Silent Savings
For years, sustainability in hospitality sat somewhere between “nice to have” and “marketing add-on.” Today, it has become a business necessity. It directly influences profitability, guest satisfaction, and long-term operational resilience. Across the UK, operators are navigating rising energy costs, tightening regulations, and increasingly eco-conscious travelers. Yet one area remains surprisingly overlooked in the race towards greener operations: guest-room energy management.
It’s a blind spot with big consequences. Guest rooms account for a major share of hotel energy consumption, yet research shows they remain unoccupied for 60–65% of the day while systems continue running. Heating or cooling an empty room is no longer just inefficient; it’s financially unsustainable. This is where smarter, data-driven energy control becomes a genuine competitive advantage.
Energy efficiency without compromising the guest experience
The common misconception is that sustainability requires guest trade-offs. But modern occupancy-based control systems challenge that idea. By automatically adjusting room heating or cooling when guests are away, hotels can significantly cut energy waste without guests ever noticing a change.
Remote management tools support this approach and allow to monitor and adjust settings across the property, ensure consistency, and respond quickly to inefficiencies. A practical advantage at a time when many businesses are operating with reduced staffing and rising energy costs.
For many operators, this offers something rare: a sustainability initiative that reduces carbon emissions, cuts operating costs, supports ESG reporting with reliable data, and prioritises guest comfort. All at the same time.
In an industry battling labour constraints and tight margins, these “silent efficiencies” matter more than ever.
A smarter approach to retrofits
One barrier has traditionally been installation complexity. But newer technologies now allow hotels to upgrade energy management systems quickly, without rewiring or disrupting rooms. Simple, scalable retrofits are enabling properties - from independent hotels to large groups - to access savings that were once only achievable through major capex projects. For owners and operators working toward net-zero pathways, intelligent HVAC and (smart) thermostats is becoming one of the most cost-effective solutions available.
Every empty room is an opportunity
As the sector continues its transition toward greener, more resilient operations, hotels that embrace smart energy management will be the ones that gain the greatest advantage. It is not just in cost savings, but in brand reputation, guest trust, and operational agility. Sustainability is no longer about grand gestures.
It’s about making the everyday smarter. And in hospitality, the humble guest room may just hold the biggest untapped potential of all.
Inside TRYBE
Trybe has grown rapidly over the past few years - what were the most pivotal decisions or moments that shaped this growth, and what lessons did you learn along the way?
TRYBE started with a simple but deliberate principle: to build technology from within the spa, leisure, and hospitality industry, not adjacent to it. We have first-hand experience of hospitality operations, and we learnt about spa and leisure operations through trusted industry experts. We understood early on that many existing systems weren’t failing because of a lack of features, but because they weren’t designed around how these spaces actually function day to day. TRYBE focuses on solving problems unique to the industry, rather than forcing generic software into complex environments.
One of the most pivotal moments in our growth was recognising that guest experience and operational efficiency are inseparable. TRYBE’s booking engine enhances the customer experience while also supporting back-of-house teams in their day-to-day operations. Within 12 months, TRYBE saved teams an average of 22 days per property in administrative tasks. Our solution streamlines the entire guest journey; from pre-arrival through to departure, which led to the development of our contactless check-in and access journey and challenged long-standing assumptions about how guests move through spa and leisure environments.
We’ve learned that sustainable growth comes from solving real operational pain points with clarity and conviction; we listen to operators and guests, and we make decisions that benefit them. When you build with purpose and solve genuine pain points, adoption follows naturally.
Your expansion into the U.S. market is a major milestone. What attracted you to the U.S., and how has entering this market differed from your earlier growth phases?
The U.S. hospitality market is experiencing rapid evolution, particularly within wellness-led concepts such as bathhouses, large-scale spas, and destination resorts. These environments are operationally complex, yet many are still relying on fragmented or legacy systems that struggle to support modern guest expectations. They’re clunky, unintuitive, and not designed to manage the scale and intricacy that make up the guest journey.
