🛎️ Inn-Flow raises $45M, IHG partners with Google and Cloudbeds forecasts

💰 Inn-Flow secures $45M

The hotel accounting tech company led by John Erhart lands a huge investment from Mainsail Partners. The funds will support product development and team expansion. Music to the ears of any CEO looking to grow.

What’s notable here is that this isn't a trendy startup throwing AI at the wall. Inn-Flow has been quietly doing the heavy lifting of some of the most dreaded hotel tasks like accounting, labor management and procurement. This investment signals serious confidence in operational tech. It’s not sexy, but it scales.

🗺️ IHG and Google partner to innovate the guest experience

They plan to launch a generative AI trip planner. Built with technology that lets users create itineraries based on questions like “I want a hotel near a golf course for a long weekend.”

According to IHG, the goal is to improve the planning stage by making discovery easier and more personalized. For hotels, this could be an opportunity to compete with third-party platforms before the guest even thinks about booking.

Well executed, this could be a great idea. So yes, I guess the AI will be booking rooms for you very soon.

📈 Cloudbeds shows what’s next for independent hotels

The hotel tech company just dropped its 2025 State of Independent Lodging Report. You might want to have a look if you work with independent properties. With ADRs dipping, OTA dependency growing, and branded hotels holding a remarkable 72% of the US market, independents need sharper and better strategies to compete.

According to Adam Harris (Cloudbeds CEO) 2025 it’s about leading with data, tech and smarter operations. The report, based on insights from 20,000+ properties in 150 countries, also highlights AI adoption, labor struggles and the shift toward experience-driven travel.

🤚 Amazon wants your palm to be your hotel key

Its palm recognition tech is being adapted for hotel access control, making check-ins faster and even more secure.

Guests can register once and use their palm for room entry, gym access or even payments. According to Amazon, the system is already working in stadiums and offices, and hotels are next in line.

This definitely solves the “I forgot my card inside the room” problem. And, let’s be honest, it adds a layer of coolness guests won’t forget.

📺 LG takes hotel TVs to the next level

The latest hotel TV model from the South Korean company will have a built-in Google Cast. Which means no more awkward HDMI cables or dodgy connections. This is one of those changes guests may not notice, but will definitely appreciate.

According to LG, this update lets users cast from their devices with zero sign-in, just like at home. That’s another step toward the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend in hotels. And a big win for hotel operations teams because they won’t need to troubleshoot smart TVs at 11.30pm anymore.