Hotel Technology Due Diligence Checklist

When you buy a hotel, you also buy its technology: the WiFi, phones, TVs, PMS, payment systems, cameras and every contract and password behind them. Technology rarely kills a deal, but it regularly creates surprises after closing: a phone system on retiring copper lines, a WiFi network that fails brand inspection, a 7-year HSIA contract you cannot cancel, or a domain name registered to the previous owner’s nephew.

Use this checklist during due diligence, before you sign. It is written for buyers of limited- and select-service hotels in Ontario, but most of it applies to any property.

1. Contracts and Commitments

☐ List every technology contract: internet, guest WiFi (HSIA), TV/entertainment, phone and SIP, PMS, POS, booking engine, channel manager, payment processing, cameras, managed IT.
☐ Check term, renewal date, auto-renewal clauses, early termination fees and whether contracts are assignable to a new owner.
☐ Identify leased equipment (TVs, phones, terminals) and buyout costs.
☐ Confirm which contracts the brand requires and which vendors are approved.

2. Brand Standards and PIP

☐ Get the PIP and identify every technology item: WiFi, internet speed, TVs, phones, locks, PMS, payments.
☐ Compare current systems against the brand’s technology standards. See franchise technology standards and PIPs.
☐ Price the technology items separately so they are not buried in the renovation budget.
☐ Ask whether any deadlines or deferrals have been agreed with the brand.

3. Network and Guest WiFi

☐ Access point count, models, age and end-of-support dates.
☐ Coverage and speed test results in rooms at the far end of each corridor, ideally on a busy night.
☐ Internet circuit speed, carrier, contract and whether there is a backup connection.
☐ Separate networks for guests, staff and payments, or one flat network.
☐ Network documentation: diagrams, IP addresses, cabling labels, closet locations.
☐ Guest WiFi complaints in recent online reviews.

4. Phones

☐ Phone system type, age and support status.
☐ Copper lines still in use, and the carrier’s retirement plans. See copper line retirement.
☐ Room phone count and condition, PMS interface, wake-up calls, voicemail.
☐ Fax, elevator, fire panel and alarm lines.
☐ Who owns the main phone numbers and how they will be transferred.

5. PMS, Payments and PCI

☐ PMS vendor, version, contract and whether it is brand-mandated.
☐ Payment terminals, gateway and whether card data is tokenized.
☐ Last completed PCI SAQ and Attestation of Compliance, and recent ASV scan results.
☐ Card numbers stored on paper authorization forms, in PMS notes or in email.
☐ Any known card data or security incidents.
☐ Use our free hotel PCI checklist to spot gaps.

6. Computers, Security and Backups

☐ Front desk and back-office PCs: age, operating system and support status (Windows 10 is past end of support).
☐ Antivirus or EDR, patching and who manages them.
☐ Backups of key data and whether restores have been tested.
☐ Shared logins, admin passwords and multi-factor authentication on email and booking platforms.

7. TVs, Cameras and Building Systems

☐ TV models, size versus brand standard, casting and channel provider contract.
☐ Camera system: number of cameras, recording retention, remote access and who has it.
☐ Door lock system, version and PMS integration.
☐ Any building systems connected to the hotel network.

8. Digital Assets and Accounts

☐ Domain name, website and hosting: who is the registered owner, and transfer plan.
☐ Email accounts and the admin login for the email platform.
☐ OTA extranets, Google Business Profile, social media and review site accounts.
☐ Software licences and whether they transfer.
☐ A complete password handover list, changed immediately after closing.

9. Your First 100 Days After Closing

Change every admin password and remove the previous owner’s and vendors’ access.
Take ownership of the domain, email, website and online accounts.
Fix anything that puts payments at risk: shared logins, flat networks, unsupported PCs.
Stabilize guest WiFi and phones.
Build a budgeted technology roadmap for the PIP and the next three to five years.

Get a Technology Due Diligence Report

AutoSecure performs hotel technology audits for buyers across Ontario: an on-site review of the network, WiFi, phones, TVs, PMS, payments and security, with a written report of risks, end-of-life equipment and estimated upgrade costs you can use in negotiations. Related guides: hotel WiFi costs, hotel phone system costs and hotel network design.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should a hotel buyer review technology?

During due diligence, before the purchase agreement is final, so findings can be used to adjust the price, request credits or plan the PIP budget.

What technology issues most often surprise hotel buyers?

Long or unassignable HSIA and TV contracts, phone systems on retiring copper lines, unsupported front desk computers, WiFi that does not meet brand standards, and domains or accounts registered to someone other than the seller.

Can technology findings affect the purchase price?

Yes. Documented end-of-life equipment, PCI gaps and PIP technology costs give buyers a basis to negotiate price or credits.

What should we change first after closing?

Change every administrator password, remove previous owner and vendor access, and take ownership of the domain, email and online accounts. Then fix anything that puts payments at risk.

Talk to AutoSecure

Buying a hotel in Ontario? Get an independent technology review before you close. Call 226-476-3358 or book a free hotel technology assessment.

Comparing providers? See how to choose a hotel IT provider in Ontario.