The U.S. was not initially a market we intended to prioritise so heavily. However, industry leaders recognised what we were building and were drawn to our approach to technology, partnerships, and innovation. This external validation reinforced that TRYBE is solving a genuine, industry-wide challenge and that our product is addressing a real need.
We quickly realised there was a clear alignment between market need and TRYBE’s core strengths. Operators are increasingly looking for technology that can handle scale, flexibility, and guest flow without compromising experience. TRYBE’s platform is purpose-built for complex hospitality environments, and our core approach resonates strongly with U.S. operators.
Entering the U.S. has required a more intentional approach; deeper localisation, closer partnerships, and a stronger physical presence. While the pace and scale are different from earlier growth phases, the underlying philosophy remains unchanged: simplify complexity, empower teams, and allow guests to focus on the experience itself.
Trybe’s contactless kiosks have become a defining part of your offering. How did the idea originate, and how are hotels and guests responding to this technology?
The concept originated from a simple observation: traditional check-in processes often create unnecessary friction at the very moment when guests are seeking calm, clarity, and escape. We believed there was an opportunity to remove that friction while preserving the sense of care and personalisation that hospitality demands.
Our contactless kiosks use RFID technology to create a seamless transition from arrival to experience. Guests are guided intuitively through check-in, receive personalised access credentials, and move through facilities without the need for phones, wallets, or repeated touchpoints.
For operators, the impact is equally significant. Front-of-house pressure is reduced, operational visibility improves, and teams are able to focus more time on service rather than administration. On average, properties save 22-days from administrative tasks once implementing TRYBE, and this is reflected in the positive guest response. Many see contactless journeys not as a replacement for hospitality, but as an enabler of it.
From an operations and culture standpoint, how has scaling, especially internationally, changed the way you lead the business?
At our core, our approach to leadership hasn’t fundamentally changed. Myself, Will and Steve remain closely involved in the business, and our values continue to guide how we build, hire, and partner.
As we’ve scaled internationally, we’ve been deliberate about protecting our culture. We prioritise hiring people who understand both the technical and human sides of hospitality, and we invest time in being present with teams and clients across regions.
Scaling has reinforced the importance of clarity, trust, and proximity. Staying close to the realities of our customers’ operations and ensuring that our teams, wherever they’re based, feel connected to the purpose that drove TRYBE from the beginning.
We haven’t perfected this yet, and we don’t pretend to have all the answers. There’s still a great deal to learn as we grow. What we are absolutely committed to protecting and nurturing the exceptional culture we’ve built as we scale from a single-country team to an international one.
Looking ahead at 2026, what is your vision for Trybe, and what innovations or milestones are you most excited to bring to the hospitality industry?
Looking ahead, our focus is on expanding the TRYBE ecosystem in a way that supports increasingly complex hospitality models. We’re continuing to evolve our contactless and operational capabilities, while deepening integrations across the wider hospitality technology stack.
One key milestone will be the launch of TRYBE Overnights, developed in partnership with MEWS and Guestline, enabling a more seamless connection between spa, leisure, and hotel operations, with further PMS integrations on the roadmap.
We are firmly in global growth mode. Our immediate priority is to supercharge expansion across Europe and North America, building meaningful market share and strategic partnerships in both regions. From there, we will move decisively into additional territories of interest, guided by demand and opportunity, with a clear ambition, to become the world’s leading spa and leisure software platform.
More broadly, our vision is for TRYBE to serve as the infrastructure behind exceptional wellness and leisure experiences; flexible, future-proof technology that adapts to how hospitality is evolving, rather than asking operators to adapt to the software.
Setting Standards
A historic setting for a modern wellness vision
The Chancery Rosewood has set a new benchmark for wellness in London, with Technogym Sand Stone and the innovative Technogym Checkup to hotel guests and members. Magdy Abdelaty, Director of Wellness, explains how the hotel offers a seamlessly connected wellness experience that extends beyond the gym’s walls.
