5 Sustainable Hotels to Inspire Us
By definition, sustainability and hospitality go hand in hand. To be hospitable means to be friendly and welcoming to guests, but it also means providing an environment that’s pleasant and favorable for living in. The bigger picture for hotels is how they contribute to the environment that surrounds them so that Planet Earth continues to […]
How to Create a Guest Experience to Remember
A great guest experience is one where your guest enjoys their stay and, ideally, returns next year. That’s it. While the bells, whistles, and wellness packages are nice, they aren’t absolutely necessary. You don’t have to worry if you’re not an all inclusive resort in Dubai. The key is friendly staff, ongoing guest communication, and […]
Why and How to Centralize Reservations
Independent hotels receive bookings through various channels, including telephone, email, property website, and third-party booking channels (like Expedia, Airbnb, Google, etc.). Staying on top of inventory and reservations across all those channels is critical to operations, guest service and your bottom line. If you’re spending hours updating various booking channel extranets, frequently dealing with the […]
Solutions to 5 Operational Challenges Hoteliers are Facing
Demand fluctuation, a competitive marketplace, and unpredictable world trends require hoteliers to be more agile than ever before. But implementing strategic solutions can provide your hotel with a firm foundation from which to weather any storm. Let’s look at the top five operational challenges hotels are facing now and—most importantly—how to best meet them. Staff […]
What Do Your Guests Want for Christmas? Top Ideas for the Holidays
While economic uncertainty is curbing spending, people still plan to travel this holiday season—albeit more carefully, booking trips earlier and choosing options with flexible cancellation policies. For many, the season looks a lot more “normal” this year as we put the worst of the pandemic behind us. Is your property ready to grab your share […]
7 Hotel Marketing Mistakes You Might Be Making
If you’re like the majority of independent hoteliers, you have a lean marketing budget. Every marketing dollar matters and mistakes can be costly! Check out our list of seven hotel marketing mistakes you might be making—and how to fix ‘em! 1. Website Friction & Poor Site Health When a guest comes to your website, there […]
How to Improve Your Hotel’s Check-out Experience
Eventually, you and your guest will have to say goodbye…unless they’re planning a very extended stay. When it comes to bringing guests back again, a hotel’s last impression can be as important as its first. Upon check-out, you want to draw attention away from the transactional aspect of the guest’s visit, i.e., the bill, and […]
How to Maximize Black Friday Bookings
People don’t have to spend Black Friday in a tent outside Best Buy, huddling for warmth and wondering if that new smart TV is worth it. There are alternative items and experiences they can purchase, i.e., a stay at your hotel. Customers are ready for special offers this time of year—we’ve all seen the bright […]
How to Choose a Hotel Technology Partner
In today’s hospitality landscape, technology seems to change daily. From property management software and instant messaging apps to CRM platforms and revenue management software, there are so many tech solutions that can benefit your hotel and enhance the guest experience. There’s a lot to consider before introducing new technologies and even more when deciding who […]
7 Signs it’s Time to Change Your Hotel PMS
Change can be daunting, especially when it involves time, resources, and complex decisions. For busy lodging operators, disrupting the status quo may not fit into your demanding schedule. But if that schedule is fraught with inefficiencies, and you’re struggling to keep up with daily tasks and guest expectations, something’s gotta give before your bottom line […]
3 Ways to Create a Five-star Guest Experience
Everyone wants to deliver a five-star guest experience, but what exactly is it? And how can hospitality managers or hoteliers create this? Here are 3 bulletproof ways… ***Guest post from Breezeway, a WebRezPro partner*** Did you know that 61% of hospitality managers believe luxury, cleanliness, and safety contribute the most to a VIP-like guest experience? […]
Getting in on the Health Kick: Wellness for Independent Lodgings
Recent events have highlighted the importance of looking out for ourselves and others. An Ipsos survey discovered that 62 percent of Americans care more about their health than they did pre-pandemic. Both leisure and business travelers look for experiences that enhance their personal wellness regimes when away from home and use this criteria to choose […]
