Set Up During-Stay Guest Emails

Quick Setup

Use Email - Guest for guest templates, Email - Hotel for staff recipients, and Send Test Email to check saved drafts. This takes about 10 minutes.

This guide helps you manage during-stay guest templates, hotel notification recipients, and test sends. The Generate with AI button stays available in both Simple Editor and HTML Editor modes. The mode toggle and AI button keep the same layout in either mode. The variable panel now wraps descriptions, filters to supported variables, and can insert at your cursor. When a save fails, AVA now keeps the full template path and shows the exact field inline. When you save, AVA updates only the selected email type. Other edited types stay as unsaved drafts until you save them separately. If a guest submits a new email during check-in, AVA keeps that address for guest messages. Later PMS refreshes do not overwrite it for the reservation's main guest. You can leave a template inactive while you draft it. AVA keeps those saved changes even before you turn delivery on. While inactive, you can still switch email types, preview them, and reset them.

The selected template shows an Active or Inactive badge. You can also preview desktop and mobile layouts before saving.

Mobile email delivery

AVA prepares HTML emails for mobile mail apps before sending. Apple Mail and Outlook can then keep text closer to its intended size. Gmail may still reflow the message differently. Use Mobile preview and Send Test Email to check the apps your hotel uses.

Setting	What It Controls	What Guests See
Email type	Which situation sends the email	The right message for the moment
Desktop email type rail	Collapses the left list on wide screens	More room for the editor
Email - Guest / Email - Hotel	Switches between guest templates and hotel recipients	The correct setup panel
Send Test Email	Sends the selected saved template to one recipient	Lets you check the final guest view
Status badge	Shows whether the selected template sends	A clear Active or Inactive state
Activate / Deactivate	Turns a template on or off	Email sends or stays silent
Email Sender Name	Name in the From field	A familiar hotel sender
Email Title	Subject line	A clear reason for the email
Editor mode row	Switches between Simple Editor and HTML Editor	The mode toggle and AI button stay available in both modes
HTML Editor	Email content	The full guest message
Generate with AI	Creates a mobile-ready draft from instructions, designs, or existing HTML	Available beside the toggle in either editor mode
Recipient email chips	Hotel notification email list per event	Check-in/check-out updates to staff
Template variables	Supported personal details	Easier insert and copy actions
Reset to default template	Restores the selected template	The saved custom version is replaced
Live Preview	Sample rendering	Layout before you save, using live room settings when present
Desktop / Mobile	Preview frame size	Checks how the email fits on smaller screens
HTML editor limit	Maximum message size	Up to 100,000 characters
Inline validation	Exact field path from the server	The right template or field shows the error

Step-by-Step Setup (Guest Templates)

1. Go to During Stay → Email.

2. Keep Email - Guest selected.

3. Select an Email type from the left list.

   ✓ The editor loads that template. ✓ You can do this even when the template is inactive.

   On desktop, you can collapse the list into a slim icon rail. AVA expands it again when validation fails.

4. Click Activate when the template is ready to send. Click Deactivate while you are still drafting.

   ✓ The card stays highlighted after a successful change. ✓ Saved inactive content stays in place.

5. Enter Email Sender Name and Email Title.

6. Update the HTML Editor content.

7. Insert Template variables.

   • Type {{ to see suggestions.
   • Click a variable card to insert it at the cursor.
   • Or click the Template Variables icon to copy it.

8. Review Live Preview.

   • Click Desktop to check the full-width version.
   • Click Mobile to check the 375px frame.
   • The preview hides unsafe HTML like <script> or onclick.

9. Click Save Email Settings.

   ✓ You should see a success message. ✓ Only the selected email type is saved. ✓ Other edited types stay as drafts.

Reset confirmation

Click Reset to default template to restore the selected email. You must confirm the warning modal before AVA replaces your changes.

Save one template at a time

If you switch email types before saving, AVA keeps the earlier edits as drafts. Save each template separately when you are ready.

