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Guests have moved on, have you?
Almost eight in ten travelers are happy to skip the front-desk queue and check in on a phone or kiosk, according to a recent survey commissioned by Mews. Now picture your lobby at 5 p.m. when arrivals peak. Fewer lines, less stress, and a calmer first impression are all possible when the building itself does more of the heavy lifting.
That shift is bigger than a single self-service app. It signals a broader expectation that every part of a stay–booking, arrival, room controls, even the energy use guests never see – should feel coordinated and effortless. In other words, the hotel is becoming the service.
This guide breaks down what counts as a “smart” hotel, why the technology earns its keep, and how you can roll it out one practical step at a time.
What “Smart Hotel” Really Means
A smart hotel treats every touchpoint — booking, arrival, stay, and departure — as parts of one connected system. Room lights dim when a guest unlocks the door, lobby screens pull names from the reservation list, and energy controls know when a space is empty. The magic isn’t in a single gadget but how they talk to each other.
Five cornerstones you’ll actually see in action:
- Smart sensors adjust lighting and temperature based on whether a room is occupied to create comfort without wasting energy.
- Cloud dashboards give managers one place to control screens, thermostats, and door locks.
- Mobile apps handle check-in, messaging, and keyless entry—fewer hand-offs, faster service.
- AI tools spot demand patterns and suggest rates or housekeeping schedules. Revenue bumps of ten percent or more aren’t unusual.
- Digital signage replaces static posters with live offers and directions right where guests look.
To clarify, a smart hotel is not the same as a tech-enabled one. There’s a difference. A tech-enabled hotel has helpful tools like mobile keys or a smart thermostat, but they often work separately.
A smart hotel connects those tools into one system that shares information across departments and devices. So instead of staff jumping between apps or guests repeating the same info twice, everything flows together. It’s easier, faster, and more thoughtful.
Why Smart Hotel Technology Matters to Operating Results
Enhanced guest satisfaction
Smart tech lets you personalise each stay at scale. Mobile check-in and digital keys help ease lobby traffic, while in-room sensors adjust the temperature and lighting to match each guest’s preferences. Voice or app controls handle curtains, streaming, and amenity requests without a phone call.
Travellers value this control and reward properties that deliver it with stronger reviews and repeat visits. When you remove waiting and guesswork, guests feel seen, relaxed, and more willing to explore other services the hotel offers.
Leaner operations and meaningful cost savings
Energy savings deliver the most visible financial win. Connected thermostats and smart lighting cut waste in empty rooms and corridors. Studies from the United States Environmental Protection Agency show energy costs can fall by as much as thirty percent when hotels adopt sensor-driven controls.
For a mid-size property, that means tens of thousands of dollars freed each year. Those savings can fund further upgrades or cushion the bottom line during slower seasons.
Revenue that grows alongside satisfaction
Every digital screen and mobile touchpoint becomes an opportunity to offer something timely and relevant. A lobby display notes that the spa has open slots and highlights a short massage special. Elevator screens shift to a dinner invitation as conference sessions wrap up.
These small prompts increase ancillary sales without feeling pushy because they appear at the exact moment a guest might be interested.
Apps and pre-arrival emails can also recommend upgrades based on past stays, while pricing tools adjust room rates in real time as demand or competitor activity changes. Large chains have used dynamic pricing for years.
The same algorithms are now available to independent and mid-scale properties to help them lift revenue per available room with minimal manual input.
Smart Hotel Technologies to Watch in 2025
- In-room control – Voice commands and easy casting make the room feel personal, not generic.
- Contactless services – Mobile keys and app-based concierges are on track to hit mainstream adoption next year.
- Real-time signage – Screens in lobbies, elevators, and bars adapt in seconds and drive up impulsive purchases.
💡 Tip: Look Digital Signage comes with ready-made templates and a single control panel, so you can refresh every screen in moments instead of chasing down USB sticks.
- Predictive analytics – Rate suggestions, staff rotas, even minibar restocks become data-driven.
- Smart energy management – Occupancy-based HVAC can fund other upgrades through monthly savings.
Strategic Locations Where Screens Will Have the Most Impact
Lobby
- Greet each guest by name, highlight loyalty benefits, and show local weather or flight updates.
- Short, rotating slides keep arriving visitors informed without crowding the desk.
Elevators and corridors
- Display the day’s events, current spa openings, and a QR code guests can scan to view the room-service menu on their phones.
- Guests have thirty to sixty seconds of idle time here, perfect for gentle prompts that boost ancillary sales.
Restaurants and bars
- Digital menus change automatically from breakfast to lunch to happy hour, so prices and dishes stay accurate.
- Pair food images with suggested drink combos to raise the average cheque value.
Conference areas
- Door signs pull meeting details directly from the calendar and update if schedules slip.
- Directional arrows on hallway screens reduce late arrivals and cut staff interruptions.
Guest rooms
- In-room TV channels show city guides, streaming shortcuts, and upgrade offers such as late checkout.
- Track click-through or QR scans to measure which offers spark the most interest.
Why Hotels Choose Look for Signage
You already put time and budget into your interiors, staff training, and creating a comfortable guest experience. Digital hotel signage deserves the same level of care because it guides first impressions, promotes on-site revenue, and eases daily operations. Look gives you a single, easy-to-use toolkit so your team keeps every display fresh without calling in outside help or juggling complex software.
