Availability: This feature is currently available to Mogul customers only.
What Is AI Auto Reply?
AI Auto Reply is part of Inbox AI and automatically sends replies to guest messages based on your settings, property context, and past conversations.
It helps you:
Respond to guests 24/7 without being online
Maintain consistent, accurate messaging
Escalate urgent situations safely
Avoid risky or incomplete responses
You can enable it globally, scope it to specific properties or times, and even pause it for a single reservation when needed.
When Does AI Auto Reply Send a Message?
AI Auto Reply only responds when all required conditions are met.
Auto Reply will respond when:
The message arrives within your configured timing window
The AI has enough context from:
Property details
The Knowledge Hub
Past replies
The topic is allowed
The host has not already replied
Auto Reply will not respond when:
The message arrives outside your configured hours
You or a teammate reply first
The message arrives together with a new booking
There isn’t enough context to respond confidently
The message involves a restricted topic (see below)
When Auto Reply decides not to send a message, the reason is recorded in the conversation notes, and you’ll receive an email notification.
Restricted Topics (When AI Will Not Respond)
To avoid incorrect or sensitive replies, AI Auto Reply will not respond to messages involving:
Calendar availability
Early check-in, late check-out, or date changes
Refunds, discounts, compensation, or pricing discussions
Payments, bank details, or payment links
Moving a guest to a different property
Sharing sensitive stay details (address, parking, lock codes, Wi-Fi) before booking is confirmed
Taking actions or making decisions on behalf of the host
As Inbox AI continues to improve, some of these restrictions may be lifted.
How AI Auto Reply Works (Behind the Scenes)
For every guest message, Inbox AI follows a multi-step process:
Initial decision
The AI checks whether to proceed based on your timing rules, the booking stage, and available context.Escalation check
If the message matches your escalation policy (for example, a lockout), Auto Reply skips AI generation and prepares your predefined Escalation Message.Message generation
If eligible, the AI drafts a response using property details, Knowledge Hub content, and similar past replies.Safety assessment
A separate AI review checks whether the drafted reply meets all rules and restrictions.Message sent
Either the AI-generated reply or your Escalation Message is sent to the guest.
This layered approach helps ensure replies are accurate, appropriate, and safe.
Escalations: Handling Urgent Situations
Escalations allow Auto Reply to immediately send a predefined message when a guest reports an urgent issue.
Example:
If your escalation policy includes “Guest is locked out,” and a guest sends a lockout message, Inbox AI sends your Escalation Message exactly as written—without generating a new AI response.
You fully control escalation messages, and AI never rewrites them.
How Long Does It Take to Reply?
Replies typically take 45+ seconds due to multiple safety and validation steps.
Auto Reply only starts once Hospitable has received the guest message. If the message appears in an OTA (like Vrbo) before it reaches Hospitable, Auto Reply won’t begin until it’s received on our side.
How to Improve AI Reply Accuracy
The quality of AI Auto Replies depends heavily on the information available to it. To improve accuracy and relevance:
Keep each property’s Knowledge Hub up to date
Add clear details about check-in instructions, amenities, house rules, parking, and common guest questions.
Configuring AI Auto Replies
Access Inbox AI Settings
Log in to your Hospitable account
Navigate to Guest Experience → Inbox AI
Open Default Settings (or another settings group)
Set Timing & Availability
Use the Timing tab to define when Auto Reply is active.
24/7 setup:
Set availability from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM.
If minute adjustments are limited, double-click the minutes field and type 59.
Use Different Settings for Different Properties
You can create multiple settings groups and scope them to specific properties, booking stages, or time ranges.
Choose Which Host Sends AI Messages
Remove the primary host—or any host you don’t want used—from the host scoping setting.
Disabling or Pausing AI Auto Reply
Disable Auto Reply Globally
Go to Guest Experience → Inbox AI
Toggle the Auto Reply group off
Pause Auto Reply for a Single Reservation
You can pause Auto Reply directly from an individual conversation.
Open the conversation
In the reservation sidebar, locate Auto Reply
Click Pause Auto Reply
Choose:
Pause until you manually resume, or
Pause for a specific time period
While paused, Auto Reply will not respond to messages in that conversation. Once resumed, normal behavior continues.
Notifications & Conversation Notes
Notifications
When Auto Reply cannot send a message, we notify you by:
Emailing the primary account holder
Sending push notifications to team members with Inbox and property access
You can opt out of either notification type in Inbox AI settings.
Conversation Notes (Abort Reasons)
When Auto Reply decides not to respond—or if a reply fails—the reason is added to the conversation notes. This helps you quickly understand what happened without having to guess.
Inbox AI Fallback Auto Reply
You can configure a fallback, out-of-office–style message for guests. If an AI-generated response fails to send, this fallback message is automatically delivered to ensure the guest still receives a reply.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why don’t I see the Inbox AI icon?
Make sure you’re checking under Guest Experience
In some cases, the feature may be active before the UI fully updates
If this persists, contact support with a screenshot
AI replies aren’t being sent (Mogul users)
Confirm your Inbox AI settings are fully configured
If you recently upgraded, a walkthrough with Onboarding is recommended
Include reservation codes and message examples when contacting support
I can’t access Inbox AI
Inbox AI is only available on the Mogul plan. Host and Professional plan users will need to upgrade to access this feature.
Need Help?
If you need help configuring AI Auto Reply or verifying your eligibility, contact [email protected]. Including screenshots or reservation details will help us assist you faster.