Case study: Mountain hotel uses online upsell to sell its services even before their guests arrive
MyStay editorial staff
6 minute read
Grand Hotel Hradec – the background
The unique hotel is a jewel nestled in the very heart of the Krkonoše Mountains and the result of painstaking and precise work by the top Czech architects of the Mimolimit studio. The entire architectural concept is in line with the idea of giving their guests a perfect rest in inner connection with nature, but in the conditions of maximum luxury of the 21st century.
It has 68 distinctive rooms, stylish restaurant and bar for pleasant social gatherings. The guests can enjoy a wide range of pampering procedures at the top-quality wellness center. It also offers conference halls and lounges with 180 seats.
Type of visitors
The guests of Grand Hotel Hradec are of all generations and of all types of groups – couples in love, families with children, active athletes and pleasure seekers, lovers of walks in the nature.
Implementation of MyStay
Grand Hotel Hradec implemented MyStay in June 2020. They have opted for the full Check-in package, Upsell and automated messaging feature. This allows them to communicate with their guests before, after and during their stay. It also allows their guests to check-in online, personalize their stay and order services via their mobile devices anytime – even before their arrival.
Guests receive the first messages immediately after making a reservation. The first message guests receive from MyStay confirms that the hotel knows about them and is looking forward to their visit. Attached is a link to the prepared MyStay accommodation website.
At this time, the guests are usually not yet preparing for the trip and are happy that the hotel management is interested in them. The hotel is already getting plus points, but that’s not all.
Other messages are sent out approx. two days before check-in. At this time, guests may be a little nervous, they may lack information on how to get to the hotel, what the hotel actually offers, what are the check-in times or the opening hours of the restaurant, whether the reception is open 24/7, etc.
It is at this time that guests will appreciate not only specific information prepared for their stay, but also a catalog of hotel services, options for various upgrades and activities. And they will get this information at the right time. No generic message, but a nicely prepared list, that is tailored by the hotel staff based on their own experience of what information travelers are most often looking for at the reception desk.
Numbers and statistics
When we launched MyStay, the whole team was really excited to see, how this beautiful hotel performs short and long-term. And we were not disappointed!
The guest engagement rate has grown from initial 45,1% the first month to 68,5% the second month with current numbers rarely going below 65%.
Grand Hotel Hradec operates on the HoReS Hospitality Solutions Property management system, which has a two-way integration with the MyStay software. The hotel pays approximately 125 € per month for the MyStay Online Check-in package and Automated communication feature.
In the first few months, after the launch, we have already seen growing interest in booking services online with the Smart Catalogue being open hundreds of times.
The guests have received the information they needed and the more tech savvy ones proceeded to ordering services and activities which always used to be booked by the reception in person or by a phone call.
These orders in the beginning already reached the amount of several hundred euros and thus confirmed that the sale of services before arrival will bring more money to the hotel manager than, what they pay for the MyStay software.
At the moment the hotel books 2100€+ in upsell orders per month on average, which considered the cost of MyStay software generates astonishing 1650% ROI.
Best selling offers
One of the most important parts for a successful upsell is creating a Smart Catalogue of services, activities and third party offers tak fit the needs of your guests, represent good value, are convenient, and that they are adding something relevant to the guest’s stay. Grand Hotel Hradec understood the assignment very well, therefore it was capable of creating a combination of interesting and valuable offers.
The second part of a successful upsell is promoting the offers. Without that the guest has usually no idea that you are offering something extra. That’s why Grand Hotel Hradec also opted for combining automated digital tools (like automated pre-arrival and in- stay messaging by email and text messages, online upsell catalogue, QR codes, wifi success page) with their Check-in package.
Here is a list of their best selling offers:
Personalisation
Lastly in order to tie all of the digital upsell efforts together, it is vital to stop showing irrelevant offers to irrelevant guests. Thanks to the personalization feature Grand Hotel Hradec asks their guests about their stay preferences. Based on that it gets to know their needs very fast and can start offering relevant content – useful both for online tools but also for their receptionist.
Here are the most chosen preferences over the time at Grand Hotel Hradec:
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All in all, we are really happy with the results. MyStay has over the years proven to be a valuable asset generating satisfied guests and satisfied staff. It saves time, generates additional income in high thousands per year and allows for and creates space for meaningful interactions and an outstanding hospitality experience.
Thank you Grand Hotel Hradec, for choosing us! 💜
