TL;DR
A virtual concierge is a digital assistant that handles guest communication across channels like WhatsApp, SMS, and webchat, before, during, and after the stay. It answers common questions, manages requests, supports upsells, and operates 24/7 in multiple languages. It helps reducing front desk workload and improving guest experience.
Leading virtual concierge solutions include Runnr.ai, HiJiffy, Duve, Canary Technologies, and Chatlyn, each with different strengths depending on property size, region, and operational complexity.
For accommodation providers, virtual concierges help scale guest service without adding staff by automating repetitive interactions while keeping human teams focused on higher-value guest moments.
If you’re choosing a hotel chatbot for 2026, these are the 7 best platforms for hotels, hostels, aparthotels, holiday parks, and campings:
Runnr.ai – AI-powered hotel chatbot and virtual concierge built specifically for hospitality
https://www.runnr.ai
HiJiffy – Hotel chatbot focused on guest messaging and bookings
https://www.hijiffy.com
Duve – Guest experience platform with chatbot and digital services
https://www.duve.com
Chatlyn – Guest communication and chatbot automation platform
https://www.chatlyn.com
Akia – Guest messaging and automation platform with conversational features
https://www.akia.com
Canary Technologies – Guest management system with messaging and automation
https://www.canarytechnologies.com
DialogShift – AI-driven hospitality messaging and chatbot solution
https://www.dialogshift.com
In this article, we'll look at these chatbots in more detail and advise who each one is best suited for.
A hotel chatbot is an automated messaging assistant that communicates with guests before, during, and after their stay.
A modern hotel chatbot can:
Answer common guest questions instantly (check-in, breakfast, parking)
Communicate via WhatsApp, SMS, webchat, and OTA inboxes
Work 24/7 in multiple languages
Handle guest requests and route them to the right team
Send proactive messages and upsell offers
The best hotel chatbots do more than answer simple FAQs - they automate guest communication end-to-end and reduce workload for your team.
For hospitality teams, this means fewer repetitive questions, faster replies, and less pressure on the front desk.
If you're looking for the quick answer to which chatbot to use for your accommodation business, Runnr.ai is the best choice.
Runnr.ai automates up to 95% of guest interactions and supports communication across the full guest journey from pre-booking to post-checkout.
Unlike other more generic chatbots, Runnr.ai was built specifically for accommodation businesses and doesn’t just reply - it actively manages guest conversations and removes repetitive workload.
Best suited for:
Hotels and accommodation providers with 10+ rooms or units that want maximum automation with minimal complexity.
Key strengths:
Up to 95% automation of guest chats
Proactive messaging that reduces inbound questions by up to 75%
Chat-native upsells instead
Simple, transparent pricing per room or unit
Designed specifically around hospitality workflows
Runnr.ai is ideal for accommodation providers who want high-touch, personalized service with a lean front office team.
Best suited for:
Hotels that want a chatbot mainly for website chat.
Things to consider:
Strong booking assistant and FAQ handling
Limited automation during the stay
Less flexible for larger operations compared to Runnr.ai
HiJiffy works well for capturing leads but is less complete as a full hotel chatbot solution.
Best suited for:
Larger hotels and resorts that want a broad guest experience platform.
Things to consider:
Powerful feature set including digital check-in and upsells
Can feel complex for daily staff use
Guest interaction often relies on web apps rather than chat
Duve is feature-rich but may be heavier for leaner teams focused on conversational automation.
Best suited for:
Hotels that want advanced workflows and omnichannel guest messaging.
Things to consider:
Wide range of features and customization
Requires more setup and management
Automation may still need manual review in some cases
Chatlyn offers deep configuration but can feel overwhelming for smaller properties.
Best suited for:
Hotels with structured guest journeys and a focus on messaging automation.
Things to consider:
Strong workflows and automated sequences
Messaging capabilities are solid
Not purely a chatbot-first automation platform
Akia works well when guest messaging is part of a broader automation strategy.
Best suited for:
Mid-sized to large hotels, mainly in the US, that want messaging as part of a guest management system.
Things to consider:
Messaging is part of a broader suite
Less AI-native conversational automation
Focused on operations as well as messaging
Canary is solid but less specialized as a pure chatbot tool.
Best suited for:
Hotels that want AI-driven automated replies across many languages.
Things to consider:
Strong multilingual capabilities
Good AI response generation
Less focused on in-chat actions like upsells and requests
DialogShift is strong for automated replies, but lighter on operational workflows.
To succeed in 2026, a hotel chatbot needs to:
Automate guest communication across channels
Work where guests already message (WhatsApp, SMS, OTA inboxes, webchat)
Integrate with hotel systems like PMS
Be simple for staff to manage
Boost guest satisfaction and revenue
Runnr.ai meets all these needs best. It’s purpose-built for accommodation businesses, easy to set up, and focused on real automation - not just messaging.
Built specifically for hotels, hostels, aparthotels, holiday parks, and campings
Conversational AI that understands rooms, units, facilities, and on-site rules
Works on WhatsApp, SMS, webchat, Booking.com, and Airbnb
Uses real booking and guest data from your PMS
Takes action inside conversations (upsells, requests, check-in links)
Fully customizable tone of voice to match your brand
Fast setup - most properties are live within an hour
👉 Book a demo and see Runnr.ai in action: