AI personalizes hotel recommendations to suit each guest
AI is transforming the travel industry by personalizing hotel recommendations for every traveler. From smart filters to AI travel assistants like ChatGPT and Kayak GPT,... users receive tailored hotel lists that match their interests, budget, and preferences. By analyzing booking behavior, reviews, and personal tastes, AI helps travelers quickly find ideal accommodations without the hassle. This article explores how AI works behind the scenes and the real-world benefits it brings to both guests and hotels.
Travel planning is undergoing a significant transformation powered by AI. Recent surveys reveal that 40–80% of travelers now rely on AI-based tools for trip planning. Rather than scrolling through generic search results, many travelers simply ask AI assistants for help and receive curated hotel recommendations tailored to their needs.
How AI Learns Your Travel Preferences
AI-driven systems excel at understanding individual guest preferences through machine learning. When you input your interests and travel dates, tools like OpenAI's assistants generate "personalized lists of activities and accommodations" matched to your tastes. A simple query like "pet-friendly desert resort with spa" transforms into precisely targeted hotel suggestions without additional effort.
Pattern Recognition
Machine learning identifies preferences from your booking history and reviews.
Smart Filtering
AI interprets conversational prompts and scans full inventory for matches.
Real-Time Personalization
Systems continuously refine recommendations based on your behavior.
For example, if you frequently praise a hotel gym in your feedback, the system will prioritize hotels with top-reviewed gyms in future recommendations. Over time, this continuous learning creates recommendations that feel genuinely hand-picked for each traveler.
Travelers are now using detailed conversational prompts instead of simple searches, such as "I want a quiet beach hotel with pet-friendly rooms." AI filters use models like GPT-4 to interpret these phrases and scan the full inventory for matches.
— Booking.com Travel Insights
Expedia demonstrates the scale of this approach: their AI combines "1.26 quadrillion variables" (location, dates, room type, price, and more) to deliver personalized trip options to each user. The result is faster discovery—travelers receive a shortlist of hotels tailored to their profile in a single interaction.
Hotels Using AI to Target Guests
Hotels themselves are leveraging AI to recommend the right options and increase bookings. A prime example is Gant Travel's Hotel Concierge tool, which analyzes a traveler's profile, company policies, and peer booking behavior to send customized hotel offers via email immediately after a flight booking.
Generic Marketing
- One-size-fits-all email campaigns
- Low conversion rates
- Guests ignore irrelevant offers
- Manual targeting process
Personalized Recommendations
- Five personalized hotel suggestions per user
- 2% increase in hotel booking attachments
- Guests receive relevant offers
- Automated, real-time targeting
Beyond email campaigns, AI-driven pricing engines adjust room rates in real time to match guest demand and budgets, ensuring prices feel fair while maximizing revenue. Some hotels even let guests select specific rooms through AI platforms. ExpectMe's solution, for instance, uses guest data to present images and descriptions of rooms that best match each guest's preferences, giving travelers control over their stay experience.
Benefits for Travelers and Hotels
Traveler Benefits
AI personalization delivers significant advantages for travelers. Instead of scanning dozens of listings, users receive a curated shortlist of hotels matching their criteria. According to recent data, approximately 60–80% of travelers express interest in AI-assisted planning or booking.
- Save time and reduce planning stress
- Discover options you might have missed
- Experience recommendations that feel "genuinely handpicked"
- Interact naturally through conversational prompts
- Get instant, customized hotel lists
Users consistently report that AI feels like a "smart personal agent" for their trip, continuously refining suggestions to match their evolving preferences.
Hotel Benefits
Hotels gain substantial advantages through AI-powered personalization. Personalized offers and recommendations convert at significantly higher rates than generic marketing campaigns.
- Increase direct bookings and revenue
- Improve upsell and cross-sell effectiveness
- Present upgrade offers guests are likely to accept
- Adjust pricing to match guest willingness to pay
- Build guest loyalty through relevant personalization
Industry experts note that smart personalization—such as recommending a guest's favorite wine on their birthday—creates loyalty that generic marketing cannot achieve. When hotels deliver the right offer at the right time, guests often book directly and become repeat customers.
