Key takeaways
- Hotels using MEWS connect DialogShift via the MEWS Marketplace, and setup typically takes 12 to 48 hours.
- The Booking Agent pulls availability, room categories, and prices live from MEWS and uses them in Chat AI and Phone AI.
- The Booking Agent completes bookings directly in MEWS, with payment at check-in, via payment link, or with a credit card guarantee.
- Company codes, group rates, and staff rates are never released by the Booking Agent.
- The same MEWS integration powers Journey Messaging, and when a guest replies, the Chat AI takes over the conversation.
Why one AI instead of many fragmented solutions?
Most hotels are familiar with this problem: the chatbot on the website knows nothing about the phone, the booking tool is disconnected from the WhatsApp channel, and the digital guest directory is yet another separate system. DialogShift takes a different approach. The all-in-one Hospitality AI from DialogShift is a central AI for your entire guest communication. It covers chat, phone, email, and WhatsApp, and now bookings as well. The MEWS integration is the foundation for this, supplying all channels with the same live data from your PMS. Your guest receives the same answer, the same price, and the same availability everywhere.
How does availability from MEWS reach chat and phone?
Hotels using MEWS as their PMS connect DialogShift directly via the MEWS Marketplace. Setup is typically completed within 12 to 48 hours. Once connected, the Booking Agent pulls availability, room categories, and prices directly from MEWS, using this up-to-the-minute data in both the Chat AI and Phone AI.
A guest asks for a double room for the weekend at midnight and receives an answer that exactly matches what is currently available for sale in MEWS. No outdated price lists, no need to check with the front desk, and no lost guest who ends up booking via Booking.com instead.
How does the Booking Agent complete bookings in MEWS?
The Booking Agent doesn't just answer questions; it completes the booking directly in MEWS, including payment processing, via chat and phone. It supports all booking variations used by your hotel. If the guest pays at check-in, the booking is confirmed immediately and payment is handled on-site. For prepayments, the guest receives a payment link directly in the chat, via SMS, or WhatsApp. Alternatively, MEWS can send the payment email itself. And if your hotel works with credit card guarantees, the agent secures the booking accordingly.
You decide which method suits your hotel. If a payment is not received, the booking can be automatically canceled after a deadline you set, rather than blocking a room indefinitely. For you as a hotelier, this means direct bookings around the clock without your team investing a single minute. Every inquiry that previously sat as an unanswered email or was lost in a hold queue can now become a paid booking.
Which rooms and rates does the Booking Agent sell?
You define which room categories and public rates the Booking Agent is allowed to offer in the DialogShift app under Integrations → MEWS. If the list is left empty, everything active in MEWS is automatically considered available for sale. The agent does not release company codes, group rates, or staff rates; these are intentionally excluded.
Where do room descriptions and images come from?
DialogShift pulls descriptions and images for each room category directly from MEWS, for every guest language you have configured there. The first image uploaded for a category becomes the cover image in the chat carousel.
How does Journey Messaging work with MEWS?
The same MEWS integration also powers Journey Messaging by DialogShift. Booking and guest data flow automatically, with no separate setup required. This allows your hotel to automatically send booking confirmations, pre-arrival excitement messages, or post-stay feedback requests, for example via WhatsApp.
The crucial difference compared to classic mailing tools is that communication is not a one-way street. If the guest replies to a message, the Chat AI takes over the conversation immediately and in their language.
For example: three days before arrival, your guest receives a pre-arrival message via WhatsApp. They reply to ask if they can check in at 12:00 PM and if there is parking available at the hotel. The AI responds in seconds, without requiring any input from your team. An automated message turns into a real dialogue, and that dialogue often leads to an upsell, such as an early check-in, parking, or a spa appointment.
Why does this make the difference for your hotel?
Individually, each of these functions is useful. Together, they create something that a patchwork of separate tools cannot: an AI that knows and accompanies your guest throughout their entire journey. It answers the first question on the website, completes the booking, processes the payment, reaches out before arrival, and continues to answer any follow-up questions. All based on live data from MEWS, all without extra effort for your team.
How does your hotel go live with the MEWS integration?
You can initiate the connection via the DialogShift integration in the MEWS Marketplace. Next, manage your room categories, rates, and booking agent configuration within the DialogShift app. Before going live, use the Availability Analyzer to perform a full check of every guest language, reviewing room names, descriptions, images, and availability at a glance. Once everything is set, let DialogShift know, and your AI will go live for both chat and phone.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to set up the MEWS integration?
Hotels using MEWS as their PMS connect DialogShift directly via the MEWS Marketplace. Setup is typically completed within 12 to 48 hours. Before going live, you check every guest language once with the Availability Analyzer.
Which payment options does the Booking Agent support with MEWS?
The DialogShift Booking Agent for chat and phone supports payment at check-in, prepayment via payment link in the chat, via SMS or WhatsApp, and credit card guarantees. Alternatively, MEWS sends the payment email itself. If a payment is not received, the booking can be canceled automatically after your deadline.
Which rooms and rates does the Booking Agent sell?
You define this in the DialogShift app under Integrations → MEWS. If the list is left empty, everything active in MEWS is considered available for sale. Company codes, group rates, and staff rates are never released.
Does Journey Messaging need its own connection to MEWS?
No. Booking and guest data flow automatically through the same MEWS integration, with no separate setup required. You can find all other connected systems in the overview of DialogShift integrations.
Curious to see how this looks for your hotel?
In a brief conversation, we’ll show you what the MEWS integration means for your direct bookings and guest communication. Schedule a call