The London landmark offers 144 suites, multiple restaurants and bars, and a 10,000 sqm wellness space with 25 m pool, sauna and steam areas, heated marble loungers, and premium changing facilities.
Within this iconic setting, The Chancery Rosewood has invested in the very best fitness solutions to complement its holistic wellness offering. The fitness facility is equipped with the Technogym Sand Stone cardio and strength line and the wellness ecosystem extends to in-room fitness solutions and digital platforms, offering guests and members a personalised experience.
“Our wellness facility is designed to deliver the highest standard of service 24/7,”
“Technogym Checkup offers our guests and members a truly individualised programme that integrates body analysis, lifestyle, and mind metrics into a broader wellness programme.”
Bringing 360° wellness to life
Technogym Checkup is central to The Chancery Rosewood’s fitness offer, providing guests detailed wellness assessments and tailored training programmes designed by the AI-powered Technogym Coach, accessible via Technogym App. Guests can use with or without guidance from wellness staff, offering a flexible and user-friendly way for busy guests to maintain their routine whilst travelling.
The luxury equipment and digital solutions extend beyond the gym space, with in-room fitness solutions incorporating Technogym Case – a portable gym kit - QR codes linking to the TV for guided workouts, and Technogym App to continue personal programming and track progress.
The system is designed to support hyper-personalisation at scale, combining AI-driven insights with human guidance from personal trainers, giving guests a high-touch, bespoke experience that aligns with The Chancery Rosewood’s luxury positioning.
A first for luxury London hospitality
The Chancery Rosewood establishes itself as a leader in the integration of luxury wellness and digital innovation. The combination of historical architecture, world-class design, and cutting-edge digital fitness solutions sets the property apart within the London luxury hotel scene.
“We wanted luxurious fitness equipment that would allow us to deliver personalised wellness at scale while staying true to our values around design and sustainability,”
“Technogym Sand Stone with the Technogym digital ecosystem allows every guest and member to have an unforgettable wellness experience that lasts beyond the workout.”
Technogym Sand Stone is made with 30% recycled materials, proof that high-end wellness and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand - a message that resonates with discerning hospitality clientele who value luxury and sustainability.
“Technogym at The Chancery Rosewood brings together our values of high-end design, wellness, and attention to detail,”
“It’s about providing meaningful, personalised experiences that support our members and guests in achieving their health goals wherever they are.”
Seamless integration for a connected wellness journey
The Chancery Rosewood is a leader in luxury wellness, and the integration of the Technogym ecosystem of Technogym Sand Stone, Technogym Checkup, and Technogym App strengthens the hotel’s commitment to innovation and personalisation.
By connecting AI-powered insights with gym and in-room solutions, The Chancery Rosewood is showing how luxury hotels can embrace technology without losing the human touch that defines luxury hospitality. With a thoughtful blend of heritage, design, and innovation, the hotel stands out as a destination luxury wellness in the heart of London.
Money Moves
Hotels have spent the last decade modernising the guest experience. Yet behind the front desk, the way money moves often remains fragmented, manual and far more costly than it needs to be.
For hotel groups operating across borders, international payments can quietly put pressure on margins. Forced FX conversions, layered bank fees and the use of multiple payment providers can reduce transaction value by 1–3% before revenue is recognised. Instead, they surface as unexplained variance at month end.
As operations scale, the challenge intensifies. Managing dozens of international payments each week across multiple providers leaves finance teams stitching together data just to understand where cash sits and what it costs to move it. Manual, spreadsheet-driven processes further slow reconciliation, particularly during peak trading periods.
What is changing is not the need to pay internationally, but how hotels choose to do it.
Leading finance teams are shifting towards same-currency settlement and multi-currency wallets that integrate directly into their existing hotel tech stacks. By connecting payment infrastructure with PMS platforms, ecommerce portals and third-party booking engines, hotels can collect, hold and pay funds in the currencies they operate in.