AI-Powered Travel Tools
Travel websites and apps now offer AI features that serve personalized hotel recommendations. For example:
Booking.com’s Smart Filter
| Developer | Booking.com (Booking Holdings Inc.) |
| Supported Platforms |
|
| Available Markets | United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore |
| Pricing | Free feature included with Booking.com app |
Overview
Booking.com's Smart Filter is an AI-powered search feature that transforms hotel discovery through natural-language processing. Instead of manually selecting multiple filters, travelers simply describe what they want—such as "a beachfront hotel with free breakfast and quiet rooms"—and the system instantly applies the most relevant filters. Built on advanced OpenAI models, Smart Filter analyzes property descriptions, guest reviews, and images to deliver highly personalized recommendations tailored to each traveler's unique needs.
How It Works
Smart Filter integrates natural-language processing into the Booking.com mobile app to simplify accommodation searches. The AI interprets free-text queries and automatically applies suitable filters based on Booking.com's extensive property inventory. By analyzing unstructured data—including guest reviews and photo captions—Smart Filter provides a more accurate reflection of what travelers truly want, significantly reducing search friction and helping users find properties that match their exact preferences without overwhelming complexity.
Key Features
Convert conversational descriptions into precise hotel filters instantly
Analyzes reviews, images, and descriptions for accurate recommendations
Get tailored results without complex manual filtering
Works seamlessly with Review Summaries and Property Q&A
Download or Access
How to Use Smart Filter
Launch the Booking.com mobile app on your Android or iOS device.
Select your destination and travel dates as you normally would.
On the search results page, type your preferences in natural language. Examples:
- "Pet-friendly hotel with a balcony and ocean view"
- "Business hotel near downtown with gym and parking"
Smart Filter automatically interprets your request and applies the most relevant filters to your search.
Review the curated list of matching properties. Adjust results using standard filters or refine your description as needed.
Select a property and proceed with booking as normal.
Limitations & Important Notes
- AI may produce imperfect results for vague, conflicting, or highly niche requests
- Accuracy depends on property data quality—limited data may reduce recommendation precision
- Requires the Booking.com mobile app and an active user account
- Not available as a standalone product
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Smart Filter is a free feature integrated directly into the Booking.com mobile app with no additional cost.
No. Smart Filter is currently limited to users in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
No. Smart Filter enhances the search experience by offering an alternative to manual filtering. You can still use traditional filters alongside Smart Filter for more control over your results.
Smart Filter understands any conversational, natural-language descriptions related to accommodation preferences—including amenities, style, location, atmosphere, accessibility requirements, and specific traveler needs.
While highly accurate, results may vary depending on the completeness of property data and the clarity of your input. The AI performs best with specific, detailed descriptions of your preferences.
Expedia’s in-app ChatGPT
| Developer | Expedia Group, in partnership with OpenAI |
| Supported Platforms |
|
| Language Support | English only |
| Available Regions | U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, India, Singapore, and Mexico (outside EU) |
| Pricing Model | Free for all ChatGPT users (Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans) |
Overview
Expedia's AI-powered ChatGPT integration transforms travel planning into a natural conversation. Ask for hotel suggestions, flights, activities, or destination ideas in plain language, and the assistant delivers real-time results with pricing, availability, and visuals from Expedia's inventory. Recommended hotels automatically save to your trip board for easy comparison and booking.
How It Works
Expedia launched its ChatGPT-powered planning tool in 2023 within the Expedia mobile app. In October 2025, the company expanded this capability by introducing the Expedia app inside ChatGPT. Users can now start conversations directly in ChatGPT (e.g., "Expedia, find me hotels in New York for November 10–13") and receive dynamic, visual results before seamlessly transitioning to Expedia to complete their booking.
Key Features
Plan trips conversationally—ask for hotels, flights, activities, and destination ideas in plain English.
Hotel suggestions automatically save to your in-app trip board for easy review and comparison.
Access live pricing, availability, maps, and photos powered by Expedia's complete inventory.
Use the feature inside the Expedia mobile app or as a ChatGPT connector for seamless integration.
Download or Access
Getting Started
Open the Expedia mobile app and look for the chat prompt "Explore trip ideas with ChatGPT." Start typing your travel questions, such as "I want a beach resort in Bali under $300/night."
Go to ChatGPT and enable the Expedia app through the Connectors or plugin interface. Start a new chat and type commands like "Expedia, show me hotels in Paris May 5–8" to receive recommendations.
Hotels recommended by ChatGPT automatically save to your Expedia trip board, where you can compare options, adjust dates, and proceed to booking.
