If you regularly use OTAs like Booking.com, Expedia, or Airbnb, you know the drill: every booking comes with an anonymous alias email, like booking1234@guest.booking.com, n6l3jpclks@m.expediapartnercentral.com, or maria-def456@guest.airbnb.com.

And it gets worse: some OTAs even filter your messages, remove links, and those alias emails get deactivated shortly after checkout.

This setup is designed to protect guest privacy and streamline messaging on the platforms. But for you, the downside is huge: once your guest checks out, they’re gone. You can’t follow up, you can’t build a relationship, and you can’t encourage them to come back.

That’s why collecting your guests’ real email address is a priority.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what to set up first, and then how to collect emails legally, respectfully, and strategically.

3 questions to ask yourself before you start

If you've decided to invest in building a direct relationship with your guests, it’s important to approach it the right way, strategically, legally, and with a clear goal: turning an email address into a repeat guest.

These three questions will help you set up your email collection process in a smart, guest-friendly way.

1. Where will you store all the email addresses you collect?

Storing email addresses randomly — like in a makeshift Excel file — isn’t a great long-term solution. If you don’t already have a CRM integrated with your property management system (PMS), or a guest database where new emails can be added and managed, now’s the time to set one up.

The easiest way? Use a purpose-built platform. Take Smartconnect, for example — the CRM and email marketing tool by Smartness. All you need to do is save guest data in your PMS, and the software automatically imports the contact details and booking info. No copy-pasting, no errors, no wasted time.

Why is it important to link email addresses to booking data? Because it lets you segment your audience, grouping contacts based on things like country of origin, booking behavior, trip value, type of stay, and more.

This means you can run targeted marketing campaigns in the future. One example? You can drive bookings during low seasons using strategies like the ones we share in this post on off-season marketing.

2. Why should your guests give you their email address?

Put yourself in your guest’s shoes: they’ve already booked through a platform and entered their personal info. So why should they now give you their real email address?

Simply asking “Can I have your email?” rarely works. But if you offer a small but tangible benefit, your chances go way up.

Here are a few effective incentives you can pair with your request:

• A free city guide with authentic, personalized recommendations
• A discount voucher for their next direct booking
• A welcome gift or surprise at check-in (even a symbolic one can make a difference)

Choose the right perk based on your audience and your property type: A city-center B&B might offer a tailored map, a countryside farm stay might gift a local product, a boutique hotel might opt for an exclusive discount.

3. Are you complying with data privacy regulations?

Getting your guest’s email address is just the first step — you also need their explicit consent to use it for future communications. Without that permission, you risk violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Whether you’re using a digital or paper form, always include a checkbox with a clear statement. For example: “I agree to receive communications from Hotel Rossi about promotions and useful information related to my stay.”

Pro tip: Keep a digital record of each guest’s consent, linked to their booking. This protects you in case of audits and helps prevent misunderstandings later.

Once you've answered these essential questions, you can decide at what point during the stay to ask your guest for their real email address. Let’s go through the key moments and how to make the most of them.

How to collect the guest’s email at check-in

Check-in is the perfect opportunity to ask for your guest’s real email address. It’s a moment when their attention is naturally focused.

Whether you're using online check-in or greeting them at the front desk, you can take advantage of this step to offer something of value in exchange for their email (and collect consent at the same time).

Online check-in

Here’s a practical example of how this can happen automatically:

• The guest books through an OTA and you receive an alias email address.
• Two or three days before arrival, the guest receives a welcome email with a link to your online self check-in.
• In the form, include a clear, inviting field like: “Want to receive our free city guide with insider tips? Enter your personal email here.” or “Looking forward to a welcome surprise when you arrive? Enter your personal email here.”
• The guest enters their real email, it gets stored, linked to their booking, and (if you’re using a tool like Smartconnect) automatically centralized and segmented.

What if Booking.com removes your self check-in link?

Booking.com may remove links from your messages for security reasons. To avoid this, you need to authorize the link within your Booking.com account. Here’s how (based on Booking’s official instructions):

• Log in to the extranet
• Click on Property, then Messaging Preferences
• Go to Security Settings
• Complete two-factor authentication
• Click Add Link and enter your URL
• To add more, click +
• Then click Add Domain

Once that’s done, you’ll be able to send direct links to your guests without the risk of them being filtered out.

In-person check-in at the front desk

If the check-in happens in person, even better — it’s easier to explain why it’s worth sharing a personal email face to face. You can still use a small incentive, like a free city guide sent by email or a discount voucher for spa treatments, to encourage guests to opt in.

How to collect the guest’s email at Wi-Fi login

What’s one of the very first things a guest does after arriving at your property? Simple: they connect to the Wi-Fi. It’s a natural habit, and a great opportunity to collect their real email address in a way that feels smooth and non-intrusive.

All you need is a router or hotspot with an authentication system. That way, the first time the guest connects, they’re automatically redirected to a login page.

From there, you can offer different login options:

• With their personal email address
• Via social media accounts (Facebook, Google, etc.)
• Using WhatsApp
• By filling out a short, customized form

How to collect the guest’s email during their stay

The stay itself is the perfect time to connect with your guest — it’s when they’re enjoying your property, appreciating your service, and (if they’re happy) more open to engaging with you. Your goal here isn’t to collect data for the sake of it — it’s to offer something useful or fun that makes the email request feel like added value.

Here are a few smart ways to do it:

QR code for booking activities via email

Place a QR code in the room that links to a web page where guests can explore and book extras — like local tours, wine tastings, in-house experiences, or activities with partner providers. It’s a win-win: you drive upsells and collect email addresses at the same time.

QR code to access useful content

You can also use a QR code (in the room or common areas) to offer tailored content your guests will love, such as a curated guide to the best local shopping or souvenir spots, a map of the most Instagrammable places in town or secret local tips that only insiders know

Mini raffles or instant rewards

Another easy idea: place a small card in the room and invite guests to join a mini giveaway, like: “Find out if you’ve won a free welcome drink for two” or “Enter to win a free night on your next stay.” Fun, quick-to-join contests like these can spark interaction and boost opt-ins.

How to collect the guest’s email at checkout

Checkout is another great opportunity to collect your guest’s real email address. Their experience is still fresh, and if they had a good stay, they’ll likely be happy to stay in touch.

Just keep it natural and non-intrusive, and offer something in return. Here’s how:

At the front desk, during your goodbye

A simple question like: “Would you like to stay in touch? We’ll send you early access to exclusive offers and updates” can open the door to future communication. Want to boost your chances of a “yes”? Offer a concrete benefit: “You’ll get an exclusive discount when you book directly with us next time.”

At the end of a post-stay survey

Offering a short survey about the guest experience is a great way to gather feedback, and at the end, you can ask if they’d like to receive future updates and promotions. We’ve put together a full guide to help you build your own satisfaction survey, complete with a downloadable template.

Collecting your guests’ real email address is just the first step. The real challenge is using it to run email marketing campaigns that actually work.

If you don’t have the time or know-how to do that yourself, Smartconnect is the perfect solution: It not only centralizes and segments your contacts, it also suggests personalized newsletters to help you increase direct bookings and reduce your dependency on OTAs.

Want to see how it works?