Not all guests are created equal. A digital nomad staying for three weeks, a family on a summer holiday and a VIP on a whirlwind business trip all expect very different things from your hotel. Understanding the main hotel guest types is no longer “nice to have” – it’s the foundation of modern revenue, operations and guest experience.
The good news: you don’t need a huge team to do this well. With the right guest profiles and a digital journey that starts before check-in, you can adapt your communication, services and upselling to each type of guest at scale.
That’s where tools like Chekin help: by digitalising your hotel with online check-in, ID verification, online payments, smart access and personalised upselling, you can cover the needs of the modern guest while keeping operations lean.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most common hotel guest types and practical strategies to implement for each one – plus how to operationalise everything with Chekin.
Why understanding hotel guest types matters
Before listing segments, it’s worth asking: why invest time in defining hotel guest types at all?
1. Better targeting and higher conversion
When you know who is most likely to book:
- You can choose the right channels (OTAs, corporate, direct).
- You can tailor your website content and photos.
- You can build packages and rates that speak directly to your best segments.
Instead of generic offers, you design “mini value propositions” for each guest type.
Read more about: Travel Packages: Proven Strategies to Boost Hotel Revenue This Summer
2. Operational efficiency and fewer complaints
Different guests create different operational pressures:
- Business travellers arrive late and need fast, frictionless check-in.
- Families need extra beds, cots, connecting rooms and child-safe spaces.
- Long-stay guests expect laundry, kitchenettes or co-working spaces.
When staff knows which segments are arriving each day, they can prepare accordingly – and proactively solve problems before they appear.
3. More revenue through relevant upselling
Upselling only works if the offer feels relevant:
- Late check-out for bleisure guests.
- Airport transfers and local tours for leisure travellers.
- Room upgrades and private experiences for luxury guests.
By matching upsell campaigns to hotel guest types, you increase attachment rate and guest satisfaction.
4. A modern digital guest journey
Today’s guests expect digital convenience:
- Online check-in from their phone.
- Secure online payments and deposits.
- Access to key information and services in a guest app.
Chekin helps you orchestrate this journey and adapt it to each profile, from pre-stay to post-stay, without overwhelming your team.
Key hotel guest types in today’s hospitality
There is no “official” list, but most properties see a mix of the following hotel guest types. You can adapt, merge or split them based on your destination and product.
1. Business travellers and bleisure guests
Profile
- Short stays, often midweek.
- High value per night, but time-poor.
- Increasingly extending trips to enjoy the destination (“bleisure”).
What they value
- Fast, seamless check-in and check-out.
- Reliable WiFi and quiet spaces to work or call.
- Flexible policies (late arrival, early departure).
- Clear invoices and easy payments.
Strategies
- Offer mobile/online check-in so they can skip the front desk after a late flight.
- Provide in-room desks, plenty of plugs and strong WiFi.
- Create bleisure packages (late check-out, spa access, city passes).
- Automate pre-stay info: parking, meeting room details, best coffee nearby.
How Chekin helps
- Online check-in and ID verification before arrival speeds up late-night arrivals.
- Online payments and automated invoicing reduce admin for corporate stays.
- Pre-arrival messages through the guest app highlight upgrades and add-ons relevant to business or bleisure guests.
2. Leisure couples and friend getaways
Profile
- Weekends or short-break escapes.
- Focus on atmosphere, romance, Instagrammable moments and local experiences.
What they value
- Stylish rooms and high perceived value.
- Local recommendations (restaurants, nightlife, photo spots).
- Privacy and a smooth, low-friction stay.
Strategies
- Create romantic or “friends’ getaway” packages (bottle of wine, late check-out, spa treatment).
- Share curated local guides in advance.
- Offer simple digital communication so they don’t have to call reception.
How Chekin helps
- Use Chekin’s online check-in to ask the reason for the stay (anniversary, birthday, etc.) and surprise guests accordingly.
- Push upselling options like romantic turn-down, late check-out or spa passes through the guest app.
- Send personalised itineraries or local tips automatically after check-in.
3. Families and multi-generational travellers
Profile
- Parents with children, sometimes travelling with grandparents.
- Higher total spend, but more complex needs.
What they value
- Space: family rooms, suites or connected rooms.
- Safety and convenience (cots, highchairs, kids’ menus, child-friendly areas).
- Activities and recommendations suitable for different ages.
Strategies
- Offer clear family-friendly room categories and add-ons (extra beds, baby packs).
- Provide early check-in/late check-out where possible to fit nap times or flights.
- Communicate in advance about parking, food options and kids’ facilities.
How Chekin helps
- During online check-in, ask for number and age of children so housekeeping can prepare amenities.
- Offer family-focused upsells (theme park tickets, stroller rental, kids’ club access) via the Chekin guest app.
- Use automated messaging to send parents essential info (breakfast timings, kids’ activities, emergency contacts).
4. Digital nomads and remote workers
Profile
- Stay for weeks or months.
- Work remotely; may be solo, as a couple or with friends.
What they value
- Strong, stable WiFi and comfortable places to work.
- Transparent monthly pricing, good value for extended stays.
- A sense of community and local life.
Strategies
- Offer special long-stay or “workation” rates.
- Promote your WiFi speed and workspace setup clearly.
- Share events, co-working options and community spaces.
How Chekin helps
- Automate online check-in and legal reporting, reducing paperwork.
- Use Chekin to manage recurring payments and security deposits online.
- Segment nomads in the system and send targeted upsells (laundry packages, desk rental, local experiences).
5. Budget travellers and backpackers
Profile
- Very price-sensitive, especially on room rate.
- Often younger, independent travellers seeking authentic experiences.
What they value
- Cleanliness and safety over luxury.
- Social spaces and local recommendations on a budget.