Important Limitations
- Currently in beta—some chatbot responses may not always be accurate
- Initially iOS-only; Android support rolling out gradually (also available via ChatGPT)
- English language support only for most regions
- Does not use Expedia's standard commission-bias ranking system
- Booking must be completed on Expedia's platform—not directly in ChatGPT
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The feature is available to all ChatGPT users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside the EU at no additional cost.
No. After receiving recommendations from ChatGPT, you must click "Book on Expedia" to complete your booking on Expedia's platform.
No. Your personal Expedia profile and booking history are not shared with OpenAI. Personalization relies solely on the current chat context.
The Expedia ChatGPT app is available in the U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, India, Singapore, and Mexico. It is not available in the EU.
Recommendations come from Expedia's live inventory and are generally reliable. However, as a conversational AI, responses may be less precise than manual searches—especially for very specific or niche requests. Always verify details before booking.
Canary AI (Canary Technologies)
| Developer | Canary Technologies |
| Supported Platforms |
|
| Language Support | 100+ languages supported globally for international hotel guests. |
| Pricing Model | Paid service exclusively for hotels; no free plan available |
Overview
Canary AI is an AI-driven guest engagement and personalization platform designed specifically for the hospitality industry. It enables hotels to deliver tailored recommendations, upsells, and real-time communication to each guest through conversational AI. The platform automates messaging across multiple channels—SMS, WhatsApp, and web chat—while continuously learning from interactions to improve future engagement. By combining AI insights with guest data, hotels can increase satisfaction, optimize revenue, and provide a highly personalized experience.
How It Works
Canary AI leverages advanced machine learning and natural language processing to understand guest intent and context. The platform sends personalized messages, suggests room upgrades, and recommends on-property services based on guest preferences. The AI continuously adapts to interactions, learning from past behavior to improve future recommendations.
Beyond communication, Canary AI integrates with housekeeping and property management systems, automating service requests and ensuring smooth operations. This allows staff to focus on high-value tasks while maintaining a personalized guest experience. Hotels worldwide use Canary AI to increase direct bookings, upsell services, and enhance guest satisfaction.
Key Features
AI-powered conversational engagement across SMS, WhatsApp, and web chat.
Multilingual capabilities supporting over 100 languages for international guests.
Personalized offers and recommendations based on guest behavior and preferences.
Seamless integration with property management and housekeeping systems for service automation.
AI-driven knowledge base that improves with each guest interaction and learns from behavior patterns.
Comprehensive dashboard tracking engagement, conversion rates, and guest satisfaction metrics.
Download or Access
Getting Started
Sign up for a Canary Technologies hotel account to get started.
Connect Canary AI with your hotel's PMS, messaging platforms, and website chat systems.
Set up guest messaging preferences and personalize upsell offers for your property.
Activate AI-driven campaigns and let Canary AI handle communication and recommendations automatically.
Track engagement, conversion, and guest satisfaction in the dashboard. Adjust messaging based on AI recommendations and performance data.
Important Limitations
- Paid service requiring a Canary Technologies subscription
- Integration with PMS and messaging platforms is required for full functionality
- AI performance depends on the quality and completeness of guest data
- No free version available
Frequently Asked Questions
No, Canary AI is designed exclusively for hotel use and is not available for individual consumers or travelers.
No, Canary AI is a paid solution exclusively for hotels. There is no free plan available.
Canary AI uses guest behavior, preferences, and contextual data to deliver tailored messages and upsell offers. The AI continuously learns from interactions to improve future recommendations.
Yes, Canary AI supports over 100 languages, making it ideal for hotels serving international guests worldwide.
Yes, Canary AI integrates with PMS and housekeeping systems to automate service requests and streamline guest services, allowing staff to focus on high-value tasks.
H2O.ai
| Developer | H2O.ai |
| Supported Platforms |
|
| Language Support | English; available globally for enterprise clients |
| Pricing Model | Paid enterprise platform; no public free plan |
Overview
H2O.ai is an enterprise-grade AI and machine learning platform that empowers organizations to build, deploy, and monitor scalable AI models. Specifically designed for the hospitality industry, it enables hotels and travel companies to analyze guest behavior, forecast preferences, and deliver personalized experiences through advanced AutoML and generative AI capabilities. The platform maintains data security through on-premises or private cloud deployment options, making it ideal for organizations handling sensitive guest information.
