How to auto-reply to Booking.com guest messages
Short answer: There are three ways to automate Booking.com messages: saved message templates in the extranet, scheduled messages tied to the booking stage, and an AI assistant that understands the guest's question and answers from your hotel information. Templates suit standard information; an AI assistant suits the questions that differ for every guest.
1. Message templates
Save frequent answers like check-in time, directions and parking as templates and send them in one click. They're simple, but someone still has to read the message and pick the right template.
2. Scheduled messages
Messages sent automatically after booking, a day before arrival or on departure day. Guests are informed before they ask, but these don't answer questions guests write later.
3. An AI assistant
It reads the guest's message and writes a reply from your knowledge base in the guest's language. It works best for night-time, multilingual and off-template questions, and it should hand decisions (discounts, complaints) to staff.
| Method | Works best for | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Templates | Standard information | Someone must read and choose |
| Scheduled messages | Pre-arrival information | Doesn't answer incoming questions |
| AI assistant | Questions at any hour, in any language | Needs a good knowledge base |
Why response time matters
A fast answer before booking makes the guest's decision easier; a fast answer during the stay shapes satisfaction and reviews.
How it works in Hostlio Pro
On Pro and Growth, OTA messages including Booking.com land in the inbox of Lio, the AI assistant. Lio answers with your hotel information in the guest's language and leaves what it isn't sure about to you.