Inactive templates

You can still preview and reset inactive templates. Use this when you want to compare versions before turning delivery on.

Draft From an Existing Email or Design

Use Generate with AI to copy an email or recreate a visual design.

Available in both editor modes

The Generate with AI button appears beside the mode toggle in Simple Editor and HTML Editor. On small screens, the controls stack while the button stays easy to reach.

Mobile-ready AI drafts

AI-generated drafts use a fluid layout that narrows on phones. Body text stays at least 16px, with smaller text staying at least 14px. When you revise an older template, AI fixes fixed widths and tiny text where needed. These mobile rules take priority over the older design. The editor accepts this responsive formatting, so keep it when you save the draft.

1. Select the Email - Guest tab and choose an Email type.
2. Click Generate with AI.
3. Upload a PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF, or .eml file.
4. Add optional instructions for the generated email.
5. Click Generate.
6. Review the draft and any warning below the preview.
7. Click Accept & Use, then save the email template.

✓ AVA uses the selected email type when generating the draft. ✓ AVA resizes stored design images to a maximum 1600px longest edge. ✓ Each stored design image must fit the 4MB asset limit.

Check the phone layout

Open Mobile preview after accepting the draft. Then use Send Test Email to check the message in your hotel's mail apps.

Review image warnings

The modal tells you how many design images were left out when storage rejects them. Review the preview before clicking Accept & Use.

The uploaded file must be 10MB or smaller. A .eml file must be a real email export with an HTML body.

Send a Test Email

Use this to check the selected saved guest template.

1. Go to During Stay → Email.
2. Keep Email - Guest selected.
3. Open the template you want to check.
4. Click Send Test Email.
5. Enter the email address where you want to receive the test.
6. Click Send Test Email in the modal.

✓ AVA sends the selected saved template to that inbox. ✓ The modal only asks for a recipient email. ✓ This page does not use a day offset selector.

Save first

AVA disables Send Test Email until Email Sender Name, Email Title, and HTML Editor are saved. If you edit the template again, save it before testing.

Step-by-Step Setup (Hotel Recipients)

1. Go to During Stay → Email.

2. Select Email - Hotel.

3. Find each Email Type that needs hotel notifications.

4. Enter an address in Add recipient email.

5. Click Add or press Enter.

   ✓ The address appears as a chip under that email type.

6. Repeat for all email types you need.

7. Click Save Email Confirmation.

   ✓ You should see "Hotel email confirmation settings saved successfully."

Recipient rules

• Duplicate addresses are blocked per email type.
• Saved addresses are normalized to lowercase.
• Add at least one recipient before saving.

Inactive shared templates

Inactive status controls guest delivery only. Configured Email - Hotel recipients still receive implemented hotel notifications. This lets staff or admins receive operational alerts while guest delivery stays off.

Email Types and Triggers

Email type	When it sends
Registration Success	After a guest completes registration
Registration Failed	When a guest registration fails
Check-in Success	After a guest checks in
Check-in Failed	When check-in fails
Room Not Ready - Before Check-in Time	Room is not ready before check-in time
Room Not Ready - After Check-in Time	Room is not ready after check-in time, including queued reservations with no available room
Room Ready for Check-in	Room becomes ready for check-in
Payment Dispute	When payment has a dispute
Check-out Success	After a guest checks out
Check-out Failed	When check-out fails

Already-completed check-outs

If someone repeats a successful check-out, AVA shows that the reservation is already checked out. AVA does not send a Check-out Failed email to the guest or hotel recipients.

Check-in Success emails

AVA only inserts the generated room info block when your Check-in Success template includes {{roomInformationHtml}} or {{ roomInformationHtml }}. If the placeholder is missing, AVA leaves the rest of the email unchanged. This update does not change Room Access Info email behavior. The generated block can include room, access, building entrance, WiFi, locker, and SmartLock details.

