Which guest questions can an AI concierge handle?
A guest asking for the Wi-Fi password wants to get online. A guest asking for a refund needs somebody with the authority to decide. Both arrive in the same inbox, but they call for different kinds of help.
Give an AI concierge reliable facts and clear boundaries. Judge the quality of the handover as carefully as the quality of the answer.
Start with questions that have a known answer
Wi-Fi details, parking instructions, appliance guidance, checkout arrangements and the location of spare towels are good starting points when the information is accurate and belongs to the right property.
The important word is “known”. A confident answer based on another villa's instructions can be worse than a short wait. Keep property facts separate from booking-specific arrangements, such as an agreed arrival time or a service purchased for this stay.
Access information also needs the right audience. Agree how a guest is identified and which details can be shared at each stage of the stay. Making answers fast should not mean making private instructions public.
Separate a recommendation from a reservation
A concierge can help a family choose between a nearby beach, a restaurant or a boat trip by asking about their preferences. Useful answers explain why an option fits, how far it is and what the guest should check before travelling.
Opening times, prices and availability change. If these have not been verified, say so. A suggested restaurant is not a booked table, and a suggested boat is not a confirmed charter.
For paid arrangements, collect the details needed by the person making the reservation. Keep “requested”, “checking availability” and “confirmed” distinct in the guest conversation.
Hand over decisions that require authority
Agree the handover points before guests begin messaging. Examples include a refund request, a serious complaint, permission to hold an event, a disputed charge or an exception to the house rules.
A useful handover includes the property, booking, guest's request, what has already been said and the decision needed. The operator should not have to ask the guest to repeat the whole story.
For an urgent situation, the guest needs clear contact arrangements appropriate to the property. Do not make the chat the only route to help. Set an explicit way to reach the responsible person when the matter cannot wait.
Test the awkward questions before launch
Try a few situations that force the boundary to show:
- A guest asks for early check-in while a same-day clean is still underway.
- Someone asks for an access code without enough booking information.
- A returning guest quotes an arrangement from their previous stay.
- A restaurant suggestion turns into a request to book for twelve people.
- The guest reports the same unresolved fault for a second time.
Look for correct facts, honest uncertainty and a clear next action. An answer that sounds warm but makes an unsupported promise should fail the review.
What this means for Lucia
Lucia is Isla's AI guest concierge. Her role includes property questions, local recommendations and passing reported issues to the team through guest WhatsApp conversations.
The foundation is the knowledge supplied for each property and the handover arrangements agreed for the account. Start with the questions your team answers repeatedly, then review the conversations that required intervention. Those reveal where information or responsibility needs to be clearer.
Written by the Isla team, who build AI employees for hospitality businesses. Our guides share practical approaches; the scope of each hire is agreed for your operation.