Crucially, this infrastructure is increasingly embedded into hotel finance workflows. PMS-generated guest charges, OTA and marketplace settlements, and centrally managed supplier payments can all flow into a single payment layer. Instead of reconciling across portals and spreadsheets, finance teams gain a clearer, system-level view of cash movement. During peak periods, this visibility helps reduce reconciliation pressure and month- end strain.
This reduces unnecessary conversions and brings greater predictability to cash flow. FX and payment fees become operational variables finance teams can manage, rather than market inevitabilities that quietly erode room profitability.
The contrast is clear. Before, finance teams managed fragmented providers, delayed visibility and spreadsheet-based reconciliation. After, they operate with a single operational view, more predictable settlement and greater control over liquidity across properties.
Batch payments are another practical step forward. Instead of processing supplier payouts one by one, finance teams can execute thousands of payments in a single action, freeing up time while maintaining control and oversight.
Most importantly, these changes create a single operational view of global payments. As hotel groups expand into new regions, add properties or onboard more suppliers, this clarity becomes essential to scaling without adding unnecessary operational headcount. Forecasting improves, reconciliation becomes faster and international growth becomes easier to manage.
At Sokin, we see this shift accelerating across international hotel groups. Finance teams are increasingly prioritising integrated payment infrastructure that connects collection, settlement and reconciliation into a single operational flow. When payments work quietly and predictably in the background, teams can focus on what matters most: protecting margins and supporting sustainable growth.
Closing the Gaps
For readers who may be unfamiliar with Screen Pilot, how would you describe your core mission and the specific challenges you help hoteliers solve in today’s increasingly digital marketplace?
At Screen Pilot, we've centered our mission on a philosophy we call the Digital Brand Experience (DBX). We believe that a hotel brand is more than just a static image or logo. The digital journey is real. Our mission is to transform fragmented digital activity into a single, cohesive experience that drives demand, conversion and long-term loyalty.
The biggest challenge I see hoteliers facing is the revenue loss caused by a fragmented digital world. Too many teams operate in silos, which creates gaps in the guest journey where revenue simply leaks away. To fix this, we’re "Smart with Heart." It’s our belief that the best work is both intelligent – driven by data and analytical insight – and emotionally compelling. We focus exclusively on the brands people love to enjoy, like hospitality and travel, because we know this business is driven by feeling and imagination. We aren’t selling insurance or everyday goods, our team is in the business of memories.
Hotel owners and operators are under constant pressure to drive direct bookings while managing costs - how does Screen Pilot’s approach to digital marketing and technology support sustainable revenue growth for hospitality businesses?
For me, sustainable growth is anchored in our "no guest left behind" approach. I recognise that every gap between brand, media, content and technology represents a guest who does not convert. To support owners, DBX treats the digital ecosystem as a single, cohesive experience where brand, performance, content, personalisation and social media work together at every stage of the journey.
When a client buys into DBX, they’re moving towards a shared responsibility for the entire guest journey rather than channel-by-channel delivery. By ensuring that creative, technology and performance work as one, we maximise budget efficiency for our partners. We focus on what matters most to operators – heads in beds – by using powerful creative and smart technology to attract and retain high-value guests.
From your perspective, what are the most common gaps or missed opportunities you see in hotel marketing strategies, and how do you help teams turn data, branding, and guest insights into measurable results?
The "old world" approach, where departments operate in isolation, is inefficient. Performance teams run campaigns, social teams manage organic content, and CRM speaks to past guests, but everyone only optimising their own lane. This fragmentation is exactly where hospitality brands lose revenue.
We build brand worlds. We define what makes a property distinctive and turn it into a world people want to spend time in. By shifting to a "new world" model, planning happens around the guest journey rather than any one specific channel. This results in a single, unified plan across brand, performance, tech and CRM, underpinned by a shared view of success. High-impact creative and compelling storytelling then power the entire digital ecosystem, from first interest through to repeat visits.