Room info preview

Live Preview now uses your saved room settings when the placeholder is present. If a building entrance code, room access method, or Wi-Fi setting is missing, AVA hides that section. The preview now matches the email guests receive.

Registration emails send once per booking

AVA sends Registration Success and Registration Failed at most once per booking. If a room has multiple guests, the first registration claims the email slot. Later guest submissions do not send duplicate registration emails.

Queued reservations

When AVA queues a reservation after check-in time, it sends the Room Not Ready - After Check-in Time emails. The Room Ready for Check-in email still sends later.

Guest email source

If a guest enters a different email during check-in, AVA keeps that submitted address for guest messages. When main guest data is missing, AVA uses the first guest it can identify.

Validation feedback

AVA keeps nested template paths when a save fails. That helps the banner point to the right email block instead of a generic field.

Room info default

The room info email setting now defaults to on. If the saved value is missing, AVA treats it as enabled. Explicit off values stay off. If you changed this setting before the fix, save Settings → Room Access once. Older saves could drop the field, so a fresh save writes it back.

Editor suggestions

When you edit Check-in Success, type {{ to see room info, SmartLocks PIN, locker, and departure date suggestions. These suggestions help you place the generated block where guests need it.

If you do not see Room Ready for Check-in or Payment Dispute

These appear only when your PMS supports those events. Contact support if you expect them.

Template Variables

Use these in the HTML Editor:

Filtered variables

The panel can show only variables your selected template supports. Click Show all variables to browse the full list.

Insert or copy variables

Click a variable card to insert it at the cursor. Use the copy icon when you only want the variable text.

Variable	What It Shows
{{guestName}}	Guest full name
{{hotelName}}	Hotel name
{{arrivalDate}}	Check-in date
{{departureDate}}	Check-out date
{{roomNumber}}	Room number
{{lockCode}}	Room access code
{{confirmationNumber}}	Confirmation number

Use room access details when needed

Include {{roomNumber}} or {{lockCode}} in room-ready or check-in emails.

Room Access Variables

Use these when your message should include room access details.

Variable	What It Shows
{{roomInformationHtml}}	Generated room, access, building entrance, and WiFi information
{{pinCode}}	Smart lock PIN alias
{{lockCode}}	Room access code
{{lockerNumber}}	Locker number
{{lockerCode}}	Locker access code

Use the room access category

Open Template Variables and expand Room & Access Information for these fields. Use {{roomInformationHtml}} in Check-in Success emails when you want AVA to insert the room block. {{pinCode}} gives you the smart lock PIN alias.

Troubleshooting

Emails are not sending

What you see: Guests or your test inbox do not receive the selected during-stay email.

Fix:

1. Confirm the template is active.
2. Make sure Email Title and HTML Editor are not empty.
3. Verify the reservation has a guest email address.
4. Click Save Email Settings after changes.

Inactive drafts

If the template is inactive, AVA still saves your email content. Activate it when the message is ready to send.

Hotel notification is not sent

What you see: Hotel recipients do not receive a during-stay notification.

Fix:

1. Open the matching event under During Stay → Email.
2. Select Email - Hotel.
3. Confirm at least one recipient is configured for that Email Type.
4. Check the guest template status only if you also expect guest delivery.
5. Save Email Confirmation, then test the event again.

Inactive guest template

An inactive guest template does not block configured hotel recipients. Activate the guest template only when guests should receive that message too.

Send Test Email is disabled

What you see: Send Test Email is greyed out, or the tooltip says to save your changes first.

Fix:

1. Fill Email Sender Name, Email Title, and HTML Editor.
2. Click Save Email Settings.
3. Try Send Test Email again.

Test email fails

What you see: The modal shows "Failed to send test email. Please try again."

Fix:

1. Check that the recipient inbox is valid.
2. Save the template again.
3. Try a different test inbox.
4. Contact support if the error repeats.

Some design images are left out

What you see: The generated draft warns that one or more design images were left out.

