Hotel guest journey map template
A hotel guest journey map shows what a guest goes through from choosing a hotel to the days after they leave: each step, where it happens, how it feels and what goes wrong. This template follows a typical stay booked online, with check-in at reception (the front desk, in US terms), a problem during the stay and the bill at check-out.
- Photos look professionally styled but don't reflect what the rooms actually look like
- Price on the hotel website is higher than on third-party booking sites
- Reviews mention issues that the hotel hasn't responded to
- Resort fees and parking costs are added at the final payment step with no prior warning
- No option to add special requests during booking — only a generic comment box
- Confirmation email is a plain text receipt with no useful pre-arrival information
- Pre-arrival email arrives 24 hours before check-in — too late to make any plans
- Email is generic and does not acknowledge the reason for the stay
- No option to complete check-in online to save time on arrival
- Emailed questions go unanswered for more than 48 hours
- Phone line is only open during standard business hours in a different time zone
- FAQ page does not cover the questions guests actually ask
- Queue at reception is long after a tiring journey
- Room is not ready at the advertised check-in time
- Staff seem distracted and the welcome feels impersonal
- Room does not match the photos or the category booked
- In-room information guide is outdated and lists facilities that no longer exist
- Wi-Fi password is printed in a font that is impossible to read
- Breakfast opens too late for business travellers catching early flights
- Pool towels run out by mid-morning with no restock until the afternoon
- Spa booking system is manual and requires a phone call to reception
- Reporting an issue requires going back down to reception rather than calling or messaging
- Issue is acknowledged but not resolved within a reasonable timeframe
- Guest feels awkward complaining and worries about being seen as difficult
- Minibar charges appear on the bill that the guest disputes
- Bill is presented as a single total with no itemised breakdown
- Queue at check-out is just as long as at check-in
- No farewell from staff on the way out
- Review request email arrives before the guest has even reached the airport
- No loyalty scheme or reason to book direct next time
- Use honest, recent photography that reflects the actual guest experience
- Offer a best-price guarantee on the direct website to incentivise direct bookings
- Respond to all recent negative reviews with a specific, non-templated reply
- Display all mandatory fees upfront on the room selection page
- Add structured special request options during booking (e.g. early check-in, accessibility needs)
- Send a branded confirmation email with key hotel details, check-in time, and local tips
- Send the pre-arrival email 5-7 days before the stay with destination tips and hotel highlights
- Personalise the pre-arrival message if a special occasion was noted at booking
- Offer online check-in with digital room key via app or email link
- Commit to a 12-hour email response time for pre-arrival enquiries
- Offer a WhatsApp or messaging channel for guest questions
- Refresh the FAQ page quarterly based on questions received by the front desk team
- Offer a dedicated express check-in desk for guests who have pre-registered online
- Send a proactive message if the room will not be ready at the standard check-in time and offer a complimentary drink or bag storage
- Train front desk staff to maintain full eye contact and use the guest's name during check-in
- Conduct quarterly room audits to ensure they meet the standard shown on the website
- Replace printed in-room guides with a digital compendium accessible via QR code
- Display Wi-Fi details prominently and in clear print near the desk and TV
- Offer a grab-and-go breakfast option for guests with early departures
- Implement a pool towel return system with hourly restocking
- Add online spa booking through the hotel app or website
- Enable issue reporting via SMS, WhatsApp, or in-room tablet
- Set internal resolution SLAs — e.g. all reported maintenance issues addressed within 90 minutes
- Train staff to actively solicit feedback mid-stay so guests feel safe raising issues
- Conduct a minibar audit on the day of departure and resolve disputes at the time, not at check-out
- Email an itemised pre-departure bill the evening before so guests can review in their room
- Offer express check-out by leaving the key in the room and receiving a digital receipt by email
- Train door and reception staff to give a genuine personalised farewell to every departing guest
- Time the review request email to arrive 24 hours after the check-out date
- Include a direct-booking discount or loyalty points offer in the post-stay email
Scroll sideways to see every step. “Open this template” gives you this map as your own copy to edit.
At a glance
This template maps a hotel stay in 5 phases and 10 steps, across 11 touchpoints: booking platform, hotel website, reviews, email, messaging, phone, reception, room, hotel app, restaurant & spa and invoice. The overall feeling is mixed (3.1 out of 5), and 1 of the 10 steps is frustrated or angry. The biggest drop comes between “Uses Hotel Facilities” and “Encounters a Problem During the Stay”.