Looking ahead, what trends or shifts in guest behaviour and hotel technology should hoteliers be paying closest attention to, and how is Screen Pilot evolving its services to help clients stay competitive?
Guests expect a seamless, end-to-end digital journey. The most successful hoteliers focus on a guest-centric approach, designing the ultimate system to guide people from the first touchpoint through to the return visit.
Screen Pilot has evolved very specifically to deliver this full Digital Brand Experience end-to-end, a holistic concept that was previously difficult to realise across the entire ecosystem. We’re moving away from channel-based delivery and towards integrated execution, where data-informed decisions and smart technology close the gaps that lead to lost demand. By breaking down the walls between insight, brand, paid media and social media, we ensure our clients provide a connected brand world that delivers real commercial value in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
screenpilot.com
Exceeding Expectations
Bean-to-cup coffee machines have been around since the 1980s, becoming a staple in hotel service where speed and consistency are essential. While machine technology has advanced significantly over the past four decades, little attention has been given to their compatibility with plant‑based milks. As more guests expect high‑quality plant‑based options, Oatly decided to solve the challenge directly. The result is Baristamatic, the first oat drink designed specifically for automated coffee machines.
Consumer expectations have changed drastically, with over 34% of households now buying plant-based milks*. Guests reasonably expect their hotel coffee to match, if not surpass, what they enjoy at home. Oatly Barista Edition is already the UK’s best‑selling plant‑based milk, so developing a version tailored for automated systems was a natural next step. Baristamatic keeps the Oatly taste guests love, while delivering reliable performance in high‑pressure settings.
How does Baristamatic differ from the Barista Edition many in hospitality already use?
Due to their fibrous nature, most plant-based milks need to be shaken every couple of hours to avoid separation. That simply doesn’t work in a busy service environment. With Baristamatic, you shake it once and it stays homogenised without separation for more than 24 hours. That means you can set it and forget it, delivering the convenience automation is designed for, without compromising on quality.
Baristamatic delivers the same flavour profile and glossy microfoam as Oatly Barista Edition — the taste that 65% of consumers prefer over other brands** .The key difference lies in its functionality: reduced sedimentation, simplified SOPs and no need for frequent shaking resulting in smoother service during peak times.
Can you explain the technology behind Baristamatic and how it improves machine performance?
Using the same ingredients as our Original Barista Edition, Baristamatic’s updated formulation reduces sedimentation significantly. It has been tested and approved by leading coffee machine manufacturers to ensure consistent performance. Camilla Morgan, UK Sales Director at Eversys says, “Baristamatic was introduced by a high-volume client on Eversys Machines across roughly 200 sites last year. Based on their internal feedback, the Baristamatic performed well in terms of foamability and texture, and the machines operated efficiently to expectations with this product.”
For hotels, this means fewer machine issues, less downtime and greater confidence during peak service.
What are the advantages of Baristamatic for hotel hospitality settings?
With 88% of plant-based milk drinkers not identifying as vegan or vegetarian***. Baristamatic helps hotels meet modern guest expectations - a great coffee experience away from home - effortlessly, consistently, and at scale.
Why is Oatly the right partner for hotels?
Oatly is the world’s largest and original oat drink company trusted for its quality, consistency and category‑leading products. With a mission rooted in health, sustainability and great taste, Oatly offers hotels a dependable, future‑ready partner for modern hospitality service.
* Numerator, Houeshold penetration, 52 w/e 25/01/2026
**(Attest survey, March 2025, n=300).
*** (Attest survey, January 2026, n>500),
oatly.com
Don’t Miss Out
Food, Drink & Hospitality Week returns to Excel London from 30 March to 01 April, bringing together six co-located events that span food, drink, hospitality and technology.
For hoteliers, the breadth of the week is a major draw, but two areas in particular stand out: HRC, the UK’s leading hospitality trade event, and Hospitality Tech360, a new launch dedicated to the digital future of the sector.
HRC brings together operators, suppliers and thought leaders from across hotels, restaurants and foodservice. Built around the theme The Power of Us, the 2026 edition places people, culture and collaboration firmly centre stage. Across the Vision Stage and Future of Drinks Stage, the seminar programme tackles the commercial and cultural pressures facing hospitality businesses, from leadership and recruitment to changing consumer expectations and evolving food and drink trends.
Hotel-relevant sessions include high-profile conversations on leadership and sector unity, with speakers such as Kate Nicholls OBE discussing the importance of a collective voice for hospitality, and Institute of Hospitality’s Robert Richardson moderating a keynote session with Night Time Industries Association Chair Sacha Lord.
Other sessions explore how design influences revenue, how businesses can stay relevant on the high street, and how changing attitudes to health, sustainability and alcohol consumption are reshaping menus and guest experiences. The programme balances strategic insight with practical takeaways, offering hoteliers ideas that can be applied across operations, from front of house to food and beverage.
Running alongside HRC is Hospitality Tech360, a dedicated destination for operators navigating digital change. Launching in 2026, HT360 brings together hospitality leaders, technology providers and founders to focus on how technology is actually being implemented in real businesses. Rather than treating tech as an abstract future concept, the content centres on adoption, integration and return on investment, with a strong emphasis on keeping the human side of hospitality intact.
At the core of Hospitality Tech360 is the Hospitality Leaders Forum, which hosts a programme aimed squarely at senior decision-makers. Sessions explore how hotels and hospitality groups are balancing automation with service, how data can support better people decisions, and how AI is moving from experimentation to everyday operations. Hotel voices feature prominently, including leaders from Lore Group, The Imperial London Hotels Limited, Mollie’s and boutique operator House of Gods, offering perspectives on leadership models, digital strategy and organisational change.
Several discussions at HT360 will circle the same central question: how can digital tools support teams rather than replace them? Sessions on the “tech GM”, AI-enabled leadership and marketing to algorithms reflect the growing reality that hotel leaders are now expected to combine commercial, cultural and technological expertise.
Beyond HRC and Hospitality Tech360, the wider Food, Drink & Hospitality Week portfolio enhances the visitor experience. IFE and IFE Manufacturing bring insight into F&B product development, supply chains and food innovation, while The Pub Show and International Salon Culinaire add further depth through operator-focused content and live culinary competition. A single badge provides access across all six events, allowing hoteliers to move easily between strategic thinking, sourcing and skills development.
For hotel professionals, Food, Drink & Hospitality Week offers a chance to step back, compare notes with peers, and engage with the ideas shaping hospitality’s next chapter.
Find out more about HRC at hrc.co.uk and Hospitality Tech360 at hospitalitytech360.co.uk, with both events taking place from 30 March to 01 April at Excel London.
Smooth Operator
What does hotel technology mean to you? Spreadsheets and manual data entry, frustrating delays and endless clicking? Or do you think of sleek tablets and connected systems, of real-time insights and time savings?
Hopefully, it’s the latter. Technology is your biggest ally in the quest for unforgettable hospitality, and those who embrace it push themselves to the front of the pack.
From coastal escapes to urban retreats, here are five hotels using next-gen tech to reshape the guest journey, streamline operations and build future-ready businesses. All five are powered by Mews, a hospitality cloud designed to automate tasks, drive revenue and elevate experiences for staff and guests.
The Gate Cornwall
Tucked away on the Cornish coast, The Gate Cornwall is a boutique hotel that delivers on laid-back luxury. By automating payments and streamlining arrivals with online check-in, the team has cut paperwork and queues at the front desk. Guests can head straight to their room without the admin, with staff able to focus on crafting memorable stays. Proof that it makes a difference? Their five-star Google rating, for a start.
Revenue and profit margins are also looking rosier. Using Mews Booking Engine, their website outperforms average conversion rates and helped boost the number of direct bookings significantly. For a small, independent property, that kind of optimisation makes a big impact.
“The whole customer journey has changed thanks to Mews. Guest satisfaction has increased, and our team are very confident when booking guests in. Mews will make your life a nicer place to be.”
Bush Hotel Farnham
One of the oldest coaching inns in England, Bush Hotel has a long legacy of welcoming guests. But behind the 17th-century charm is a property that runs on modern, connected systems.
By introducing Mews POS, the hotel’s F&B and room operations now run in sync. No more manual reconciliation or missed revenue. Front desk staff have a complete picture of each guest’s stay, and service across departments feels more connected. It’s also a smoother guest experience, with features like easy digital bill splitting, tipping and automated payments linked to the guest profile.
Meanwhile, the hotel boosted its ADR by 13% and has a booking engine conversion rate that dwarfs the industry average: 13.3% compared to 3%. Historic doesn’t have to mean outdated.
Leven Manchester
Set in a handsome former cotton warehouse, Leven Manchester combines striking design with a progressive hospitality philosophy. Their focus is on people – guests and staff – and they’ve chosen tech that supports that mission.
Mews automates the mundane tasks so the team can focus on delivering standout service. All payments are handled automatically. Online check-in rates sit at 33%. And the front desk team saves up to an hour every day – time they reinvest into personal, human interactions.
Empowered staff, happier guests and a more scalable operation. That’s what modern hospitality looks like.
Cornwall Hotel Collection
After upgrading from an older legacy system, The Cornwall Hotel Collection gained real-time visibility across their properties. This allowed them to act faster, spot trends earlier, and personalise the guest experience more effectively.
The result? 42% of bookings are now direct, with a 15% higher average booking value compared to OTAs. Guests spend an average of £32 on extras like champagne, room upgrades and late check-outs. Overall, the group saw an impressive 39% increase in RevPAR.
The Regent
The Regent in Cambridge is a model of modern hospitality. The aparthotel embraces embedded payments and self-check-in kiosks to generate huge time savings for staff while boosting productivity. Guests also benefit, as teams have more time to focus on creating personal experiences.
Mews University transformed staff training, with new team members able to confidently use the system in just one day. This speedy onboarding ensures that the team can maintain high service standards without extensive and costly training periods.
And here’s one final impressive data point to end on: a 26% increase in occupancy and a 21% rise in RevPAR.
The big picture
The common thread running through these hotels is a willingness to embrace technology that prioritises people. By choosing cloud-native, guest-centric systems, you minimise admin in order to maximise human experiences.
Written down, it’s a simple formula. If you empower your people, they’ll be better at their jobs. If they’re better at their jobs, your guests will be happier. And if your guests are happier, they’ll spend more and be more likely to return.
To make this happen, you need forward-thinking technology partners that understand your business. The best place to start is the world’s Best PMS 2025, as voted for by hoteliers like you. Let’s talk at mews.com/demo
Tapping In
It’s easier for guests (and they expect it!)
Guests can use digital wallets to board flights, pay for dinner and book concert tickets. So, why shouldn’t it work for their hotel room? With no app to download, no new login info needed and an interface they're already familiar with, digital wallet-based room keys are the new normal for guests.
It lightens the load for hotel staff
Fewer queues. Fewer third-party providers. Fewer “I lost my key” moments. By offering wallet-based digital keys, front desk staff spend less time on plastic card troubleshooting and more time with their guests.
It’s built right in
If you’re already offering wallet-based room keys then you're probably used to clunky add-ons or third-party workarounds. But not with Mews. We’re the first PMS to offer hoteliers fully integrated wallet-based keys. That means no new providers, no extra tech to manage and just one port of call for all questions.
It’s better for the planet
Every broken, redundant or well-worn keycard leaves a mark on the planet. Switching to digital wallet-based room keys reduces your business’ carbon footprint and aligns more with your guests’ eco-conscious values. It’s one small change with a big environmental impact.
It’s another step toward frictionless guest experiences
Long day of travel? Early morning check-in? Desperately in need of a nap? Whatever your guest’s situation, it’s never been easier for them to check-in and head straight to their room. Flexibility like this is what brings guests back time and time again.
Wallet-based keys aren’t just an upgrade; they’re the future of hotel tech.
Hoteliers without ASSA ABLOY locks can learn more about Wallet Keys here.
Too Many Systems
In the modern hotel, we are told that "best-of-breed" technology is the gold standard. We are sold a dream of a perfectly curated tech stack: a specialised tool for procurement, a separate genius for inventory, a standalone wizard for accounts payable, and a boutique platform for supplier relations.
On paper, it looks like a masterpiece of digital engineering. In practice? It’s a Frankenstein’s monster that requires constant manual life support.
We’ve reached a tipping point where the very systems designed to save us time are the ones stealing it. If you find yourself jumping between five different tabs, three different logins, and two different "support desks" just to figure out why a crate of Wagyu beef cost 20% more than it did last week, your systems aren't working for you. You are working for them.
The Hidden Tax of "Integration"
The hospitality industry has fallen into the trap of System Fragmentation. We’ve been led to believe that as long as two pieces of software have an API, they "talk" to each other. But as any frustrated Finance Director will tell you, there is a world of difference between "talking" and "understanding."
When your procurement system doesn't natively live inside your invoicing platform, data gets lost in translation. You end up paying the "Integration Tax" - the endless hours spent reconciling data that should have been born in the same place. We spend our lives building bridges between silos when we should have just built one solid foundation.
The Human Cost: Training for a Marathon of Tabs
Beyond the software costs, there is a massive human resource drain. Every time you add a new "niche" system to your hotel, you increase the cognitive load on your team.
Think about your staff turnover. Every time a new member joins the back office or the kitchen, they aren’t just learning the hotel’s culture; they are being forced to become amateur IT consultants. They have to learn the quirks of the inventory app, the login protocols for the ordering site, and the Byzantine approval workflow of the AP software.
It is a waste of education and a waste of talent. We should be training our people to be better hoteliers, better chefs, and better procurement strategists - not experts in navigating a cluttered desktop of disconnected icons.
The "Full Picture" vs. The Digital Jigsaw
The real danger of multiple systems isn't just the boredom of data entry; it’s the blurred vision.
When you manage spend across multiple platforms, you never truly have "The Full Picture." You have a jigsaw puzzle with three pieces missing under the sofa. You see the invoice, but you can't easily see the original PO. You see the price increase, but you can’t see the three-year trend from that specific supplier without exporting a CSV and performing Excel gymnastics.
This is where the "invoices running the hotel" metaphor becomes a reality. When information is fragmented, you are always reacting to the past (archaeology) rather than commanding the present (strategy). You aren't holding the keys; you’re just following the paper trail.
The Power of One: Why Full Solutions Win
Taking back the keys requires a shift in philosophy. It means moving away from "multi-system chaos" and toward a unified spend management ecosystem.
This is the core of the PurchasePlus approach. By bringing procurement, inventory, and invoicing into one single, elegant environment, the friction vanishes.
- One Truth: The PO becomes the delivery, which becomes the invoice. There is no "matching" because they are parts of the same DNA.
- One Login: Your team masters one interface. Training time is slashed, and adoption rates soar.
- One View: You can see the health of your entire operation in real-time.
Conclusion: Control is the New Luxury
We need to stop treating hotel administration like a series of disconnected chores and start treating it like the heartbeat of the business. Every minute your team spends jumping between systems is a minute they aren't negotiating better rates, finding better suppliers, or improving the guest experience.
It’s time to stop letting a mess of "integrations" run your hotel. It’s time to consolidate, simplify, and finally see the whole board.
The keys are on the desk. It’s time to take them back.