# E-signatures for hotels

> Supplementary agreements on a tablet at reception, banquet and conference contracts via signing link, seasonal contracts with QES. For hotels, guesthouses, rentals and venues.

Source: https://smartdocs.de/en/industries/hotels/

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SmartDocs digitizes signatures in hotels in three places: at reception, in banquet sales and in the HR office. Guests sign in [kiosk mode](/en/in-person-signing/) on a tablet, event organizers confirm banquet and conference contracts via signing link, and seasonal staff sign their employment contract before their first shift. The solution fits hotels, guesthouses, vacation rentals and event venues.

## Typical documents and signature levels

- House rules and supplementary agreements at check-in: SES on site. In kiosk mode at reception, for example for pets, parking or late check-out, in German or English.
- Damage and handover report: SES on site. At check-out or at key handover in the vacation rental, with verified identity in the audit trail.
- Banquet, conference and wedding contract: AES recommended. Possible with no form requirement; with large sums and tiered cancellation fees, the SMS code strengthens the evidential value.
- Group and allotment contract: AES recommended. With tour operators and corporate clients; management countersigns in a fixed order.
- Permanent employment contract: AES recommended. Possible with no form requirement.
- Fixed-term contract for seasonal staff: QES. Satisfies the written form for the fixed term under § 14 (4) TzBfG (Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act); otherwise the contract is deemed permanent.
- Written statement of the essential terms of employment: paper. The hospitality industry is one of the sectors listed in § 2a of the Act to Combat Undeclared Work (Schwarzarbeitsbekämpfungsgesetz), so this written statement must still be handed over signed on paper (§ 2 NachwG, the German Act on Proof of Essential Terms of Employment), even if the contract itself is handled digitally.

## Guest registration form (Meldeschein)

SmartDocs does not replace the Meldeschein (guest registration form). Since January 1, 2025, it is no longer required for guests with German citizenship. Foreign guests must still sign it by hand on the day of arrival under § 29 of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz); as an electronic substitute, the law only permits certain methods, such as a card payment with strong customer authentication or electronic identification with an ID card. A signature on a tablet is not one of them.

## How it works in your hotel

1. Reception: the front desk opens the prepared agreement in kiosk mode and hands the tablet across the counter. The guest signs with no account and no app.
2. Banquet sales: conference and wedding contracts go out as a signing link. The organizer signs on their phone, management countersigns afterward, and amendments to the menu or number of guests use the same template.
3. HR office: seasonal staff receive their contract before their first shift, fixed-term contracts with [QES](/en/qualified-electronic-signature/). They confirm the data protection commitment and work instructions on a tablet on their first day.

## Matching features

Kiosk mode for guests without an email address, signing page and email language per signer (German or English), [online forms](/en/online-forms/) for banquet orders with choice fields for menu, allergens or technical equipment, and QES for fixed-term seasonal contracts, available as an add-on on request. Small properties start on the Free plan with 5 signature requests per month and kiosk mode; the Pro plan costs €25 per seat per month. All data is stored exclusively in German data centers.