The hotel industry saw significant shifts throughout 2025 — from the mainstreaming of mobile-first guest journeys to the rise of intelligent automation and new approaches to F&B revenue. As we move into 2026, hotels have clearer insight into where to invest, where guest expectations are heading, and how digital tools can streamline service while boosting profitability.
This year’s dominant theme? Convenience powered by technology — delivered through one unified guest journey. And mobile ordering platforms like wi-Q increasingly sit at the center of that experience.
2025 Made Mobile-First the Default, 2026 Will Demand End-to-End Digital Journeys
In 2025, mobile check-in and digital keys became standard across both large groups and independent hotels. Cloud PMS adoption accelerated significantly, driven by increased staffing pressures and the demand for flexible, remote-friendly systems.
According to industry analysis from e360 Hospitality, cloud PMS solutions became the operational backbone for many hotels, enabling mobile-first interactions from arrival to check-out.
Where to focus in 2026:
Hotels should now think holistically: guests expect to find every service — rooms, dining, amenity bookings, F&B ordering — in one seamless mobile environment.
Platforms like wi-Q help deliver that continuity by embedding mobile ordering directly into existing guest apps and PMS workflows. Guests can browse menus, order, and pay without switching channels, reducing pressure on front desks and improving overall flow.
Personalisation Evolved in 2025 — in 2026, Hotels Need to Act on Guest Data
AI-driven personalisation finally took off in practical, operational ways in 2025. Hotels began tailoring upsell offers, room preferences and F&B suggestions based on guest behaviour and PMS data. Smart hotel compendiums became more dynamic, pulling in real-time offers, dining menus and local recommendations.
Analysis by eHotelier highlighted how digital F&B tools in 2025 helped hotels personalise dining offers and increase average order value.
Where to focus in 2026:
The shift now is from “collecting data” to activating it.
Hotels should use behaviour insights to refine service sequencing, upsell intelligently and tailor in-stay experiences — not just marketing emails.
Because wi-Q integrates with PMS and guest profiles, mobile ordering becomes a powerful personalisation tool: guests see what’s relevant to them, and upsell prompts feel natural rather than transactional.
IoT & Smart Rooms Became Mainstream, 2026 Will Connect Them to Revenue
2025 saw a major rise in smart room adoption, from mobile-controlled lighting and temperature to AI-driven housekeeping scheduling. HFTP’s 2025 technology outlook noted significant investment in IoT to reduce energy use and staff workload.
Where to focus in 2026:
The next step is linking smart rooms with revenue strategy.
For example, ordering room service directly from the in-room control system or mobile device, or triggering personalised suggestions based on time of day or past orders.
Because wi-Q connects F&B ordering to PMS and room management systems, hotels can finally align smart-room tech with food and beverage revenue opportunities.
Guests in 2025 increasingly preferred hotels with visible sustainability efforts. Paper removal accelerated: printed compendiums, menus and receipts were replaced with digital versions.
HFTP reports showed strong guest sentiment toward hotels that integrated sustainable, paperless technology.
Where to focus in 2026:
In 2026, sustainability will be less about messaging and more about measurable practices.
Hotels can cut waste by digitising menus, promotions and receipts — and streamline operations at the same time.
wi-Q plays directly into this shift: all menus, specials and receipts are handled digitally, reducing print waste while improving the speed and responsiveness of F&B service.
Hotels increasingly rejected “one-size-fits-all” legacy software in 2025. Reports from major hospitality associations indicated a migration toward best-in-class modular systems — PMS, POS, CRM, guest apps — that can talk to each other.
Where to focus in 2026:
Integration should be the priority. Hotels that operate on connected systems gain higher visibility into guest habits, F&B performance and operational bottlenecks.
wl-Q is built on this principle: its mobile ordering integrates with PMS, POS, and middleware, turning F&B ordering into a connected part of your overall digital strategy.
In 2026, the winners in hospitality will be the hotels that connect the dots — integrating mobile ordering, PMS workflows, automation and personalisation into a single, frictionless journey. With wi-Q, mobile ordering becomes not just a convenience tool, but a core part of your revenue and guest experience strategy.
Get started with wi‑Q today and set your venue up for success. click here for a personalised demo with one of our mobile ordering experts.