Every hotel reception team answers the same few questions every day. Is there parking? Is breakfast included? What time can we check in? Can we leave our bags? Each takes a minute. Across a week, they take hours, and they often interrupt staff who are checking guests in.
These hotel check-in questions have standard answers. When the answers are clear and easy to find on the website, guests stop asking reception and start booking with confidence.
Parking
Guest: Is there parking, and how much is it? Answer: There's an on-site car park with 40 spaces, free for hotel guests on a first-come basis. If it's full, the public car park two minutes away charges $12 for 24 hours. We can't reserve spaces in advance.
Be specific: free or paid, how many spaces, whether it can be reserved, and what happens if it is full. Vague answers like "parking is available" create follow-up questions and complaints.
Breakfast
Guest: Do we get breakfast with the room? Answer: That depends on the rate you pick. The "room and breakfast" rate covers a full buffet in the garden room; on the room-only rate you can add it at the desk for $15 each. Weekday service runs 7 until 10, with an extra half hour on Saturdays and Sundays.
Say which rates include it, the price to add it, and the serving times.
Arrival and departure times
Guest: When can we get into the room? Answer: Rooms are ready from mid-afternoon, 3pm at the latest, and we ask guests to vacate by 11 on the day they leave. If your train gets in early, tell us in advance and housekeeping will try to prepare your room first.
Early arrival and luggage
Guest: We arrive at 10am. Can we leave our bags? Answer: Yes, you're welcome to leave your luggage with reception from any time on your arrival day, and we'll let you know as soon as your room is ready.
Electric vehicle charging
Guest: Do you have EV chargers? Answer: Yes, there are two charging points in the main car park, available on a first-come basis for a small charge per session.
Late check-out
Guest: Can we check out late on Sunday? Answer: Late check-out until 1pm can be requested for a small charge, subject to availability. Let reception know the day before and they'll confirm.
Why clarity here matters
These questions seem small, but they shape a guest's first impression. A guest who arrives expecting free parking and finds a charge starts their stay annoyed. Clear answers before booking prevent that, and help guests choose your hotel over one whose website leaves them guessing. Direct bookings depend on it, as covered in direct booking questions that send guests to the OTAs.
Handling unusual requests
Some guests ask about sensitive matters, like medical needs, security concerns or personal situations. Those need care and should reach a person, as covered in how to handle sensitive questions in your chatbot.
Making answers instant
SpideyChat for hotels answers from your published information at any hour, so guests get these answers before booking rather than on arrival. The full set of pre-booking questions is covered in what guests ask before they book a hotel room. Retailers use a similar list of standard answers, shown in scripts for the ten questions every online store gets.
A quick check
Read your website as a guest would, on a phone. Can you find parking costs, breakfast times and check-in rules in under a minute? If not, fix those pages first. Then try an assistant on your hotel website with these questions, or see the features.