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News Briefs

  • 7/18/2023

    AHLA Foundation Announces $500K Grant Award from NRFT Survivor Fund

    AHLA Foundation logo

    The AHLA Foundation announced $500,000 in inaugural No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Survivor Fund grants to four community-based organizations that serve human trafficking survivors. 

    The 2023 NRFT Survivor Fund grant recipients will provide and promote resources to build survivors’ stability and self-sufficiency – from childcare and housing to transportation, career training, and employment opportunities. The 2023 grantees are: 

    The NRFT Survivor Fund is a first for the hospitality sector. It launched last year, expanding upon the hotel and lodging industry’s efforts to support trafficking survivors. Since its launch, the fund has grown to $3.4 million. As part of its continued commitment to combatting this issue, AHLA Foundation is matching NRFT Survivor Fund contributions up to $5 million dollars (with an overall goal of $10 million in total contributions by the end of 2023).  

    “The No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund shows unprecedented alignment by the industry in the fight against trafficking and provides crucial support to survivors on their path forward,” said Anna Blue, President of the AHLA Foundation. “By investing in organizations leading on the front lines of survivor support, the collective impact of the industry can help break the trafficking cycle and make a positive difference in the lives of survivors.” 

    The NRFT Advisory Council, which includes executive leaders from across the hotel and lodging industry, announced the grants as part of the NRFT Summit at the Park Hyatt in Washington, D.C. The event highlighted the hotel industry’s critical efforts in the fight against human trafficking and featured a keynote address from United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Cindy Dyer.  

  • 6/21/2023

    Shiji and IPORT Partner to Transform Hotel Restaurant Operations with All-in-One Tablet and Payment Device Solution

    Shiji teaser logo

    Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

    The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

    “IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

    "The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

    The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

  • 6/23/2023

    Steak n Shake Adds New Way to Pay

    Steak n Shake exterior in Indy

    Steak n Shake will offer PopID Check In and PopPay on its self-ordering kiosks in select locations in the Orlando market, with plans to expand to more than 300 corporate locations. PopID Check In is an opt-in service that enables consumers to scan their face to automatically sign into their loyalty reward account and see their past orders, making the ordering process as convenient as possible. When a guest checks in with PopID, they also have the option to use PopPay to automatically complete their payment.

    “Our partnership with PopID is a key part of our effort to provide guests with a fast and seamless ordering experience," said Keith Correia, Chief Information Officer. "When using PopID Check In, a guest does not need to use their phone or take out their wallet as part of the ordering process. They will automatically be checked in for loyalty rewards, and they can choose to make an automated payment with PopPay. A guest can even see their past orders and quickly reorder their favorite menu items. Ordering at Steak n Shake has never been easier or more convenient.”

    In addition to enhancing the guest experience and improving order throughput, PopPay helps to reduce fraud and offers lower payment processing fees.

  • 7/18/2023

    Limehome Reveals 400% Growth with Best-of-Breed Approach to Property Management Tech

    limehome logo

    European serviced apartment operator, Limehome, has revealed that it has grown 400% over the past two years, partly crediting its futuristic approach to its property management software.

    Limehome is one of a growing band of hospitality companies using platforms that resist ever becoming out-of-date. Their so-called ‘composable hospitality’ allows operators to bolt together off-the shelf tools and add those that they develop themselves in-house. It’s the most powerful way to build a PMS and technology ecosystem that is bespoke, affordable and scalable.

    This has allowed Limehome to create a unique and staffless guest experience, and onboard new properties at speeds previously unheard of (less than 24 hours), helping the business achieve a fivefold increase in both revenue and the size of its portfolio over the past two years. It forecasts a 60% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the next five years and boasts an average occupancy rate of 90%, compared to the market average of 80%

    Limehome built its fully digital guest journey, which saves the business around $200 per unit per month, on the API-led open hospitality platform, Apaleo. While traditional property management systems (PMS) do have integrations, Limehome needed a platform that would allow it to replace tools that relied on human interaction with its own staffless alternatives. Leveraging Apaleo, it created a seamless digital guest journey from booking to check-out, integrating the reservation and payment solutions of Apaleo with a constellation of proprietary solutions and best-of-breed third-party apps. 

    Apaleo has formed the foundation of Limehome’s overall PMS ever since the company was founded in 2018. The flexibility that this permits is what has enabled Limehome to achieve unprecedented levels of customization and efficiency, enabling its staffless business model to thrive. 

    One of the most important functions Limehome has been able to develop on top of Apaleo is its machine-learning yield management solution. This tool optimises margins on every booking, dynamically adjusting rates millions of times a day in response to demand, local competitors, and seasonal trends. As a result, Limehome operates with only one revenue manager across 100 locations, something most hospitality companies would find impossible. While its competitors change prices around 200 times a day — Limehome adjusts prices approximately 10 million times in the same period. 

    Josef Vollmayr, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Limehome, said: “Apaleo is a construction kit that we use to complement our own technology. It allows us to operate the way we operate, and without it we could not grow at this pace.

    “In a typical stay, traditional hotels might have up to ten manual interactions with every reservation. It’s the trivial things that hurt the bottom line. Guests ask for an invoice, the check-in and check-out times, an upgrade or an extension of the stay. This may not be inconvenient for the guest, but for the hotel these interactions are very labour-intensive, time consuming and ultimately costly. 

