How does Chatref integrate with existing hotel software?

Hotel software integration starts with custom actions, the no-code tool that lets Chatref talk to any platform with a public API. Whether you run a cloud PMS, a local CRM for hotels, or a guest engagement suite, you configure endpoints once, and the AI chatbot begins reading and writing data in real time. There is no proprietary connector lock-in - if the software can receive an API call, Chatref can work with it. The website widget then sits on your booking engine, giving guests a single place to check availability, modify reservations, or ask about loyalty points, all while Chatref quietly synchronizes those interactions with your back-end systems.

Custom actions turn the conversation into a task-completion engine. When a guest asks "Can you add a late checkout to my reservation?", Chatref collects the booking reference, verifies eligibility against your PMS, and posts the update - all without a human touching anything. You can build flows that handle common hotel scenarios: pulling a guest folio from the PMS, enrolling someone into the CRM loyalty program, or even triggering an email confirmation through your marketing tool. Because the actions run directly inside the widget, the guest never leaves your website, and your team stays focused on high-touch service.

The same AI agent works everywhere your guests reach you. Chatref’s omnichannel capability connects web chat, email, Slack, and WhatsApp to a single brain. A guest who starts a conversation on the widget can continue by email later; your staff sees one thread with full context. Under the hood, CRM for hotels stays aware of every touchpoint because custom actions can log the interaction or update the guest profile regardless of the channel it came from. The website widget is the quickest way to get started - one snippet on your site - but the omnichannel design means you never have to build separate bots for each platform.

When a situation calls for a human, Chatref’s shared inbox makes the handoff invisible. Your team sees live conversations in a unified feed, with the complete history and any data the AI already gathered. A front-desk agent can jump in, see that the guest’s reservation was pulled via PMS integration, and take over the chat. If the agent needs to trigger an action themselves - like issuing a refund through the PMS - they can do it from the same interface, using the same custom actions. There is no context lost, no screen switching, and no guest having to repeat themselves.

Which hotel software systems does Chatref integrate with?
Chatref works with any hotel software that exposes a public API - that includes the majority of modern PMS platforms (Oracle Opera, Mews, Cloudbeds, Apaleo) and CRM tools (Salesforce, HubSpot, Revinate). Instead of pre-built connectors, you use custom actions to define the exact endpoints Chatref should call. This gives you control over which version of an integration you use and avoids waiting for vendor-maintained plugins.

How does Chatref handle data between systems?
Data flows through secure API requests initiated by custom actions. For example, when a guest asks to view their upcoming stays, Chatref queries the PMS with the guest’s email, receives the reservation array, and formats the answer inside the chat. If a staff member updates a guest profile from the shared inbox, the same custom action can push that update to your CRM. All traffic is TLS-encrypted; you supply the authentication tokens for each service during setup.

Can Chatref trigger actions in other hotel software?
Yes. Custom actions are designed exactly for this: they let the AI chatbot execute HTTP calls to any external system. You can create an action that, when a guest confirms their details, sends a webhook to your housekeeping app, marks the arrival in the PMS, and enrolls the guest in the CRM loyalty program - all in one conversational flow. Because custom actions are configured per bot, you can build a different set of triggers for the front desk, the booking engine widget, and any other touchpoint.

What is the setup process for integrations?

1. Identify the API endpoints you need (e.g., create a reservation, fetch a guest profile).
2. In the Chatref dashboard, define a custom action for each endpoint - URL, method, headers, and JSON payload mapping.
3. Use conversation tags or intents to link the action to specific guest messages.
4. Embed the website widget on your hotel’s domain (one script snippet).
5. Optionally connect email, Slack, or WhatsApp through the omnichannel settings.
   No coding is required inside Chatref, but access to your software’s API documentation is helpful. The whole flow typically takes a technical team member under an hour to set up the first integration.