Artificial intelligence is transforming every corner of the hospitality industry, but its impact on luxury hotels is particularly profound. In a sector where personalization, recognition and emotional connection define the guest experience, AI is being used heavily to augment the human touch.
As panelists at the recent Destination AI 2025: The Hospitality Conference emphasized, the future of luxury travel lies in the strategic fusion of high tech and high touch.
Personalization as the Ultimate Luxury
“Luxury is personalization. Luxury is about the way people feel,” said Carolyn Corda, managing director at Deloitte. “Consumers don’t care what mechanics are being used — they just care about how it feels for them.”
Today’s luxury traveler doesn’t just want to be recognized by name; they want to feel understood at a deeper level — their intentions, motivations and values. Corda calls this the “get me” level of personalization, and AI is what makes it possible.
By integrating guest data from loyalty programs, past stays, and real-time interactions, AI systems can generate intelligent profiles that staff can access across properties. As Frank Pitsikalis, senior vice president of product strategy for Agilysys noted, “It’s not just data that sits in a CRM, but data that’s meaningfully available at staff’s fingertips.”
From preferred room temperature and lighting to wine choices and wellness interests, AI can anticipate needs before the guest arrives.
Smart Spaces and Seamless Comfort
Behind the scenes, AI-driven automation is reshaping the physical environment of luxury properties. Intelligent systems are managing room temperature, lighting and entertainment preferences to enhance both energy efficiency and a level of comfort personalized to each guest, according to Will Gilbert, co-founder of Bodhi.
Such automation doesn’t just improve guest satisfaction. It also frees staff from routine tasks, allowing them to spend more time dealing with customers face-to-face.
“Technology is an enabler to free up staff to be out on the floor,” Piers Schmidt, the co-founder of Luxury Partners noted. “The key in luxury is wrangling the data and giving it to someone who turns it into a piece of human interaction.”
To read the rest of this story, visit our sister publication Luxury Travel Advisor.