    “We need all these things to be integrated into our technology. Without the flexibility that Apaleo allows, hiring for 120 locations would be a nightmare for us. By building on top of Apaleo, we don’t have to do that.”

    As the hospitality industry evolves and guests seek personalised experiences and spacious accommodation, innovative brands like Limehome are gaining prominence. But a lack of flexible property management technology has hindered the realisation of many of the most creative concepts.

    Apaleo is the only MACH-based platform that focuses on core property management modules, enabling hospitality providers to design bespoke technology stacks, often incorporating proprietary software. By embracing these innovations in the technology space, Limehome exemplifies the future of hospitality, enabling 100% self-serviced guest journeys, increased guest satisfaction and both operation and financial efficiency for hospitality businesses.

    Florian Montag, VP of Business Development at Apaleo, commented: “Limehome are trailblazers when it comes to the future of property management. It never even dawned on them to use a traditional solution because they are so focused on the end product. The guest experience has come first at all times and this is exactly what we expect from all hospitality operators in the future. All hospitality providers will have CTOs and their roles will become some of the most important to these businesses as they curate future-proof ecosystems of software capable of consistently delivering for their brands.”

  • 7/18/2023

    Stay Hospitality Selects Mews to Automate their Operations and Enhance the Overall Guest Journey

    Mews and Stay Hospitality logos

    Mews, a hospitality cloud, has been chosen by Stay Hospitality to automate and enhance their growing hotel operations.  

    As a hotel and short-term vacation rental management team, Stay Hospitality handles all aspects of the guest experience for visitors traveling to South Florida.

    “We love how Mews enables our guests to check in online, ahead of their arrival, saving us a lot of time and labor. Their incredible tech stack supports our vision of modern hospitality, which starts with easy booking and a seamless check-in experience,” said Ralph Davies, Chief Financial Officer at Stay Hospitality. “We’re also excited to explore increasing hotel revenue through add-on and upsell opportunities.” 

    Stay Hospitality, backed by the Assouline and Anheuser-Busch families, manages the Red Hotel South Beach and Royal Beach Hotel, which are currently in the deployment process, with 110 and 156 rooms, respectively. As a cloud-native PMS, Mews has an efficient implementation program to get hotels and their teams up and running as quickly and smoothly as possible. This will also ensure a seamless transition as both hotels go through re-branding and launch in 2024 after renovation. 

    “We’re delighted to keep growing our presence in the US with a partner as ambitious as Stay Hospitality,” said Matt Welle, Mews CEO. “They’re already achieving so much, and I’m excited to watch them drive even better performance and guest experiences through Mews, especially in their larger properties as they continue to expand their footprint in Florida and beyond.”  
     
    Stay Hospitality will use Mews Payments to transform clunky transactional processes into invisible, frictionless experiences. More sophisticated operations will benefit both guests and the team, as seamless, single-click payments replace the stress of dealing with unreliable programs and the outdated multi-step check-in. 

     “We’re especially looking forward to Mews Payments, as it will automate all transactions and rid our staff of manual tasks. Gone are the days of printing receipts and end-of-day reconciliation,” continued Ralph Davies. “Our guests can look forward to real-time transparency and the convenience of alternative payment methods.” 

  • 7/18/2023

    HALO Networks Announces Partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation

    HALO Networks, a leading neutral-host network provider, announced an exclusive agreement with Boyd Gaming to deliver advanced mobile connectivity throughout all Boyd properties. Network design and deployment across Boyd- operated hotels and casinos nationwide are expected to commence immediately with the delivery of new, state-of-the-art, multi-carrier 5G networks.  

    As one of the country’s most successful casino entertainment companies, Boyd Gaming boasts of a large, and rapidly growing, national footprint. Boyd’s nationwide impact includes: 

    • 27 gaming properties 

    • Presence in 10 states including Nevada (10), Louisiana (5), Indiana (2), Iowa (2), Mississippi (2), Missouri (2), Kansas (1), Illinois (1), Ohio (1), and Pennsylvania (1) 

    • 10,750 hotel rooms 

    • 1.7M+ square feet casino space 

    • Approx 120 food & beverage outlets 

    "Enhancing guest and visitor experience in all parts of our properties including hotel rooms, casino floors and restaurant areas, is of utmost importance to us," said Blake Rampmaier, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Boyd Gaming. “In today’s world, seamless and guaranteed mobile connectivity is a critical requirement. With several marquee events planned in Las Vegas over the coming months, including Formula 1 in November and the Big Game in February 2024, we want to deliver high-performance wireless connectivity at, and around our venues. We selected HALO Networks as our neutral-host provider given their expertise in delivering 4G LTE and 5G advanced mobile networks, and their extensive experience in working with all the leading mobile carriers.”  

    Tony Schaffer, President of HALO Networks, added, “Our team has a proven track record in designing, building, and operating world-class, multi-carrier hospitality networks and we are excited to deliver on our commitments to Boyd Gaming. When engineering a future-proof network for our carrier and venue partners, we always balance best-in-class product choices with cost-effective deployment approaches. Our networks not only deliver ultra-high speed 5G and bandwidth, but we also include network capacity to support services like digital signage, security and surveillance that are often mission critical. We are looking forward to bringing advanced mobile coverage and capacity to all Boyd Gaming properties and supporting mega events in the coming months and years.” 

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