Innovation

🏨 Mike Rispoli, Laundris VP of Product Management, says conversational AI can help hotels anticipate linen shortages and detect unusual losses. Laundris Assistant uses RFID inventory data to answer plain-language questions about stock, locations, loss trends and reordering in seconds, while generating tailored reports and charts. Combining real-time tracking with historical usage could reduce overordering, emergency purchases and manual counting. The article provides no quantified savings, adoption statistics or specific hotel locations.

United is the first carrier in the U.S. to explicitly say it will restrict access to third-party AI agents.

🏨 roommaster announced Pawel Brzeminski as CEO on November 11, 2026, in Clearwater, Florida, alongside a major platform upgrade. He brings 15 years of B2B software experience and tripled recurring revenue at Snap Projections after its acquisition. Founded in 1994, roommaster serves thousands of properties worldwide. Brzeminski will lead its AI-first strategy, integrating hotel operations, revenue management and guest services to save staff time, increase revenue and improve guest experiences.

🏨 Mews now embeds two AI-powered tools, Guest Messaging and Automations, in its hotel operating system. Messaging combines five channels into one dashboard, while automation routes requests, tracks orders and personalizes guest communications. Suggested workflows include offers five hours after check-in and upgrades after more than five nights. Staff approve AI guidelines, and unanswered questions go to humans. Mews serves 15,000 customers across 85 countries.

💳 Las Vegas-based UrVenue has expanded its Stripe integration after more than 10 years of collaboration, adding five digital wallets: Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Cash App Pay, Google Pay and Link. Stripe’s Adaptive Pricing also lets eligible guests view prices and pay in local currencies. The upgrade helps hospitality operators offer new payment capabilities without separate implementations. UrVenue has served resorts and entertainment venues since 2011; payment availability varies by location, currency, device and account configuration.

🏨 SONIFI announced in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that SONIFI Central is now available to its 5,000 customer properties following an initial launch earlier this year. The platform monitors WiFi, interactive TV, casting, linear TV and telephony in real time. Continuous scans, self-healing protocols and AI-assisted automation identify and resolve technology issues. Hotels also gain guest-usage insights, marketing performance data, self-service tools and access to 24/7 support, aiming to reduce staff workload and improve returns.

🏕 Grevon announced an integration with Indio by Big Rig Media, showcased at OHCE 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas, November 9–11. RV parks and campgrounds can offer availability checks, recommendations, reservations and payments within one AI-powered conversation. Connected to real-time property data and existing reservation systems, the integration aims to increase direct bookings and reduce routine staff inquiries. Grevon’s Echo voice agent supports telephone bookings around the clock.

🏨 Miami Beach-based OneJourney made PhocusWire’s Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2027, published November 9 in the list’s ninth year. Led by co-founder and CEO Brian Dass, its SwiftPay platform helps independent hotels earn cashback on eligible supplier payments and automate invoices without subscription fees. A WEX partnership supports its commercial card program across the United States and Europe. OneJourney also earned a 2026 Phocuswright Global Startup Pitch wildcard and plans further expansion in 2027.