ChatGPT as a Digital Receptionist

By Annalise Grinter – Aware Marketing

How I Use ChatGPT as a Digital Receptionist for My Accommodation Clients (And You Can Too)

By Annalise Grinter – Aware Marketing

Prefer to watch instead?
Here’s the video walkthrough 
Click here to watch on Loom
(7-minute strategy session + demo on using ChatGPT for guest communication)

Running an accommodation business comes with a never-ending list of admin tasks—email replies, check-in messages, event enquiries, confirmation letters. And if you’re like most owner-operators or boutique stay managers, these repetitive jobs fall squarely on your shoulders.

But what if I told you there’s a way to automate much of that workload—without sounding robotic or losing your personal touch?

Let me introduce you to your new best friend: ChatGPT.

What I Use ChatGPT For (and Why It’s a Game-Changer)

I’ve been using ChatGPT to support my client properties—like Quondong Wahgunyah—by acting as a digital receptionist that can:

  • Write check-in and check-out messages
  • Respond to wedding and event enquiries
  • Send personalised welcome notes
  • Automate repetitive admin
  • Communicate clearly in your brand voice

It’s like having a full-time assistant who already knows your property inside out and never takes a day off.

Step-by-Step: How I Set This Up

1. Create a Dedicated Project

Start by opening a new ChatGPT project and naming it after your property. This becomes your AI workspace.

2. Upload Everything You Already Have

No need to reinvent the wheel. Upload:

  • Confirmation letters
  • Event brochures
  • House manuals
  • Check-in/check-out info
  • Airbnb or booking.com messages

Once these are in, ChatGPT can use them as context when writing replies for you.

3. Train It With Real Emails

Copy and paste some typical guest emails or responses you’ve already written. Tell ChatGPT, “This is a standard wedding enquiry response,” or “This is a check-in message.” It will learn your tone and style.

4. Ask for What You Need

Need a personalised welcome message?

“I’ve got a guest arriving today at 2pm, the fire is lit and they’re celebrating a 40th birthday. Can you write a warm welcome note?”

Need a departure message?

“Can you write a reminder message based on our house rules that goes out the night before checkout?”

ChatGPT can handle all of that, in your brand voice.

Real Examples I Use Weekly

  • Wedding enquiry follow-ups
  • Arrival messages that include door codes, parking info, and personal touches
  • Checkout reminders that gently prompt guests to turn off the lights, return keys, and tidy up
  • Event quotes that pull from your existing brochure and packages
  • Friendly reminders about house rules like no dishes in the sink or where to leave used linen

You can also embed links to your guest manual or T&Cs directly in the message—super helpful when there’s no face-to-face handover.

A Few Pro Tips

  • Organise your chats by topic—check-in, events, weddings, etc.
  • Treat it like a team member: give clear prompts and feedback
  • Always review the output—it’s usually 90% there, but a quick tweak makes it perfect
  •  Let it speak in your voice—polite, helpful, and warm

Why This Matters

If you’ve worked in accommodation, you know how much time goes into saying the same thing over and over. This takes that off your plate—without losing that personal touch that sets your property apart.

In fact, I used to pay people to write this kind of content for me. Now, ChatGPT makes it easy to sound professional, helpful, and on-brand—even if writing isn’t your strong suit.

Need Help Getting It Set Up?

I offer 1:1 setup sessions where I:

  • Upload and structure your documents
  • Create your most-used templates
  • Set up a guest comms flow tailored to your business
  • Show you exactly how to use it, daily

Email me or send me a DM if you’d like to get started. It’s a one-time setup that saves hours every week.

Don’t forget—you can watch the full walkthrough here:
https://www.loom.com/share/cb57c62471ff43afa40c71c3a224ccb5