Boosting guest satisfaction at A-STAY

A-STAY is designing their guests' stay by seamlessly blending technology with a personal touch. With a vision centred on human-centric hospitality, the hotel integrates digital convenience while preserving the warmth and authentic service that guests cherish.

Located in the vibrant city centre of Antwerp, Belgium, the hotel caters to modern travellers who value flexibility and connection, staying for a day, a week, or longer. With 190 thoughtfully designed rooms and a variety of shared spaces, including a lounge, bar, and a gym, A-STAY thereby encourages both productivity and social interaction. Whether you're working, exploring, or simply relaxing, A-STAY invites you to "MAKE IT YOUR STAY".

We spoke with Hanseul Gil, Marketing Coordinator, and Eugen Denisov, Operations Manager, to learn more about their journey with Apaleo and how they crafted the perfect guest experience, truly making guests feel welcome.

Challenge: Manual work, fragmented processes, and lost chances to connect

A-STAY aims to deliver a cutting-edge, tech-enhanced guest experience while maintaining the personal touch that guests value. The challenge was to integrate smart technology in a way that boosted convenience without making the experience feel cold or overly automated. Everything had to remain intuitive and welcoming for all guests.

Along the guest journey, managing bookings from multiple OTAs and handling Airbnb reservations manually created operational inefficiencies. The process was time-consuming and fragmented, demanding constant attention across different channels.

Another friction point emerged when guests encountered issues with in-room settings like lighting or temperature. The team had no way to monitor or resolve these problems remotely. Even minor glitches required staff to physically check the room, slowing down response times and disrupting the overall experience.

A-STAY recognised the need for a solution that could automate everyday tasks, simplify operations, and still enable personalised guest interactions, freeing up staff time.

Solution: Blending Apaleo & Guestway for an enhanced guest experience and improved efficiency

In response, A-STAY leveraged Apaleo’s API-first platform and integrated Guestway, a smart guest management system that quickly became a key element of their tech stack. This powerful duo enables guests to check in seamlessly, adjust in-room settings like lighting and temperature, and access hotel information directly from their smartphones.

From pre-arrival messages and check-in to door access via personalised PIN codes, Guestway now manages the entire guest journey. This results in smoother operations, greater guest autonomy and more time for the team to focus on what really counts, delivering warm and personal hospitality.

At the same time, the front desk team gains real-time visibility and control over room settings through the Guestway app. Instead of physically visiting rooms for minor issues, staff can now resolve them remotely, saving time and improving response speed.

By centralising communication, OTA bookings and guest interactions in one place, A-STAY streamlined daily operations and gained a clear, unified view of each stay. Manual tasks were reduced, workflows became more efficient, and the experience improved for both guests and staff.

Choosing the right platform as a foundation for integrating apps and building a unique tech stack was thereby crucial. A-STAY chose Apaleo for its intuitive interface and seamless connectivity, making it easy to connect apps and train staff without complexity:

„We chose Apaleo because it's easy to use. Even our students, who’ve worked at other hotels, find it simpler than other PMS, which have many steps. Our previous system was limiting, but now the process is straightforward, and Apaleo continuously improves. Its logical structure and intuitive design make it easy to train new staff and adapt to updates,“ Hanseul and Eugen mentioned.

Result: Boosting guest reviews by 0.4 points and enhancing operational efficiency

By integrating Apaleo as the foundation and incorporating Guestway as part of their tech stack, A-STAY successfully streamlined the entire guest journey into one seamless flow. As a result, A-STAY saw its guest review score rise from 8.1 to 8.5 on Booking.com, with guests particularly praising the smooth check-in process and the effortless access to their rooms.

This smart combination of digital tools and human connection not only enhanced the overall guest experience but also improved operational efficiency. Technology did not replace the human element; it amplified it, enabling the team to focus on meaningful interactions rather than routine administrative tasks. Operationally, A-STAY achieved a 50% reduction in labour costs, optimising staffing levels without sacrificing service quality.

Additionally, the team now resolves most temperature or lighting issues instantly and remotely, improving overall response times by up to 60% and eliminating many in-room visits.

With key processes automated and the management of multiple OTAs and disconnected systems simplified, A-STAY significantly reduced manual effort, resulting in a more consistent, high-quality guest experience, all powered by one app and an open platform.

Looking ahead

Having built a strong foundation rooted in human-centric hospitality, A-STAY continues to push the boundaries of what modern stays can look and feel like. Powered by Apaleo’s open platform, the hotel is well positioned to operate as a fully connected and future-ready brand. As they continue to refine the guest journey with Guestway, the focus remains on creating even more seamless stays where digital convenience enhances the personal connection guests truly value.

What’s next? Continued digitalisation, smarter automation and a guest experience that keeps getting better.