Fix:

1. Review the generated preview and identify the missing image.
2. Replace that source image with a smaller version.
3. Remove unnecessary images from the uploaded design.
4. Generate the draft again.
5. Check the preview before clicking Accept & Use.

Why this happens

AVA may shrink images to meet the per-image limit. Images that still exceed the limit cannot appear in the generated email.

AI-generated email is hard to read on a phone

What you see: Text looks tiny, or the email extends beyond the phone screen.

Fix:

1. Open the current email template.
2. Click Generate with AI.
3. Ask AI to revise the existing template for mobile readability.
4. Click Accept & Use.
5. Check Mobile preview.
6. Send a test email to a phone.

Existing manual HTML

AI upgrades fixed widths and undersized text during revisions. Manual HTML edits still need a mobile preview and test email.

Status does not change

What you see: The badge does not switch after you click Activate or Deactivate.

Fix:

1. Wait for the request to finish.
2. Check for inline validation errors in the template.
3. Save the template again if you made edits.
4. Refresh the page and try the action again.

Edits stay saved

AVA keeps your edits if the status change fails. The badge changes only after the request succeeds.

Hotel recipient save is blocked

What you see: "At least one recipient is required when enabled."

Fix:

1. Open Email - Hotel.
2. Add at least one recipient in any Email Type row.
3. Click Save Email Confirmation.

Email address is rejected or duplicated

What you see: "Please enter a valid email address." or "This email is already added."

Fix:

1. Enter a complete address, like frontdesk@hotel.com.
2. Remove duplicate chips in the same row.
3. Click Save Email Confirmation again.

Save is blocked by security issues

What you see: A warning says the HTML has security issues.

Fix:

1. Remove <script> tags and javascript: links.
2. Remove inline events like onclick.
3. Click Save Email Settings again.

Email HTML is too long

What you see: AVA rejects the save after you paste a large email body.

Fix:

1. Reduce the HTML length below 100,000 characters.
2. Remove repeated inline styles or unused blocks.
3. Save the template again.

The wrong field shows the validation error

What you see: The banner mentions a template, but the inline error looks generic.

Fix:

1. Open the template named in the banner.
2. Check the highlighted field inside that template.
3. Fix the content or shorten the HTML if needed.
4. Save again.

Live Preview hides content

What you see: Parts of your HTML do not show in Live Preview.

Fix:

1. Remove <script> tags and javascript: links.
2. Remove inline events like onclick.
3. Preview again.

A template is missing from the list

What you see: Room Ready or Payment Dispute is missing.

Fix:

1. These types appear only for supported PMS events.
2. Check your PMS setup or contact support.

Check-in Success email is missing room details

What you see: The email sends, but room, access, building, or WiFi details are missing.

Fix:

1. Open the Check-in Success template.
2. Add {{roomInformationHtml}} or {{ roomInformationHtml }} where the block should appear.
3. Save the template.
4. Run a test email or complete a test check-in again.

Empty room details

If the generated room information is empty, AVA removes the placeholder cleanly. That keeps the rest of your template visible.

Preview sample data

Live Preview now uses sample room information HTML when the placeholder is present. This helps you confirm the generated block spacing and layout before saving.

Room info toggle does not stick

What you see: You turn off Show "Email room information", but check-in v3 still shows the room info button.

Fix:

1. Go to Settings → Room Access.

2. Turn Show "Email room information" off again.

3. Click Save.

4. Refresh check-in v3 or start a new test check-in.

   ✓ The room info button stays hidden after the refresh.

If you saved this before the fix

If you turned the toggle off before this backend fix, save it again after deploy. That rewrites the setting with the new field.

Still Stuck?

Contact success@vouch-technologies.com if:

• ❌ Emails still do not send after the steps above
• ❌ You see system errors when saving
• ❌ The issue lasts longer than 30 minutes

Helpful to include:

• Screenshot of the email settings page
• The email type you were editing
• Steps you already tried

Related Guides

• Pre-Arrival Emails
• Room Not Ready Messages
• Guest Experience