How It Works
H2O.ai combines automated machine learning, model interpretability, and generative AI to help enterprises deliver personalized recommendations. Hotels can analyze booking history, guest preferences, and external data to create predictive models that suggest tailored accommodations, upsells, and promotions. The platform supports real-time scoring of AI models, enabling live personalization across websites and booking systems. With built-in explainability tools, organizations gain transparency into AI predictions, ensuring trust in automated recommendations while handling large datasets efficiently through scalable architecture.
Key Features
Automated model building with intelligent feature engineering and hyperparameter tuning
POJO/MOJO models and REST APIs for real-time personalization with data privacy
SHAP, LIME, and partial dependence plots for transparent AI predictions
Distributed computing and GPU acceleration for processing large datasets efficiently
h2oGPT and enterprise LLM studio for fine-tuning models on private datasets
Download or Access
Getting Started
Sign up for an H2O.ai account through the official website to access the platform.
Import your hotel or guest dataset to the platform for comprehensive analysis and model training.
Leverage AutoML to automatically build predictive models for guest preferences and recommendation engines.
Deploy models using POJO/MOJO formats or REST APIs to integrate seamlessly with hotel booking systems and websites.
Track model performance and retrain with new guest data to continuously improve personalization accuracy.
Use h2oGPT and enterprise LLM tools for advanced personalization and dynamic content generation.
Important Considerations
- Enterprise-level pricing with no public free plan
- Requires technical expertise in data science and machine learning
- On-premises or private cloud deployment demands significant infrastructure investment
- Not suitable for individual travelers or small businesses
Frequently Asked Questions
No, H2O.ai is exclusively designed for enterprise clients such as hotels and travel companies. It serves as a backend AI platform for organizations, not individual users.
No, H2O.ai operates as a paid enterprise platform. There is no public free plan available for organizations.
H2O.ai uses AutoML and generative AI to analyze guest data including booking history and preferences. It creates predictive models that suggest tailored accommodations, upsells, and personalized promotions for each guest.
Yes, H2O.ai is built for scalability. It supports distributed computing and GPU acceleration, enabling efficient processing of large-scale datasets typical in enterprise environments.
H2O.ai supports flexible deployment through on-premises infrastructure, private cloud, or public cloud environments. Integration with hotel systems occurs via REST APIs or model objects (POJO/MOJO), requiring technical expertise for implementation.
IBM Watson
| Developer | IBM Corporation |
| Supported Platforms |
|
| Language Support | English; available globally for enterprise clients |
| Pricing Model | Paid enterprise platform; no public free plan available |
Overview
IBM Watson is a powerful AI platform designed for hospitality businesses to deliver personalized guest experiences. Leveraging natural language processing, machine learning, and generative AI through watsonx.ai, Watson enables hotels to provide context-aware recommendations, conversational assistants, and tailored content. By analyzing guest behavior, booking history, and preferences, Watson increases engagement, improves conversions, and enhances customer satisfaction. Its enterprise-grade security and scalable infrastructure support large-scale operations across multiple properties worldwide.
Key Capabilities
Watson's AI suite equips hospitality organizations with tools to build predictive models and conversational systems for guest personalization. Hotels can deploy chatbots, virtual concierges, and recommendation engines that understand guest intent and deliver tailored suggestions—from room upgrades to local activities. With AutoAI, enterprises automatically train models to predict guest preferences and optimize offers. The platform provides explainable AI and governance tools ensuring transparency and compliance. Watson deploys on private cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments, keeping sensitive guest data secure while powering advanced personalization.
Key Features
Guest messaging and virtual concierge services powered by natural language processing
AutoAI for predictive modeling of guest behavior and personalized recommendations
Transparent model predictions with governance tools for compliance and validation
Cloud, on-premises, or private environment options for secure data handling
Targeted hotel offers and advertising personalization for increased conversions
Get Started
Implementation Guide
Set up an IBM Cloud account and access watsonx.ai or Watson Studio to begin.
Import hotel guest data including preferences, booking history, and behavior metrics into the platform.
Use AutoAI to automatically create models for personalized recommendations and upsell opportunities.
Connect models to hotel booking systems, chatbots, or marketing platforms using APIs.
Launch models for real-time personalization and track conversion performance metrics.
Continuously adjust and retrain AI models as guest data and behaviors evolve over time.
