How to answer your hotel phone at night
If nobody is on the desk at night, you have four options: forward calls to your mobile, use voicemail, pay an answering service or use an AI receptionist. Here is what each one gives you and what it costs.
The real problem: night callers don't leave messages
Someone calling at 11pm usually wants an answer now: is there a room tomorrow, can they arrive late, where do they park. If voicemail picks up, most hang up and try the next place on the list.
The four options, plainly
Forward to your mobile. Free, but you need to be awake and available. Fine for a very small place; tiring in high season.
Voicemail. Cheap, but most callers hang up without leaving a message, and nothing gets solved there and then.
Answering service. A person answers, usually charged per minute or per call, with a generic script that doesn't know your property.
AI receptionist. Benvida answers on the first ring, in the guest's language, with your property's information. She takes the booking details and sends them to you to confirm. If someone asks for a person or there's an emergency, she transfers the call.
How to set it up and keep your number
You use your carrier's call forwarding: forward only when you don't answer, or forward all calls at night. Calls are forwarded to a Spanish number, so ask your carrier what forwarding costs on your line. You can switch it off just as quickly.
What Benvida doesn't do
She doesn't make up prices or availability: if she doesn't know, she says so and passes the question to you. Call audio isn't stored. And if asked, she says she's an AI.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use it only at night?
How much does it cost?
What if a guest who's staying has a problem?
Would you rather we called you?
Leave your number and tick the consent box: Benvida calls you in under a minute, between 9am and 9pm. Just that one call.