- Phases
- 5
- Steps
- 10
- Touchpoints
- 11
- Overall feeling
- Mixed
- 3.1 out of 5
- Needs attention
- 1 of 10 steps
- frustrated or angry
- Biggest drop
- 2 points
- Uses Hotel Facilities → Encounters a Problem During the Stay
The 5 phases of a hotel stay
1. Booking
The guest compares photos, prices and reviews, often across several sites. Fees that appear only at the payment step are the first broken promise.
- Researches and Chooses the Hotel · 😐 Neutral. Guest compares options on a booking platform or the hotel's direct website before choosing.
- Completes the Reservation · 😐 Neutral. Guest enters their details, selects room type and dates, and confirms the booking.
2. Pre-Arrival
The days before the stay are a chance to help, and many hotels send one generic email. Questions left unanswered now turn into queues at reception later.
- Receives Pre-Arrival Communication · 😐 Neutral. Guest receives emails or messages from the hotel in the days before their stay.
- Plans Activities and Asks Questions · 😐 Neutral. Guest reaches out with questions or requests before arriving.
3. Check-In
The guest arrives tired and wants a room and a friendly face. A room that isn't ready, with no warning, sets the tone for the rest of the stay.
- Arrives at the Hotel · 😐 Neutral. Guest arrives at reception and begins the check-in process.
- Gets Oriented to the Room and Hotel · 😊 Happy. Guest is shown to their room and explores the space and facilities.
4. Stay
The facilities are usually the happy part. The low point is a problem during the stay, and whether reporting it is easy and fixing it is quick.
- Uses Hotel Facilities · 😊 Happy. Guest enjoys the pool, gym, restaurant, or spa during their stay.
- Encounters a Problem During the Stay · 😤 Frustrated. Guest experiences an issue such as noise, a maintenance problem, or a billing error.
5. Check-Out
The bill is the last thing the guest deals with, and an unexplained charge is what they remember. The farewell and the timing of the review request shape the review they write.
- Reviews and Settles the Bill · 😐 Neutral. Guest reviews their final bill and completes payment at check-out.
- Departs and Reflects on the Stay · 😐 Neutral. Guest leaves the hotel and forms their final impression of the experience.
Where a hotel stay goes wrong
The step where the customer is frustrated or angry, with its pain points:
Encounters a Problem During the Stay
- Reporting an issue requires going back down to reception rather than calling or messaging
- Issue is acknowledged but not resolved within a reasonable timeframe
- Guest feels awkward complaining and worries about being seen as difficult
Ideas to fix the low point
Encounters a Problem During the Stay
- Enable issue reporting via SMS, WhatsApp, or in-room tablet
- Set internal resolution SLAs — e.g. all reported maintenance issues addressed within 90 minutes
- Train staff to actively solicit feedback mid-stay so guests feel safe raising issues
How to adapt this template
- Start with your reviews. Recent reviews from booking sites, sorted by topic, are the quickest evidence of where the stay goes wrong.
- Map one type of guest at a time. A family on holiday, a business traveller and a wedding party book, arrive and complain differently.
- Add your own channels, such as your app, a messaging service, a check-in kiosk or an in-room tablet.
- Bring in the teams behind each step. Reservations, front office, housekeeping, maintenance and the restaurant each own part of the map.
- Bring real numbers, like the share of rooms ready at check-in time, how fast messages get an answer, and billing disputes per month.
Who uses this map
Hotel managers and guest experience and front office teams use it to decide what to fix first. It also helps hotel marketers plan pre-arrival and post-stay messages, and gives hospitality and service design students a familiar journey to practise on.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hotel guest journey map?
A picture of a hotel stay from the guest's side: the steps from booking to after check-out, the channels at each step, how the guest feels and what goes wrong. It helps reservations, front office, housekeeping and marketing see the stay as one experience.
What are the stages of the hotel guest journey?
This template uses 5 phases: booking, pre-arrival, check-in, the stay and check-out, including the follow-up after the guest leaves.
Does it work for business travel or holiday rentals?
Yes, with changes. For business travel, add the company's booking tool and the invoice the guest has to claim back. For a holiday rental, replace reception with the key handover and the host's messages.
How do I map our own hotel?
Open the template, change the steps to match your own stay and swap the touchpoints for your channels, such as your app or a messaging service. Then replace the example feelings and pain points with what guests say in reviews and at reception.
Is it free?
Yes, Journey Maps is free. You can open and edit this template without signing up. Your map stays in your browser until you sign in to save it, export a PDF or share a read-only link.
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Related guides
Start from this template
Free, no sign-up needed. You get your own copy of the map to change.
Open the hotel guest templateUpdated November 2026