The First Group Hospitality rolls out Inntelo AI across its portfolio
The First Group Hospitality has partnered with Inntelo AI to deploy an AI-native guest experience and operations platform across all properties. The decision follows a successful launch at TRYP by Wyndham Dubai and supports the group's wider digital transformation.
The rollout includes the upcoming Ciel Dubai Marina - Vignette Collection by IHG, expected to be the world's tallest hotel on completion. Learn more about Vignette Collection.
What this means on property
Guests get a unified digital concierge accessible via mobile or preferred channels, including voice, phone calls, and WhatsApp in 40+ languages. Requests for amenities, room service, restaurant bookings, and local excursions route directly to the right teams with live status and accountability.
The platform merges guest-facing touchpoints with real-time operational data. Expect faster responses, more consistent service delivery, and personalized recommendations based on context and preferences.
A connected operating model
The First Group Hospitality already applies AI across revenue forecasting, rate optimization, restaurant operations, feedback analysis, and workforce scheduling. Integrating Inntelo AI brings those back-end capabilities to the guest interface, creating one connected system for service and operations.
Leadership from both companies emphasized two goals: consistency at scale and smarter decision-making across departments. The rollout will proceed in phases over the coming months.
How it works day-to-day
- Unified inbox: All guest requests, regardless of channel, funnel into a single queue with auto-triage to Housekeeping, F&B, Front Office, Concierge, or Engineering.
- Live task tracking: Timestamped SLAs, status updates, and escalations boost accountability across shifts.
- Personalisation: Preferences and stay context inform recommendations for dining, experiences, and upsells without extra staff workload.
- Language coverage: Multilingual handling through WhatsApp, voice, and phone lowers friction for international guests. About WhatsApp Business
Practical playbook for GMs and Ops leaders
- Map SOPs to workflows: Convert current checklists into digital tasks with clear owners, SLAs, and fallbacks.
- Prioritize channels: Start with mobile web/QR and WhatsApp. Add voice and phone once routing is tight.
- Integrate early: PMS, POS, ticketing, and CRM integrations enable accurate routing and reporting.
- Train in short cycles: 30-minute micro-sessions by department; refresh weekly during phase one.
- Define guardrails: Tone of voice, escalation rules, and data access by role keep service on-brand and compliant.
Week-one use cases to deploy
- Pre-arrival upgrades, early check-in requests, and airport transfers with auto-confirmation.
- In-stay room service re-orders, amenity requests, and maintenance tickets with live ETAs.
- Restaurant, spa, and activity bookings with inventory-aware suggestions.
- Post-stay feedback capture and routing to department heads with closure loops.
Metrics to watch
- Service speed: Time to first response and time to resolution by request type and shift.
- Quality: CSAT/NPS per department, re-open rate, and missed-SLA count.
- Revenue: Ancillary spend per occupied room and upsell acceptance rate.
- Efficiency: Cost per ticket, labor hours per 100 occupied rooms, and overtime variance.
Risk checks and safeguards
- Privacy and consent: Align opt-ins, data retention, and messaging policies with local regulations.
- Failover to human: Clear handoff rules for high-value guests, VIP flags, and sensitive requests.
- Operational resilience: Offline procedures, audit logs, and shift-change summaries to prevent gaps.
Leadership perspective
According to Tom Stevens, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at The First Group Hospitality, the group evaluates new tech with care and sees this platform as an advantage in hotel management. He underscored a goal of intelligent, efficient, and personalized interactions from arrival to departure.
Asif Alidina, Co-Founder and CEO of Inntelo AI, highlighted the value of moving early with an AI-native approach. He noted the platform is built to evolve with agentic and conversational capabilities, reshaping how hotels operate and scale.
What to do next
- Pick two properties for a pilot and limit scope to three high-volume use cases.
- Set baseline metrics now, then compare weekly as automation and routing go live.
- Establish a cross-functional council (Ops, IT, F&B, Rooms, Finance) to review results and iterate.
For teams building internal AI skills around service design, automation, and analytics, explore role-based training at Complete AI Training.
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