- Transparent pricing and no surprises.
Strategies
- Clearly communicate what is (and isn’t) included.
- Offer low-cost upsells that add high perceived value (breakfast, airport shuttle, city pass).
- Provide simple, mobile-friendly communication and self-service options.
How Chekin helps
- Automate check-in and payments to keep staffing costs low while maintaining good service.
- Use the guest app to share affordable local tips and micro-upsells.
- Collect email and preference data for future targeted offers and loyalty building.
6. Luxury and VIP guests
Profile
- High willingness to pay; expect personalised, discreet service.
- May be celebrities, executives or high-net-worth individuals.
What they value
- Privacy, security and flawless execution.
- Customisation (special requests, amenities, experiences).
- High-touch but unobtrusive service.
Strategies
- Assign a dedicated point of contact (guest relations, butler, concierge).
- Pre-stay communication to understand preferences (pillow type, minibar, allergies).
- Offer premium upsells: private transfers, exclusive experiences, in-room dining.
How Chekin helps
- Use Chekin’s online pre-arrival forms to capture detailed preferences securely.
- Prioritise VIPs in your workflow based on tags and segmentation.
- Enable digital keys and smart access for private, frictionless room entry.
7. Wellness and eco-conscious travellers
Profile
- Travel to relax, recharge and take care of body/mind.
- Highly aware of sustainability and ethical choices.
What they value
- Healthy food options, fitness and spa facilities, quiet rooms.
- Environmental practices (reduced plastics, energy savings, local sourcing).
- Authentic, meaningful activities (yoga, hiking, cultural workshops).
Strategies
- Package wellness services (spa, yoga, healthy breakfast) into simple offers.
- Highlight your sustainability initiatives on your website and pre-stay communication.
- Curate wellness and eco-friendly activities in the area.
How Chekin helps
- Use Chekin to upsell spa packages, wellness classes and healthy F&B options pre-arrival.
- Inform guests via the app about your green policies and how they can participate (towel reuse, recycling, etc.).
- Collect feedback on wellness and sustainability via post-stay surveys.
8. Long-stay and relocation guests
Profile
- Guests staying weeks or months: relocation, medical stays, project work, training.
- Often book through companies, relocation agencies or long-stay platforms.
What they value
- “Home away from home” feel (kitchenette, laundry, storage).
- Predictable monthly cost, flexible terms.
- Practical information about neighbourhood and services.
Strategies
- Create long-stay rates with included services (cleaning, laundry, parking).
- Provide detailed local guides for everyday life (supermarkets, gyms, public transport).
- Offer small touches that help them settle (welcome packs, storage solutions).
How Chekin helps
- Automate the many touchpoints of long stays with scheduled communications.
- Manage payments, extensions and guest data digitally instead of manual paperwork.
- Centralise all guest interactions in one guest app, even when the stay is extended or complex.
9. Behaviour-driven guest profiles at the front desk
Beyond classic hotel guest types, your team also deals with behavioural profiles:
- The loyal guest who returns often and loves recognition.
- The impatient guest who hates queues.
- The critical guest who always finds something to complain about.
- The influencer guest who shares everything online.
Digitalising your guest journey doesn’t replace human service; it removes friction so staff can focus on human moments:
- Online check-in and self-service flows reduce queues for impatient guests.
- A smooth, modern digital experience impresses influencers and encourages positive reviews.
- Staff can spend more time with loyal and high-value guests instead of on repetitive admin.
From hotel guest types to a personalised digital journey
Knowing your segments is only useful if you act on it. Here’s how to turn insights into a concrete strategy – and how Chekin can support it.
Collect the right data at reservation and check-in
- Combine data from channels (OTA, direct, corporate) with questions in online check-in forms:
- Purpose of stay (business, family, event, etc.).
- Interests (wellness, gastronomy, culture, nightlife).
- Special needs (accessibility, allergies, kids’ equipment).
- With Chekin, you can configure your pre-arrival flow to capture all this without extra manual work.
Automate communications for each guest type
Once you know the type:
- Send tailored pre-arrival emails or in-app messages (business info, family services, wellness schedule).
- Trigger specific messages based on stay length, booking source or segment tags in Chekin.
- Use templates so everything runs automatically while feeling personalised.
Personalise upselling and online payments
By segment, you can:
- Offer relevant upsells directly in the guest app:
- Business: late check-out, meeting rooms, transfers.
- Families: kids’ packs, attraction tickets, extra housekeeping.
- Luxury: room upgrades, private experiences.
- Wellness: spa packages, classes, healthy menus.
- Collect online payments for add-ons, deposits and extras via Chekin, reducing front-desk transactions and making it easy for guests to confirm services in one tap.
Measure, learn and refine your segments
- Track which upsells and services perform best for each segment.
- Review feedback and ratings by guest type to spot gaps in your experience.
- Over time, refine your list of hotel guest types based on real data – perhaps adding a “remote corporate team retreat” profile or “sports event supporters” segment.
Conclusion: designing for many hotel guest types, delivering to one guest
Understanding hotel guest types is not about putting people in rigid boxes. It’s about recognising patterns so that your hotel can anticipate needs, reduce friction and create more memorable (and profitable) stays.
By combining clear segmentation with a digital-first guest journey, you can:
- Attract the right guests with the right offers.
- Equip your team with the information they need before guests arrive.
- Use tools like Chekin to automate online check-in, ID verification, online payments, smart access and upselling – so each person feels like your hotel was designed just for them.
In a world where guests expect both personalisation and convenience, the winners will be the hotels that truly understand their different guest types – and use technology intelligently to serve them all.
Discover how Chekin can help you automate check-in, stay compliant, protect your property, and boost revenue—saving 87% of your time and earning more from every booking.
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