How to Improve the Check-in Experience at Your Hotel
Your check-in experience impacts every guest. The simpler and more streamlined that experience, the happier your guests will be. Nobody enjoys standing in line for reception after their cross-country flight. They’ve already done enough waiting at the airport (and they may be missing their luggage). They want to go straight to their rooms to collapse […]
5 Tips for Designing a Hotel Loyalty Program that Really Works
In a previous post about the benefits loyalty programs can bring to independent hotels, we highlighted a study by the Center for Hospitality Research at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration that showed independent hotels enjoyed an average 50 percent increase in annual revenue per enrolled guest, due to increased room-nights purchased. The research provides […]
3 Ways to Strengthen Your Guest Database
Healthy guest data is the foundation of a great guest experience. Without it, lodging operators can’t know their guests and give them what they want. But it isn’t enough to collect data, you need to manage and maintain that data to use it effectively. When your guest database is managed well, it allows you to […]
Client Spotlight: Unique Stay Experiences
From private islands to fairy cottages, treehouses to ghost towns, WebRezPro has some unique accommodation clients. Over the years, we’ve worked with a variety of properties to create a flexible property management system with features as unique as they are. WebRezPro is most often used for independent hotels, motels and inns, yet its functionality extends […]
Self-Service Hotel Applications Guests Want Now
Guests need your help for a smooth, relaxing stay. However, they may not always want to stop at the front desk, especially when they’re stumbling in fresh off a red-eye or when a self-service option would be much faster. Seventy-three percent of guests are more likely to select a hotel with self-service technology. Self-service technology […]
Client Spotlight: Footbridge Beach Motel
Our latest case study highlights the experience of one of our awesome motel clients, Footbridge Beach Motel in Ogunquit, Maine. This story is a little different from our other case studies as it tells the tale of an existing customer who left, tested the water elsewhere… and came back again. Owner Mark Kilduff and his […]
The Quick Guide to PMS Integration
Data integration has always been a core concept of hotel property management systems (PMS). From front desk to housekeeping to accounting, the PMS connects hotel departments and serves as a central point of control, automating processes and eliminating the need to manually consolidate information across operations. But most hotels work with numerous key tech systems […]
Top Tips for Improving Guest Engagement
Guest engagement is fundamental to the success of a hotel. Without it, you can’t build excitement around your brand, grow guest loyalty or share relevant information—on both sides. The most basic example is the booking confirmation email. Guests will be left anxious and confused if they don’t hear anything after booking. Anxious and confused is […]
Online Distribution: Current Considerations for Independent Hoteliers
Change is always afoot. Thankfully, today’s hotel management software solutions give lodging operators a clear view of their business at all times, helping hoteliers identify trends and strategize accordingly to maximize revenue. As your markets change, your strategies evolve. This goes for your online distribution strategy too—it shouldn’t be left on set-and-forget mode. While recent […]
A Shoulder Season Checklist for Independent Hoteliers
Shoulder season is gearing up with more guests than ever willing to be flexible with their dates and stretch their vacations into fall in search of a deal. Post-pandemic, with more people ready to travel and able to work remotely, shoulder season is no longer the sleepy catch-up period it used to be. Make sure […]
5 Reasons Self-Check-in is a Must at Your Hotel
We’re all familiar with the traditional way to check in to a hotel, complete with standing in line, completing on-the-spot registration, and receiving hotel instructions. Front desk staff must verify IDs, enter information into the property management system (PMS), provide the Wi-Fi password, breakfast times, etc., and hand over a room key. In a nutshell, […]
Hotel Review Scores Are Down: Let’s Boost ‘Em Up!
Post-pandemic, with inflation and high demand, hotels cost more. However, that high demand coupled with labor shortages and Covid precautions makes it harder for hotels to do more. This has left many guests disgruntled and feeling like they haven’t received enough value for the money they’ve spent. According to a recent J.D. Power study, hotel […]