Important Considerations
- Enterprise-level pricing with no public free tier
- Requires technical expertise in AI, data science, and system integration
- Custom development needed for guest personalization implementation
- Significant IT infrastructure investment may be required for optimal performance
- Not a plug-and-play hotel application
Frequently Asked Questions
No, IBM Watson is designed exclusively for enterprise clients such as hotels and hospitality companies. It is not available for individual travelers.
No, IBM Watson's advanced AI services are available only through paid enterprise plans. There is no public free tier.
Watson uses machine learning and natural language processing to analyze guest behavior and preferences, generating tailored suggestions for rooms, services, activities, and personalized offers.
Yes, Watson supports hybrid and cloud deployments designed for large-scale, multi-property operations across hotel networks worldwide.
Yes, Watson includes explainable AI tools to help interpret and validate recommendations and model decisions, ensuring transparency and compliance with governance requirements.
TrustYou Hospitality AI Agents
| Developer | TrustYou |
| Supported Platforms |
|
| Language Support | 50+ languages supported globally for hotel clients |
| Pricing Model | Paid service starting at €190 per property per month (billed annually) |
Overview
TrustYou Hospitality AI Agents are advanced AI-powered digital assistants designed for the hotel industry. They enable hotels to provide personalized guest recommendations, support, and upsell offers across multiple channels. By analyzing property-specific data, guest history, and operational guidelines, these AI agents deliver context-aware, multilingual interactions 24/7. They help hotels increase direct bookings, improve guest satisfaction, reduce staff workload, and provide consistent, accurate communication throughout the guest journey.
How It Works
TrustYou AI Agents operate as intelligent hotel assistants for guests and staff across three specialized roles:
- Booking Agent: Guides potential guests through reservation processes with tailored room suggestions and promotions
- Guest (Digital Concierge) Agent: Handles inquiries, service requests, and feedback in real time
- Staff Agent: Assists hotel teams with SOPs, training, and knowledge management
Continuous learning ensures AI Agents adapt to new guest preferences and property updates, making interactions increasingly relevant over time. Multichannel and multilingual support guarantees effective communication worldwide.
Key Features
Personalized room recommendations and upsell offers to increase direct bookings
24/7 support for inquiries, service requests, and guest feedback
Assists hotel teams with SOPs, training, and internal knowledge management
Web chat, WhatsApp, SMS, and email integration for seamless communication
50+ languages supported for global guest communication
Trained on property data, reviews, and local resources for improved personalization
Get Started
Setup Guide
Create a TrustYou account and select the AI Agents plan for your hotel property.
Connect AI Agents with your hotel systems, messaging platforms, and website chat.
Upload SOPs, guest profiles, local information, and operational guidelines for training.
Set up agent workflows for booking assistance, concierge services, and staff support.
Launch AI Agents to begin handling guest interactions automatically across all channels.
Track performance via the TrustYou dashboard and adjust settings for continuous improvement.
Periodically refresh property data to improve response accuracy and personalization.
Important Considerations
- Requires setup and training using hotel-specific data
- Complex or unusual requests may require human intervention
- Not designed for individual travelers
Frequently Asked Questions
TrustYou AI Agents are designed for hotel clients to interact with guests. Individual travelers cannot directly use this service; it is a hotel management tool.
Pricing starts at €190 per property per month, billed annually. Custom pricing may be available for larger hotel chains.
AI Agents support over 50 languages, enabling effective communication with guests worldwide.
Yes, the Booking Agent specializes in providing personalized room suggestions and upsell offers to increase direct bookings and revenue.
Yes, hotels must provide property data, SOPs, guest information, and operational guidelines to train the agents effectively for optimal performance.
The Future of Travel Planning
AI is fundamentally reshaping hotel recommendations by making them highly personal and contextual. Advanced algorithms analyze vast datasets—from guest reviews and preferences to behavioral signals—and serve each traveler the accommodations they'll genuinely love.
Today's tools (chatbots, smart filters, travel "GPTs") enable guests to interact naturally and receive customized hotel lists instantly. As these technologies evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated experiences:
Anticipatory AI
AI concierges that predict needs before you express them.
Hidden Gem Discovery
Recommendations for unique properties beyond mainstream options.
Real-Time Adaptation
Recommendations that adjust instantly to changing preferences and circumstances.
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