AI & Advanced Messaging

Overview

ArrivHQ's messaging system includes AI-powered tools to help you communicate with guests more effectively, direct access to messaging from every host card that has a guest context, and built-in record-keeping that supports your compliance documentation. This guide covers the advanced messaging capabilities beyond basic sending and receiving.

Starting a new conversation

You can initiate a conversation with any guest who has an active reservation.

1. Navigate to Messages from the sidebar.
2. Click + New at the top of the conversation list.
3. Search for the guest by name or browse the list of active reservations.
4. Select a reservation to open a compose area.
5. Type your message and click Send.

The guest receives an email notification with your message. Once the first message is sent, the conversation thread appears in your sidebar alongside any existing threads.

AI Suggest Reply (now called "AI Draft")

When the compose area is empty and you need help figuring out what to say, the AI can generate a full reply for you. The button label was simplified to AI Draft as of June 2026 — same feature, shorter name.

1. Open a conversation — either via the inline message drawer from any host card, or by opening the Reservation Detail page directly.
2. Leave the reply text area empty.
3. Click the AI Draft button (the sparkle icon ✨).
4. The AI reads the conversation history and generates a contextual reply based on the guest's most recent message, the property details, and any active checklists.
5. The suggested reply appears in the compose area. Review and edit it as needed before sending.

AI Draft uses your property information and operational context to generate relevant, specific responses — not generic templates. For example, if a guest asks about check-in instructions, the AI references your property's actual arrival guide.

Surface-aware tone

When you open the message drawer from a host card, the AI knows which surface you started from and tunes its drafted tone accordingly:

You can always re-roll the draft by clearing the textbox and clicking AI Draft again. The AI never sends anything without your edit + manual Send click.

Enhance with AI

When you have already typed a draft but want to polish it, the AI can improve your message without rewriting it from scratch.

1. Type your reply in the compose area.
2. Click the Enhance with AI button (the same sparkle icon -- the label changes when text is present).
3. The AI takes your draft and improves the grammar, tone, and clarity while preserving your intent and specific details.
4. The enhanced version replaces your draft in the compose area. Review it and send when ready.

The button automatically switches between the two modes:

• Empty compose area -- shows "AI Suggest Reply" and generates a reply from scratch.
• Text in compose area -- shows "Enhance with AI" and polishes your existing draft.

Both AI features require the Host or Portfolio plan.

Messaging from any host card

As of June 2026, the Message affordance lives on every host card with a guest context — not just damage claims:

• Today page — reservation cards (Check-in, Check-out, Current, Needs Review, Guest Activity) all have a Message button. Overdue + Tasks Due rows have an envelope icon when linked to a reservation.
• Reservations list — each card has a Message button.
• Property page Reservations panel — same.
• Damage list + Damage claim detail — Message button on each row + in the detail header. See Messaging guests about damage.
• Reservation detail Issues panel — envelope icon on each issue row for ping-the-guest-about-this-issue follow-ups.
• /tasks page — envelope icon on rows linked to a reservation.

Click any of them. The inline message drawer opens from the right with that reservation's thread + the AI Draft button. No page navigation; no lost scroll position.

Reservation Detail (/reservations/[id]) still has the full MessagePanel inline — same flow, no drawer.

Messages as compliance documentation

Every message exchanged between you and a guest is permanently stored in the conversation thread. This creates a timestamped record of all guest communication that supports several compliance needs:

• Guest communication log -- demonstrates active, hands-on management of your properties, which supports material participation claims under IRS rules.
• Damage claim evidence -- messages about property damage, repair timelines, and guest acknowledgments are preserved alongside your damage claim records.
• Dispute resolution -- if a guest disputes a charge or files a complaint, your message history provides a clear record of what was communicated and when.
• Audit trail -- every message includes a timestamp, sender identification, and the full message content. This trail is retained for the lifetime of your account.

Message history from past stays is read-only but always accessible. You cannot delete individual messages, which ensures the integrity of the record.

Limits & requirements

• Messaging is available on the Host and Portfolio plans.
• AI Suggest Reply and Enhance with AI require the Host or Portfolio plan.
• Messages can only be sent during an active stay. Past stay threads are read-only.
• Team members with access to the property can view and send messages. Messages show the sender's name.
• There is no hard character limit on individual messages.
• Message history is retained indefinitely.

FAQ

Do I need a specific plan to send messages? Messaging is available on the Host and Portfolio plans. It is not available on the Comply plan. The AI Suggest Reply and Enhance with AI features are included with messaging on both Host and Portfolio.

Can the AI see my property details when generating a reply? Yes. The AI has access to the property's information, active checklists, and the conversation history for the current thread. This allows it to generate specific, contextual responses rather than generic text.

Is the enhanced message sent automatically? No. Both AI Suggest Reply and Enhance with AI place the generated text in the compose area for your review. You must click Send to deliver the message. You can edit the AI output before sending.

Can I message a guest about damage if the claim is not linked to a reservation? No. The Message button requires the damage claim to be linked to a reservation. If the claim is not linked, the button is hidden — you can still message the guest by navigating to Messages and finding their conversation thread manually.

The Message button used to take me to /messages. Now it opens a drawer. Why? The slide-out drawer keeps you on the page you started from — your Today scroll position, filters, and any open card expansions stay put. The old full-page navigation forced you to lose context, then navigate back. The drawer is faster + less disruptive for what's usually a 1-2 line reply.

Are messages included in data exports? Message history is part of your account data. Refer to Exporting Your Data for details on what is included in compliance exports.