

Why 65-87% of hotels are chronically short-staffed at the front desk — and what automation is doing about it

The worker gap is widening. Properties that automate now will be structurally better off when it arrives in full.

40% of hotel bookings happen within a week.

Why booking windows are shrinking and how to capture last-minute demand without dropping rates

Train it once. Let it work forever.

AI Agents train themselves on your team’s knowledge such as policies, brand, and operations, then apply it across every guest interaction.

Hand it your property handbook. AI Agents replace months of onboarding.

When most people hear "AI training," they picture months of setup, technical teams, and complex configurations. In hospitality, it’s way easier. Akia's AI Agents learn from your website, your Property Management System, and your team to handle guest experiences on their own.

Your AI Agent isn’t just support. It’s a revenue engine.

How to use Akia’s AI Agent to drive direct bookings & upsell smarter.

Reduce guest inquiries with AI that reads your website.

Akia’s AI Agents read your website for context on FAQs, policies, amenities, and more to automatically respond to guests.

Automate after-hours support for your team.

Schedule when AI Agents need to respond automatically and choose the tasks they’re allowed to handle.

Akia customers featured in the MICHELIN Key list of top hotels

MICHELIN recognized these Akia-powered hotels for more than just great design; they deliver experiences that guests remember long after checkout.

AI Agents troubleshoot issues step by step to reduce maintenance calls.

Walk guests through simple fixes and give your team the context they need to avoid unnecessary dispatches and resolve real issues faster.

AI Agents reference your Guest Book to answer guest inquiries.

AI Agents pull policies, instructions, and offers from your Mini App to better respond to your guests, cutting time spent for staff to manually respond.

Booking.com & Expedia integrate with GPT-5: What it means for hospitality

GPT-5 is changing the way travelers plan trips. With the rollout of apps inside ChatGPT, platforms like Booking.com and Expedia are now built directly into the chat experience. Here’s what’s happening, and what it means for hotels and vacation rentals.

An AI Agent that keeps teaching itself.

Onboarding staff takes weeks. Akia’s AI skips the setup by cloning your best employee, shadowing staff, learning from real conversations, and building its own knowledge base for smarter, more consistent answers.

AI Agents respond to OTA messages

Hotels and vacation rentals can now manage OTA guest conversations directly in Akia, with self-training AI Agents that improve replies, reduce missed messages, and keep guests happy.

Hotel Revenue Management Tips for Outside Lands

Learn how San Francisco hotels can optimize revenue during Outside Lands with dynamic pricing, direct booking tactics, and guest-focused upsells.

Why Guests Remember the Room—and Write About It

In boutique hospitality, the hotel room is the most influential space for shaping guest impressions, driving reviews, and reinforcing brand identity through thoughtful design and operational detail.

The White Lotus Effect: How Pop Culture is Driving Hotel Bookings

Filming locations for The White Lotus have seen massive upticks in visits and reservations. Learn how your property can capitalize on trends, even without a major HBO series.

Take the chaos out of hotel operations: master task management

Learn how automated task management can help your team work more efficiently. Never let a task slip or get forgotten.

New Airbnb Rental Policy: How Akia Helps Your Property Stay Compliant

By partnering with Akia, vacation rental managers can navigate Airbnb's new policies with confidence.

How Akia’s AI Agent works (and why it’s so simple to use)

A step-by-step look at how Akia’s AI Agent is trained, supervised, and ready to help your guests.

6 properties that capture feedback before checkout.

What data from 6 top-performing properties reveals about stopping negative reviews before they go public.

ChatGPT prompts every hotelier should try in 2025

A guide to ChatGPT prompts every hotelier can use to simplify daily operations, train staff, and improve guest satisfaction.

Quick hacks that cut check-in costs in half

Discover how digital check-in helps boutique hotels cut costs, prevent fraud, capture guest data, and create smoother arrivals while boosting upsell opportunities.

Celebrating housekeepers week 2025: A guide for hotel leaders

Celebrating the heart of hospitality: creative ways hotels can honor their housekeeping teams.

Hotel vs Resort

Learn the key differences between hotels and resorts, from amenities and locations to guest expectations. This guide helps travelers choose the right stay and helps hospitality professionals position their property effectively.

How to keep hospitality human with digital check-in

Guests love the speed of digital check-in, but they remember the way you made them feel. The real magic happens when technology meets human warmth.

