Signs It’s Time to Upgrade How You Share Guest Recommendations
Tispiti Blog. Made for everyone, curated by locals.
Every traveler knows the look: a binder hiding in a bedside cabinet, stuffed with takeaway menus, TripAdvisor printouts, and a map that’s been folded to death. The laminated printout at reception. Or the PDF attachment sent before arrival, buried somewhere between booking confirmations and airport transfer details. The recs themselves might still hold up, but the delivery already feels dated.
If any of this sounds familiar, it might be a sign it’s time to upgrade.
Key Takeaways
Outdated delivery can even make good recommendations feel flat.
Guests expect clean, digital formats they can actually use on the go.
Concierges still matter – and digital tools can sharpen their impact.
Better delivery shows care, builds trust, and keeps recs in use.
The Laminated Binder Era
We’ve all thumbed through one of these. Heavy folder, plastic sleeves, takeaway menus curling at the edges. Maybe even a “Top 10 Attractions” list with the same three landmarks every tourist already has on their phone. The problem isn’t that the information is wrong – it’s that the packaging shouts, “We haven’t updated this in years.” Guests pick up on that instantly.
The Good Ol’ PDF
Whether it’s a laminated printout left in a rental or a file sent by email, PDFs might have seemed convenient once – but they don’t hold up great today. They’re too static. Once created, they can’t adapt with seasons, staff changes, or personalisation. Guests might still use them if they’re there, but they often feel dated the moment something changes.
That’s the problem. The café you loved might have shut last week. A new noodle bar could have opened around the corner. The PDF won’t reflect either.
Hospitality moves fast. Slow and static won’t keep up – guests want things to be simple, convenient, and personal.
Scribbled Notes
We’ll admit there’s a certain charm in it – a staff member jotting down the name of a tucked-away bar or late-night café and sliding it across the counter.
That charm can fade quickly, though. A lot rests on the quality of the tip, and the presentation can cut both ways. If the recommendation is genuinely sharp, it feels like an insider sharing something just for you. If it’s underwhelming, the messy scrawl comes across less as personal and more as hurried or unprepared.
There’s also the staffing dilemma: these recs are tied to whoever happens to be working. Great tips can disappear if that person’s off-shift, leaving the next guest none the wiser.
A Note on Concierges
Concierges sit in a bit of a grey area here. The service they provide is usually excellent – personal judgment, timing tips, relationships with local restaurants – all things a binder or PDF can’t deliver. But the way those recommendations are handed over can still feel a little old-school. Scribbled notes, circled maps, even hastily printed lists all fall into the same delivery problem mentioned.
That doesn’t make concierges outdated – far from it. Their value is clear. But the process can be sharper. Digital tools don’t replace a concierge; they simply give their advice more staying power.
Why It Matters
Guests don’t just judge the what of your recommendations; they notice the how. A dusty binder or static PDF feels like an afterthought. A note handed over at the desk might help for one night, but it doesn’t scale.
The delivery sets the tone – it’s where guest expectations meet presentation. Today’s guests want recommendations that are convenient, fast, reliable, and personal. Those qualities only come through if the way they’re shared meets the same standard. Binders and PDFs can’t deliver on that. Presentation decides whether the experience feels modern and intentional, or dated and forgettable.
If your recs are still stuck in binders, PDFs, or sticky notes, it’s probably time to upgrade.