Cloud control you can reach from anywhere: You open one web dashboard, and every screen across your property appears in front of you. From the same panel, you can create playlists, schedule them by date, time of day, or day of the week, and set automatic start–stop dates for seasonal campaigns. You can also group screens by floor, venue, or brand tier, then assign a playlist to an entire group at once.
Templates that let you publish in minutes: Look provides ready-made layouts for welcomes, daily schedules, and food and beverage boards. You drop in your logo, adjust colors, and hit publish. Your displays look polished, even if no one on staff has formal design training.
Multiple user access that keeps teams in sync: Give your front desk, events, and kitchen their own logins. Each group manages only the screens that matter to them, so lobby messages stay accurate and menu boards stay current. You avoid mix-ups and last-minute scrambles.
Works with the screens you already own: Look keeps capital costs low because it’s compatible with almost any display already hanging on your walls. Even older HDMI monitors behind the bar can switch to Look with the help of a media player. Check the full hardware compatibility list for model-by-model guidance.
Real-time updates and flexible layouts: Drag a video into one zone, place weather in another, and publish. When spa specials change or flights delayed, you push fresh information in seconds. Guests see the right message at the right moment, and you capture more impulse sales.
📌 Explore Look's Hospitality Solutions to digitize your guest journey.
How to Start Transitioning to a Smart Hotel Model
1. Conduct a Thorough Property Tech Audit
Start by evaluating your current technology stack and infrastructure. Inventory all existing systems (PMS, key card system, HVAC controls, POS, guest Wi-Fi, etc.) and identify their capabilities and limitations. Consider:
- What processes are still manual or paper-based?
- Where do bottlenecks occur in operations or guest service?
This audit phase will help you pinpoint the areas of greatest need or opportunity for tech upgrades. It also involves assessing your hotel’s network and hardware readiness:
- Is your Wi-Fi robust and secure enough to handle IoT devices in every room?
- Do you have the bandwidth for cloud systems?
Essentially, you need a clear baseline of “where we are” to chart the course to “where we want to be.”
2. Define Automation Priorities and Goals
Based on the audit, decide which smart technologies will have the most impact on your guest experience and operational efficiency. It’s usually wise to focus on a few high-impact areas rather than trying to do everything at once. For instance, if you identified that check-in waits are hurting guest satisfaction, implementing mobile check-in or kiosks might be priority #1.
It’s also important to create quantifiable goals (e.g., “reduce front desk workload by 30%” or “cut energy usage by 15% in first year”). These will guide your tech choices and provide benchmarks to measure success.
3. Choose Scalable, Open, and Integrated Solutions
When selecting smart hotel systems (IoT platforms, software, devices), favor those that are compatible with your existing systems and can scale over time. Ensure any solution can interface with your PMS or other core systems via APIs or standard protocols.
Also, consider scalability: if you implement a solution for one department, can it be expanded property-wide or to other hotels in your portfolio easily?
Many hotels also opt for cloud-based platforms for IoT and management systems because they are easier to update and integrate new features into. Importantly, don’t neglect cybersecurity and data protection as you add more connected devices.
4. Opt for User-Friendly Tools and Involve Your Team
When evaluating vendors or products, pay attention to the user interface and training required. To get this right from the get-go, involve your team early: bring in representatives from each department to demo the tools you’re considering. They can point out if something feels overly complex or if certain features are unlikely to be used.
Read also: Top 10 Hospitality Apps to Streamline Your Business Processes
5. Run Pilot Programs and Iterate
Rather than flipping the switch on a hotel-wide smart overhaul overnight, start with pilot implementations of one or two technologies.
Set a clear timeframe (e.g., 3-month pilot) and metrics for success (guest feedback, energy saved, time saved, etc.). Use the pilot to gather operational insights: you’ll learn what the real challenges are, which features staff and guests actually use, and what adjustments are needed.
During this period, solicit feedback aggressively – survey guests who interacted with the new tech (“How was your mobile check-in experience?”), and hold debriefs with employees involved (“Did the new housekeeping app fit your workflow?”).
Once the pilot objectives are met and you’re satisfied with the solution’s performance, you can develop a phased rollout plan for the entire property or additional properties.
6. Monitor, Measure, and Refine
After implementing new tech, continuously monitor the outcomes against your initial goals. Use any analytics the systems provide (e.g., usage reports, cost savings, guest satisfaction scores) to measure the impact.
Maybe your smart concierge chatbot handled 500 queries in a month – how did that affect front desk call volume? If you see improvements, communicate them to your team and ownership: this reinforces the value of the smart upgrades.
You can also plan periodic technology review meetings (maybe quarterly) with your team can help surface any issues and keep everyone aligned.
Smart Hotels Are the Future of Hospitality
Guest expectations are changing fast. They want less waiting, more control, and an experience that feels effortless from check-in to checkout. Smart hotel technology makes that possible—not by adding more tools, but by connecting the ones you already use. It helps your team work faster, your property run leaner, and your guests leave happier.
If you're ready to modernize without overcomplicating things, Look Digital Signage is the best place to start. Set up your first screens, automate updates, and bring your guest journey to life one display at a time.
Try Look free for 14 days or book a demo to see how it works in action.