How to use ChatGPT to draft the perfect hotel welcome card

Learn how boutique hotels can use ChatGPT to create warm, personalized welcome messages that delight guests from the moment they arrive. This step-by-step guide shows how to combine AI efficiency with human hospitality to set the perfect tone for each stay.

Hotel text messaging: How to keep guests happy

Automated hotel text messages can save time, boost satisfaction, and keep your service personal—here’s how.

Mapping a guest journey that wins loyalty

This guide walks boutique hotel operators through each stage of the guest journey, from booking to post-stay reviews, with practical tips for creating memorable experiences, building loyalty, and balancing technology with genuine hospitality.

Hotel marketing strategies that boost guest satisfaction

Discover 10 hotel marketing strategies that not only attract bookings but also boost guest satisfaction. From SEO to personalization, learn how boutique hotels can turn marketing into memorable guest experiences.

Your Smartest 24/7 GPT Concierge

Why Agentic AI goes beyond chatbots. It makes decisions, triggers actions, and outperforms staff at the tasks that slow them down.

What is RevPAR?

A practical guide to understanding RevPAR, how to calculate it, and what it reveals about hotel performance.

How Self Check-In Technology Drives Hotel Profitability

Discover how self check-in technology is transforming hotel operations and boosting profitability. This blog breaks down the key financial and experiential benefits of adopting self check-in systems—from cutting labor costs and increasing staff efficiency to enhancing guest satisfaction and unlocking new revenue streams. Whether you're managing a boutique property or scaling operations, this post reveals why self check-in is more than a tech upgrade—it's a strategic investment in your hotel’s future.

The Smart Lobby Hotel: Technology Is Transforming Guest Experience

The hotel lobby is transforming from a simple check-in area into a tech-enabled hub that enhances guest experience, streamlines operations, and boosts revenue. This blog explores how innovations like contactless arrivals, AI personalization, digital signage, real-time analytics, and immersive design are redefining the modern “smart lobby” to meet today’s hospitality demands.

What GPT‑5 Signals for Smarter Guest Journeys

OpenAI just released GPT‑5, its most advanced model to date. It’s faster, sharper, more honest, and notably better at understanding complex requests.

Beyond the OTA

Explore how boutique hotels and vacation rentals can harness the benefits of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) without becoming dependent on them. This post breaks down the hidden costs of third-party bookings and reveals how AI-powered guest engagement can turn one-time OTA stays into lasting brand relationships. With real-world examples and actionable strategies, it’s essential reading for operators looking to boost loyalty, direct bookings, and long-term revenue.

Akia Integrates With Cloudbeds, the Leading Hospitality Management Platform

Airbnb's rumored revenue drop and the battle between HITEC and The Hospitality Show

HIP is a newsletter highlighting hot topics, significant trends, and business initiatives within the hospitality industry.

How to create a guidebook for your vacation rental property

Give your guests exactly what they need in a digital guidebook for smoother stays and less repetitive inquiries.

Free registration form templates you can download.

Not yet ready to have your onboarding automated? We still want to be your source for all things regarding guest communication. So here are some registration form templates you can use as a sample or to modify.

Top 20 Secrets to Success in Hotel Marketing

If you don’t have a plan for marketing your hotel yet, you’re probably not getting the results you want. The hotel industry is very competitive, but your hotel can stand out to travelers by creating a comprehensive marketing plan. Whether you run a small bed and breakfast, a mid-sized independent hotel, or a larger hotel chain, you can drive more hotel bookings and increase revenue by using some or all of these hotel marketing strategies.

Agentic AI: A Secret Weapon for Hospitality Leaders

How autonomous, intelligent systems could reshape hotel operations and help leaders make better-informed decisions.

Unlocking Growth: Enriching Your CRM with Valuable Guest Data

How to make the most of hospitality data, so you can increase direct bookings, revenue, and satisfaction.

How hotels can build a high-performing distribution strategy

Tactics and technology to boost occupancy & RevPAR.

Akia Marketing Suite: A Direct Booking Superpower

How hotels and vacation rentals are driving revenue with the Akia Marketing Suite.

Introducing Mini Apps 3

New features make guest communication more consistent than ever, without the need for logins or downloads.

Introducing the new Akia Marketing Suite

Reach guests like never before with an Email and SMS Marketing Suite layered atop your PMS.

Top Hospitality Challenges in 2025

How hotels and vacation rentals can come out on top in the age of skeptical guests and staff uncertainty.

