Innovation

🏨 Topmast Motel in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, offers a serene stay with clean rooms and scenic views. This family-run property is conveniently located near shops, cafes, a waterfront, and a golf course. To enhance operations, Topmast Motel has implemented the WebRezPro Property Management System.

📚 Richard Valtr, founder of Mews, criticized AI products in the hotel industry during the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin last month. Valtr expressed disappointment at the lack of imagination among entrepreneurs and hotel groups, who he believes are reacting to AI rather than considering its implications. Mews, a cloud-based property management system, serves over 15,000 hotels in 85 countries. Valtr emphasized the importance of understanding consumer engagement with hotel brands rather than merely implementing AI features.

📈 As of April 15, 2026, Mews launched Mews Business Intelligence (Mews BI), a native data analysis tool for hotel management. 1,000 early customers have already adopted it. Mews BI offers customizable dashboards, automated report delivery, and integrates with external data sources like Google Ads, enhancing decision-making for hotels. Designed to streamline operations, it provides insights on revenue, occupancy, and bookings. Hostels will gain access to Mews BI in the latter half of 2026.

💵 RMS, on May 5, 2025, in London, announced integration with GoCardless to help hospitality operators handle rising payment costs and margin pressures. Card processing fees typically range from 1.5% to 3%, often higher for online or manual transactions. The integration enables direct bank payments, including direct debit and real-time payments, aiming to reduce costs and improve payment reliability for deposits, installments, and longer stays. RMS CEO, Adam Seskis, emphasizes strategic payment methods for cost control.

📈 Storey Hotel Management Group expands its partnership with Stayntouch, utilizing their cloud-based PMS to support six properties with over 500 rooms, including The Fairlane Hotel and The Walton Residence. The platform enhances scalability, accelerates onboarding, and integrates with evolving technologies. Jonathan Holcomb, VP at Storey, emphasizes the strategic growth and maintaining hotel individuality, while Priya Rajamani, SVP at Stayntouch, highlights the focus on efficient scaling and resource support for optimal performance.

🚀 The company plans to accelerate its expansion into healthcare and shift work sectors while maintaining its focus on the jet lag market. No specific dates or locations were given for the expansion. The raise should facilitate this growth, although exact figures for the raise were not disclosed. The company's commitment to these verticals suggests a strategic diversification to increase its market presence.

💻 Apr 16, 2026 – AI is revolutionizing the travel industry by enhancing the human-centered experience rather than diminishing it. Hotels should focus on guests' emotions and intents instead of merely selling rooms. AI supports this shift, facilitating real-time guest interaction and service improvement. Additionally, AI's role in planning and transparency pressures hotels to redefine their offerings beyond price, emphasizing experiences and amenities. Leveraging proprietary data becomes crucial for maintaining competitive advantages in AI-driven environments.

📈 Apr 16, 2026: Mews launches Mews Business Intelligence (BI) to integrate AI-powered analytics into its hospitality system. The platform offers live operational data access, customizable dashboards, AI insights, and automated reporting. Hotels using Mews BI, like Adara Hotel, report increased occupancy and revenue. This solution is globally accessible, enhancing data-driven decisions for hoteliers by merging internal and external data sources in real-time.