Welcome to RemoteHotelier!
In this edition, we look at what happens when shiny tech and long leases explode and how it’s very common to think that more channels mean more bookings, but the latest numbers suggest this might not be true.
In today’s newsletter:
🔮 The hotel of the future doesn’t hold up in the present
💬 Meta’s latest feature could improve hotel communications
📉 Hotels are paying more for clicks and getting less
🏨 + 6 deals & updates
💼 + 3 new jobs in hotel tech
🗞️ + 6 hotel tech extra news
#1 The hotel of the future doesn’t hold up in the present.
Sonder, a modern hospitality company that rented and operated rooms through automated systems, collapses because its model became too expensive.
Sonder plans to file for bankruptcy and close shop in the US.
Their business model seems to depend on long leases, which made the company heavy on fixed costs.
Guests in some properties had to leave the next morning and look for last minute rooms in other hotels.
When a company investing so heavily in technology falls apart like this, it exposes the risk of weak integrations and fragile systems. For context, Sonder was positioned as one of the main competitors for Airbnb.
Unfortunately, this collapse shows what can happen when a tech stack looks sophisticated on the surface, but can’t support scale and costs. By definition, tech should always add more than it subtracts.
#2 Meta’s latest feature could improve hotel communications.
WhatsApp is testing a new feature that lets businesses use the same username they already have on Facebook or Instagram, instead of a phone number.
Meta wants one digital identity across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
Usernames will show on WhatsApp profiles once the feature launches next year.
Verification happens through Meta’s Account Center.
Remember when Facebook was the big thing for hotels? Maybe it’s time to take the dust off it. @HotelName is easier to recall than a random phone number, and looks cleaner on your site or your room key card.
Even if you don’t plan to use it any time soon, reserve your hotel’s handle before someone else grabs it.
Photo: Freepik
#3 Hotels are paying more for clicks and getting less.
According to Cendyn, hotel digital marketing is entering a tougher and more expensive phase. Things like new privacy rules and cookie consent changes threaten the good old tactics that hotels have been using for years.
The report says that hotel cost per acquisition is up about 38% year over year.
EU privacy rules force sites to get clear consent before collecting data. When users reject tracking, Google loses conversion signals and the automated bidding gets weaker.
Many channels are showing lower conversion rates because less data is collected.
California’s junk fee rules require clear tax and fee displays. That seems to be a slippery slope because wrong or unclear prices reduce visibility on metasearch and lower click through rates.
Hotels might be burning money without even noticing it. You might be paying more for weaker signals. The takeaway from this research is to make sure your prices and fees are correct across the distribution channels you use.
THE RESOURCE HUB
📍 Next Event: Fitur Madrid (21–25 January 2026).
📅 2025/2026 hotel tech event calendar.
💼 Hotel tech companies offering remote jobs.
💻 Cloud PMS comparison spreadsheet.
🏨 DEALS & UPDATES
Shiji adds embedded payments to its PMS, Daylight, allowing hotel staff to handle transactions from the main dashboard.
Cloudbeds partners with Hopper Technology Solutions to let hotels sell a flexible booking option that allows guests to cancel stays for any reason while still generating revenue for the property.
Google's AI Mode lets users create and customize travel plans, book hotels and store itineraries. They plan to expand global features and challenge sites like Kayak and Expedia.
Amazon rebrands its satellite internet service to Amazon Leo to compete with Starlink. Interesting for hotels in isolated areas with no high speed internet connection availability.
Radisson Hotel Group launches a new platform to connect content creators with hotels worldwide.
Hospitable becomes the first PMS for short-term rentals to launch a feature to streamline direct payments to property owners.
💼 HOTEL TECH JOB BOARD
🗞️ HOTEL TECH EXTRAS
BoomPop raises $25 million to expand its event management platform, which helps companies planning and booking team events, offsites and meetings across thousands of venues worldwide.
Mindtrip launches new tools to help hotels offer better trip planning to guests, aiming to drive more direct bookings and improve guest engagement.
OpenAI is piloting ChatGPT Group Chats, allowing up to 20 users to collaborate in real time in conversations. Ideal for tasks like planning a trip, brainstorming ideas or writing a report.
MAIC, a travel tech startup, secures a €1 million investment to expand its content and distribution platform for hotel marketing and guest engagement.
Orbisk brings its AI food waste tracking tool to the US, aiming to help hotel kitchens save up to €65,000 annually and cut tons of food waste.
Canary Technologies listed on the 2025 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 companies for the second year in a row.
That’s all for today, thank you for reading. If you’re not subscribed yet, you can sign up here. If you’re already a subscriber and you want to help, a quick way is to:
Share the newsletter with your colleagues.
Follow the LinkedIn page.
Move it to your Primary inbox so you never miss an edition. Use this guide if you need help.
See you next week!
Jose