Crafting Impactful Hotel Welcome Messages: A Complete Guide

Who doesn’t love to feel special? Start every stay on the right foot by ushering in guests with personalized, helpful greetings.

Clever Tactics for Collecting Guest Emails

Increase direct bookings by reaching past guests directly through their email inbox.

Pull your most relevant guest data together in a single view

See all your critical reports in a dashboard and monitor all guest data across properties in a single, unified screen.

Mark Items out of stock in the Mini App.

Update your digital menu to indicate unavailable items, ensuring guests don’t accidentally place orders.

Manage transactions in Akia Pay.

View transaction in a detailed table and soon, manage payments with refunds and data export.

Streamlined Operations for Better Service

If you’re on-the-go with various requests from guests, we know you don't want to waste any time. With our recent updates, our goal was to help you easily get organized and attend to requests while staying in clear communication. Check out the new ways you can use Akia to provide excellent service.

The Art of Guest Profiling: 6 Essential Elements Every Hotelier Should Track

This data already exists across your tools – isn’t it time you start using it to your advantage?

How to win chargebacks and friendly fraud attempts.

Mitigate the risk of friendly fraud in hospitality.

How to automate door locks after check-ins.

Schedule guest access to prevent guests from entering the unit earlier than they should.

Refund Guests in Akia Pay.

Properties can now manage and issue refunds directly in the Akia interface. Review guest orders and transaction details, then process refunds without switching platforms, streamlining your workflow.

Snooze and relax: let guest chats rest until you’re ready to follow up

Hit snooze on guest conversations, clearing your inbox without losing track of important follow-ups. Set it and forget it until it’s time to respond.

Find and chat with guests instantly

Start guest conversations by searching their name, phone number, or email —no more scrolling through long lists to find the right info.

Keep payments safe and simple: Why secure payment verification matters. ‍

Discover how secure payment verification protects your guests, prevents fraud, and speeds up the payment process. 

Easy Social Media Ideas for Busy Hospitality Managers

Maintain a crucial marketing channel without the need to hire someone new.

Payments with Akia

Akia and roommaster deliver personalized guest experiences

This integration allows hospitality businesses to personalize guest experiences, improve communication, and streamline operations.

How to implement ID verification?

Learn how to set up ID scanning in Akia’s Mini App to prevent fraud.

Reduce room entry delays with master codes.

Create master codes for all your units for your teams, reducing delays and immediate access.

Upsell Guests With New Digital Booklet Components

We're happy to announce a few product updates that focus on simplifying hotel operations. With our recent updates, hotels can do more with their digital booklets, use token shortcuts in their messages, and use other tools directly on Akia's user interface. Find out how these changes can be used to improve your hotel operations.

Akia Raises $6 Million in Series A Funding to Scale Automation Technology

‍Akia Raises $6 Million in Series A Funding to Scale Automation Technology. The Series A funding led by Altos Ventures will enable Akia to scale its automation technology to help businesses manage the ongoing labor shortage.

Akia and SkyTouch Technology Announce a Direct Integration via SkyTouch

The integration between Akia and SkyTouch’s platform enables hoteliers to intelligently manage their hotel operations.

Akia and rezStream Partner to Bring Contactless Solutions to Hotels

Akia and rezStream partner to bring contactless solutions to more hotels across The United States.

Akia Announces Integration With Jonas Chorum

Akia is excited to announce a direct integration with Jonas Chorum. This integration will enable contactless communication for mutual clients.

Streamline your guest communications with our Airbnb integration.

Monitoring multiple guest channels can lead to overlooked messages. Consolidate all communication within one platform to minimize response time, ensuring you don’t miss guest inquiries and risk losing bookings to other properties.

Why Your Hotel Needs a Reputation Management Strategy

How often do you check the reviews before going to a restaurant? Would you avoid a restaurant with less than 3 stars?

Spot guest request patterns with intent-based heatmaps.

Discover how intent-based heatmaps identify common guest requests to help you optimize your operations and be proactive about top inquiries.

Sync guest data directly from your PMS

Easily integrate custom fields from your PMS to Akia to personalize guest experiences and automate messaging.

Ensuring your guest security with door code automation

See how to remotely automate generating and distributing door code access.

Photography Tips for Vacation Rentals

How to photograph your vacation rental so it looks great—even if you only have a camera phone. Professional photographers offer their tips.