Email vs SMS vs WhatsApp: which channel to choose according to the hotel customer journey?

When a reservation arrives via an OTA, many hotels have the same reflex: send a standard email, then hope that the customer reads it.

In reality, it's not that easy.

The customer does not always see the email. Sometimes he arrives without having prepared his stay. He does not know the hotel services. And once there, he often continues to go through Booking, Expedia, or another intermediary instead of entering into a direct relationship with the establishment.

So the real subject is not only communication.
The real subject is customer relationship management.

For a 3 or 4 star hotel, or for a hotel group, choosing the right channel at the right time allows you to regain control of the hotel customer journey, to improve the experience and to open up more revenue opportunities.

Direct response

There is no single channel that is better than the others.
In the hotel industry, the email, the SMS and WhatsApp Business do not have the same role.

• The email is suitable for detailed, structured, and less urgent content.
• The SMS is ideal for short, immediate, and critical messages.
• Whatsapp is the best channel for creating a more direct, conversational, and engaging relationship.

So the right choice depends on only one thing: The moment of the customer journey and the type of message to be sent.

Key Takeaways

• The wrong channel at the wrong time leads to a loss of reading, responsiveness and revenue.
• Email, SMS and WhatsApp are not opposed: they complement each other.
• Before, during and after the stay, the customer's needs change.
• Hotels that build a direct relationship reduce their dependence on OTAs.

Why has the choice of channel become a real issue for hotels?

In many establishments, customer relationships remain fragmented.

The customer books via an OTA.
He gets an email.
Then nothing, or too late.
Upon arrival, the reception must include all the information.
During the stay, requests are made by telephone, face to face or do not come up at all.
After departure, the hotel tries to get a review or build loyalty, but the link has already fallen.

Concrete problem

The hotel doesn't have enough control over the touchpoints.

Operational impact

• Fewer reading messages
• no more repetitive questions at the front desk
• Fewer upsell
• fewer customer returns
• no more dependence on OTA channels

What to demonstrate

A good channel is not just a channel that “opens well.”
It is a channel that helps the hotel create a hotel customer relationship more direct, more fluid and more profitable.

What are the differences between email, SMS and WhatsApp for hotels?

Before talking about the customer journey, we need to clarify the role of each channel.

Email: the complete content channel

Email remains essential in the hotel industry.

It allows you to send:

• A reservation confirmation
• Online Check-in
• A summary of your stay
• detailed information
• visual or editorial content
• richer marketing offers

When email marketing works well for hoteliers

Email is useful when the customer needs longer content that they can consult at their leisure.

The email limit for hoteliers

An email can be ignored, drowned in the inbox, or opened too late.

In a hotel, this poses a concrete problem: if the customer did not see the information before arrival, it is often the reception that compensates.

SMS: the instant channel for hoteliers

SMS is a short, direct and very quick channel.

It works great for:

• A reservation reminder
• logistical information
• A check-in link
• A message on the day of arrival
• a simple offer with a high degree of timeliness

When SMS works well

SMS is particularly effective when the message is short, useful and linked to a specific time.

Field example: a few hours before arrival, a message with the address, parking or check-in procedures can avoid a lot of questions.

Its limit

SMS is more intrusive if you use it too often.
It should not become a duplicate of the email.

WhatsApp: the conversational channel for hoteliers

WhatsApp has a clear advantage: it is a channel that is already used naturally by customers.

It allows:

• A quick read
• more fluid communication
• bidirectional exchanges
• a more human relationship
• useful messages before, during and after the stay

When WhatsApp works well

WhatsApp is particularly relevant when you want to create exchanges, facilitate customer response and offer a more modern experience.

Field example: a customer who is not going to call the reception to ask for a late check-out or a local council will often respond more readily to a WhatsApp message.

WhatsApp limits for hoteliers

WhatsApp needs to be integrated into a clear journey logic, with the right triggers and the right level of personalization.

What channel should I use before the stay?

Before arrival, the customer seeks above all to reassure himself and to prepare for his arrival.

His questions are often the same:

• How do I get to the hotel?
• What time is the check-in?
• where to park?
• Can he pre-check in?
• What services can he book before he arrives?

The right pre-stay objective

Reduce friction and start building a direct relationship.

The right use per channel

Email

To be used for:

• booking confirmation
• full summary
• detailed practical information
• presentation of services

SMS

To be used for:

• Reminder the day before or on D-Day
• short and urgent information
• quick link to check-in

Whatsapp

To be used for:

• more engaging welcome message
• Discussion around arrival
• Simplified check-in
• first upsell opportunities

Real situation

An OTA client receives a simple automatic email that he does not read. He arrives at the hotel without having filled in his information, without knowing the schedules, without having seen the services available.

Result: the reception manages the delay, the explanations and the missed sale.

What channel should I use during my stay?

During the stay, the subject changes. The customer no longer needs a long summary. He needs answers that are simple, fast, at the right time.

The right objective during your stay

Streamline the experience and generate additional income without burdening teams.

The right use per channel

Email

Not suitable for immediate requests.

SMS

Useful for:

• a punctual alert
• A very short message
• urgent information

Whatsapp

The most suitable for:

• a customer request
• A welcome message in the room
• A suggestion of spa, breakfast or late check-out
• direct interaction with the hotel

Real situation

At 16:00, a customer is in his room. It is often a good time to promote a targeted offer: massage, rooftop, tasting menu, room upgrade, late departure.

An email will often be opened too late.
A text message can work if the message is very short.
WhatsApp is often the best compromise to create a direct interaction and promote conversion.

What channel should I use after the stay?

After departure, many hotels cut off the relationship too quickly.

However, it is a key moment for:

• Gather a review
• Measuring satisfaction
• build loyalty
• Encourage to book directly next time

The right post-stay objective

Transforming a completed stay into a lasting relationship.

The right use per channel

Email

To be used for:

• more complete investigation
• Return offer
• loyalty content

SMS

To be used for:

• Request for a quick opinion
• Short reminder if necessary

Whatsapp

To be used for:

• personalized thank you message
• simple request for advice
• direct and engaging return offer

Real situation

The customer had a good stay, but the hotel waited three days before sending a long email of satisfaction.
He is no longer in the moment.

A more direct message, sent at the right time, often has more impact.

Summary table: which channel for which hotel use?

Mistakes to avoid

1. Sending the same message across channels

The customer does not want to receive the same information three times.

2. Use email for urgent messages

An important message that is read too late becomes useless.

3. Use SMS as a permanent promotional channel

SMS must remain rare, useful and contextualized.

4. Using WhatsApp without a clear scenario

WhatsApp works very well, but only if it is integrated into a real logic of digital customer journey.

What hoteliers need to remember

The subject is not “email versus SMS versus WhatsApp.”

The subject is: What message, when, on what channel, to build a more direct relationship with the customer.

Hotels that make progress on this point get three very concrete benefits:

• More reading
• more interactions
• more direct income

And most importantly, they stop leaving the entire customer relationship to OTAs.

To regain control of customer relationships, a hotel must stop thinking as a single channel.

THEemail reassures and details.
The SMS alerts and triggers.
Whatsapp engages and brings people together.

It is the intelligent combination of the three that makes it possible to improve the hotel customer journey, to streamline operations and to create a relationship that the hotel finally controls directly.