Research by AI Hospitality Tech Company Access Hospitality has revealed that room readiness delays have the potential to impact annual revenue by 8-15%[1].
Meanwhile, the findings have also indicated that one in three hotel operators cite housekeeping as an operational challenge[1].
As guests express an increasing desire for earlier check-ins and later check-outs[2], Access Hospitality has discussed the importance of improving room readiness and shared three practical ways to achieve it.
Why room readiness should be an essential focus for hotels
Nicola Longfield, Chief Commercial Officer for Global Accommodation & Payments at Access Hospitality, comments:
“With our data indicating that a third of hotels view housekeeping as an operational challenge, this highlights a common operational pain point that can have a direct impact on both revenue and the guest experience.
“In fact, room readiness delays are among the operational challenges having the biggest financial impact for hotels, capable of impacting up to 15% of annual revenue per site.
“Every delay in getting a room ready has a knock-on effect, whether that’s preventing an early check-in, slowing down room allocation, or leaving rooms unavailable to sell when demand is high. As guest expectations evolve, hotels that can consistently deliver on those are more likely to drive satisfaction, encourage repeat bookings and unlock additional revenue opportunities.”
How hotels can improve their room readiness
According to Access Hospitality, hoteliers can take the following three steps to improve their site’s room readiness.
1. Forecast demand
Using data points such as reservations, guest profiles and historical booking data to identify patterns in guest behaviour can help hotels forecast expected arrival times and check-in requests.
This allows hoteliers to allocate rooms more effectively and adapt housekeeping schedules to better accommodate guest demand. AI-powered hospitality platforms can further enhance demand forecasting by bringing together data from across the business, helping hotels make more informed decisions and keep room turnaround times on track.
2. Communicate proactively with guests
Clear communication can help manage expectations and improve the guest experience before they even arrive. Hotels should use guest communication channels such as email, SMS or their guest app to let guests know whether early check-ins or late check-outs are available, when their room is expected to be ready, or notify them the moment it becomes available.
Keeping guests informed throughout their stay reduces uncertainty, minimises pressure on front-of-house teams and creates a smoother arrival experience. Hotels can also use AI to automate these communications, ensuring guests receive timely updates while allowing staff to spend more time delivering a great guest experience.
3. Leverage AI to unlock additional revenue opportunities
Once hotels have greater visibility over room availability, AI can help identify opportunities to generate incremental revenue from room readiness. By analysing live operational data alongside guest booking information, hotels can recognise when an early check-in, late check-out or room upgrade is available and identify the guests most likely to value those offers.
Access Hospitality’s guest engagement software, GuestStay Evo, can use these real-time insights to trigger personalised offers at precisely the right moment in the guest journey, helping hotels to unlock additional revenue from opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked.