Elevating Every Moment: Facilitating an Unforgettable Family Vacation with Integrated Mobile Technology

Mobile technology can reimagine the guest experience, but it is important to highlight how travelers interact with technology if we are to truly understand mobility’s impact on hospitality and revenue generation. Today, we will follow a typical family of four as they embark on their ideal French resort vacation, showing how mobile technology can enhance their stay while also benefiting the hotel’s bottom line.

Pre-Arrival Excitement: Anticipating the Bliss

As the weather gets colder, the husband in our family starts to dream of escaping on an unforgettable Mediterranean retreat, a sanctuary that resonates with luxury, adventure, and sun-kissed skies. Such a getaway would be the perfect way to surprise his wife and family, providing a welcome and memorable break from the long winter months.

Of course, the idea for a French vacation didn’t just pop out of nowhere, it started as the husband began flipping through Instagram posts on his smartphone, and “liking” pictures that involved European beaches and French cuisine. Eventually, Instagram’s algorithms brought him to a luxurious resort located on the coast of southern France. While he was amazed by the resort’s breathtaking views and ultra-luxurious accommodations, the property’s tech stack was already working seamlessly in the background to streamline and personalize his stay. The hotel leveraged its mobile-optimized booking engine to insert booking links directly into its social media posts. When our traveler saw a post that particularly resonated with him, he clicked on a single link and accessed the resort's booking options directly from his phone. Because the page was mobile-optimized, it loaded almost instantly, providing all of the information he needed to book a room in a vibrant, user-friendly interface. Our traveler was able to access room rates, vibrant pictures, hotel amenities, and room upgrades directly from his smartphone.

After browsing through the resort’s options for a few moments, he eventually settled on a suite with a beach-side view and an extra room for the children. As soon as he entered his contact and payment information, the resort’s payment gateway and customer relationship manager (CRM) both went to work. The payment was just as seamless as the actual booking, with the resort’s payment gateway allowing him to securely pay through any number of credit cards, digital wallets, or buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) platforms. Although his initial payment required him to fill out a confirmation code from his digital wallet, this information was automatically saved by the resort’s payment gateway, which would facilitate single-click payments for the remainder of his guest journey.

The resort’s integrated CRM could also instantly access our travelers’ contact and stay information from the property’s cloud PMS to start constructing an increasingly nuanced guest profile from which to personalize touchpoints and interactions. After booking, the family was sent a personalized welcome email, which introduced the resort, offered potential flight and transportation options, and detailed the array of activities and amenities the resort and region had to offer. As the travel date approached, the CRM would automatically send targeted offers for exclusive family packages and upgrades tailored to their specific needs and preferences.

Arrival and Warm Welcome: Embracing Luxury

When our family finally touched down on the tarmac, they were excited to begin their luxury vacation. As soon as they deboarded the plane, the husband quickly checked into their room through his smartphone, using only a few swipes and clicks. This frictionless experience was delivered by a mini-ecosystem of mobile platforms working seamlessly in the background, including a mobile PMS for self-check-in, a digital payment gateway, a keyless entry system, and a mobile upgrade optimizer. The husband was so happy that he avoided the inconvenience of a long check-in line, that he even ordered a personalized welcome drink and a handpicked welcome amenity for each family member directly from his mobile phone.

While the mobile app streamlined the check-in process, the family still had the option to interact with the resort's dedicated staff members. When they arrived at the lobby, the wife sought the assistance of a staff member to help the family plan activities for their trip. Aided by a smart tablet, the front desk associate was able to quickly access the hotel’s property management system, zero in on the guest’s profile, jot down quick notes of special requests, and assist them in finding activities, dining options, and additional amenities, enhancing their overall experience while providing additional opportunities to drive revenue.

In-Stay Bliss: Tailored Experiences for Every Member

During their stay at the luxurious resort, the family of four experienced a wealth of in-stay activities seamlessly facilitated by cutting-edge technology. Mobile guest messaging platforms played a pivotal role, allowing the family to easily communicate with the resort staff, make requests, and seek recommendations, all from the convenience of their smartphones. Whether they needed extra towels, in-room dining options, or information about resort activities, the mobile messaging platform ensured their requests were met promptly and efficiently, enhancing their overall comfort and convenience.

Moreover, the resort's cloud PMS integrated seamlessly with a mobile point-of-sale system, which elevated the family's dining experiences. With a few taps on their mobile devices, they could peruse digital menus, place orders, and pay for meals, all without the need for physical menus or cash transactions. This seamless process not only minimized wait times but also allowed the family to savor exquisite cuisines at the resort's restaurants without any interruptions, focusing on creating delightful culinary memories.

The mobile point-of-sale integration extended beyond dining, enabling the family to effortlessly purchase tickets for resort activities, spa treatments, and excursions. This streamlined approach not only saved them time but also enhanced their overall resort experience, ensuring they could participate in desired activities without the hassle of additional queues or paperwork.

Farewell with Fond Memories: Post-Stay Engagement

When it was eventually time to check out, the family was able to use the resort’s mobile check-out feature, which allowed them to purchase a late afternoon departure directly from their smartphone. Now they could enjoy a final, relaxing day at the resort while also providing the property with another stream of ancillary revenue.

But the family’s experience didn’t end at check-out. The resort leveraged its mobile messaging tool and CRM to send the family personalized messages expressing gratitude for the stay and exclusive offers for future visits. This thoughtful approach made the family feel valued, strengthening their bond with the resort and encouraging them to return. The property also leveraged a reputation management system which was able to gain additional insight into the family’s experience and preferences by sending post-stay surveys, encouraging them to share their thoughts about their stay openly. Because they enjoyed their stay and left the resort a glowing review, the system was able to direct them to different sites where they could share their experiences, thus boosting the resort's reputation. If the family had any issues during their stay, the system would allow the resort to quickly address any concerns and continue enhancing its services.

Conclusion: Elevating the Guest Experience with Mobile Technology

Ultimately, this journey was only made possible because the resort invested in a modern cloud PMS that facilitated all of the necessary technologies through frictionless integrations. By embracing mobile technology, personalized engagement, and reputation management, the resort maintained a lasting relationship with the family, ensuring their experience extended far beyond their time within its luxurious walls.

About Stayntouch

Stayntouch delivers a cloud-native and guest-centric hotel property management system (PMS) with a comprehensive library of over 1,100 integrations. Stayntouch's cloud-native PMS empowers independent hotels, hotel groups, and management companies to drive revenue, reduce costs, enhance service, and captivate their guests. In 2022, Stayntouch launched Stayntouch 2.0, a fully integrated technology suite featuring its core cloud-native PMS and guest kiosk solution, a comprehensive chain management module, a seamless booking engine (Stayntouch Booking), a robust payment processing platform (Stayntouch Pay), and a powerful channel manager. Stayntouch 2.0 enables hotels to streamline their operations, maximize and diversify their revenue streams, and deliver an even more enhanced guest experience with the innovation and support of one trusted technology partner. Stayntouch is supported by a team of professionals with deep roots in the hospitality industry and is a trusted partner to industry-leading management companies including Sage Hospitality, HEI Hotels & Resorts, and EOS Hospitality, innovative independent brands such as Village Hotels, Pod Hotels, and First Hotels, and iconic flagship properties such as the TWA Hotel, Showboat Hotel Atlantic City, and Zoku Amsterdam. For more information, visit www.stayntouch.com.

Frewoini Golla
Director of Marketing
Stayntouch