Biteluxe Named in Grant Thornton's Hospitality, Retail & TravelTech: Ones to Watch 2026

Berkshire-based AI guest messaging platform recognised among 100 UK companies, one of a small number that are owner managed rather than VC backed.

READING, BERKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, June 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Biteluxe, the AI guest messaging platform for independent 4 and 5 star hotels, today announced its inclusion in Grant Thornton's Hospitality, Retail & Travel Tech: Ones to Watch report. The report identifies 100 UK-based companies across the three sectors, with Biteluxe listed in the hospitality category alongside established names in guest experience, distribution and operations. Biteluxe is one of a smaller group of owner managed businesses recognised on a list otherwise weighted towards venture capital and private equity backed firms.

Grant Thornton selected the companies for what it described as strong product capability, meaningful innovation and differentiated market offerings, identifying them through publicly available information, market reports and sector events.

Biteluxe runs conversational AI for hotels over WhatsApp, the channel guests already use day to day. There is nothing for the guest to download and nothing to learn. But the platform is more than a messaging layer: it acts as an agent across the hotel's existing technology, connecting WhatsApp to the property management system, point of sale and other operational tools a hotel already runs, so a single guest conversation can check availability, place an order or update a booking without staff manually bridging the gap between systems. The business now processes thousands of guest conversations every month.

What sets the model apart is that Biteluxe manages and oversees the AI on the hotel's behalf, rather than handing over software for the team to run unsupervised. The platform covers conversational guest messaging across pre-arrival, in-stay and post-stay journeys, with a human team monitoring and tuning the AI throughout. There is no app or login required for guests, and hotels can choose either a fixed fee or a pay-on-performance commercial model based on results.

At The Bromley Court Hotel, the approach has quadrupled upsell conversions, turning guest conversations into a direct revenue channel rather than a missed opportunity.

"Hotels have been cautious about AI, and rightly so, because too much of it has been launched and left to run with nobody accountable for the result. We built Biteluxe the other way round. The AI works on the channel guests already trust, and a human team stays in the loop to make sure it earns its place," said Prem Jethwa-Odedra, Founder and CEO of Biteluxe. "Having Douglas as our chairman keeps us honest about how hotels really operate, and being recognised by Grant Thornton tells us the industry is ready for AI that supports the front desk rather than trying to replace it."

Biteluxe's chairman is Douglas Waddell, former chief operating officer of Hand Picked Hotels. His background shapes how the platform fits real front-of-house operations rather than working against them, reflecting a theme that runs through the Grant Thornton report itself: that AI in hospitality only delivers value when it is given proper context and a human layer of judgement, and that technology should fade into the background so teams can stay present with guests.

Biteluxe works with independent luxury properties including Hyll Hotel and Bowood Hotel & Spa, and continues to expand its managed messaging service across the UK independent hotel sector. The full Grant Thornton report is available on Grant Thornton's website.

Prem Jethwa
Biteluxe
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