How system integration transforms four key guest touchpoints into revenue opportunities.

Luxury has always meant personalization—the remembered name, the ready key, the morning paper at your hotel room door. Thoughtful, not transactional. But those moments don’t happen by magic. They happen when the right tools work quietly, behind the scenes—together.

Yet many luxury hotels are still grappling with disconnected systems that slow down teams limiting personalization and ancillary revenue opportunities.

A survey of 150 U.S.-based hotel revenue decision-makers found that 38% point to system integration as their top tech challenge, and 37% say those hurdles limit their ability to personalize upsell offers—ultimately restricting ancillary revenue growth. (Plusgrade’s 2025 U.S. Hotel Ancillary Revenue & Drivers Report)

This isn’t a lack-of-care problem. It’s a lack-of-connection problem. When tech is integrated thoughtfully, it doesn’t get in the way of luxury. It amplifies it by helping teams respond faster, tailor offers in real time, and make every guest moment feel intentional.

Here are four elements of the guest journey where connected systems make all the difference.

1. Before arrival: When luxury isn’t a fixed price

The best luxury experiences feel tailored—even in how they’re priced.
That’s what makes bidding compelling in this segment. It’s not about discounts. It’s about optionality. Bidding gives guests a say in what their experience is worth and when integrated well, it enhances perceived value and control.

But bidding only works when synced with availability and rate rules in real time. If a guest wins a suite upgrade but the room isn’t available, the experience falls apart.

The hotels getting it right have bidding logic fully integrated with inventory and pricing systems. Guests get clarity. Teams avoid manual overrides. Revenue leaders gain a flexible lever that aligns with demand.
Brands adopting bidding are giving guests more choice, without sacrificing control or availability.

2. Check-in: When personalization gets put to the test

The guest arrives—jet-lagged, excited, or both. The front desk has one shot to set the tone.
Too often, this is where personalization efforts falter. Staff are toggling between systems, trying to confirm availability, preferences, and upgrade options while the guest waits.

This is a high-conversion moment. In a recent study from Plusgrade, 48% of hoteliers said arrival is their preferred time to present offers. But if systems aren’t integrated, offers are delayed, irrelevant, or never made (Plusgrade’s 2025 U.S. Hotel Ancillary Revenue & Drivers Report).

Integration fixes this. When front desk tools connect with the PMS, rate rules, and inventory, relevant offers surface instantly without creating bottlenecks. A suite upgrade. A late checkout. A breakfast package. And because staff can see past behaviors—like offers a guest bid on and didn’t win—they can personalize recommendations on the spot.

No delays. No missed chances. Just a seamless experience that feels custom-built. Hotels with connected systems are turning check-in into a high-conversion moment—without slowing teams down or missing guest cues.

3. In-stay moments: The overlooked opportunity

Most upsell strategies stop at check-in. But guests make decisions throughout their stay—and those mid-stay moments are often missed.

A couple walking by the pool decides to splurge on a cabana. A solo traveler finishes a business meeting and wants a turndown upgrade and a snack. These are real-time decisions. But disconnected systems often can’t respond fast enough.

When upsell tools connect with guest messaging and on-property systems, they enable in-the-moment personalization. No delays. No misfires. Just timely, intuitive offers.

According to Plusgrade’s research, the top three drivers for adopting ancillary technology are personalization, guest engagement, and revenue lift. With in-stay upsell tools connected to messaging and operational systems, hotels can respond in real time—without added lift for staff (Plusgrade’s 2025 U.S. Hotel Ancillary Revenue & Drivers Report).

4. Mid-stay: When relevance drives response

Guests don’t want to be sold to. But they do want something relevant—at the right time, in the right channel.

That’s where many strategies fall short. Generic emails go unopened. Poor timing means missed chances. But when mobile, messaging, and in-stay tools are connected, the offer becomes part of the experience—not a pop-up.

Think: a spa offer when an appointment frees up. A cabana reservation offer at breakfast. A late checkout prompt via hotel app the night before departure.

This is personalization through presence. And when systems talk to each other, it doesn’t require staff to chase every opportunity manually.

Hotels embedding upsells into mobile and on-property experiences using in-stay upsell tools are seeing better engagement because the offers feel like service, not sales.

The takeaway: Integration isn’t a tech upgrade. It’s a strategy shift

Nearly all hoteliers—95%, in Plusgrade’s 2025 study—now rank ancillary revenue as a top strategic priority. But strategy only works when the systems behind it are connected (Plusgrade’s 2025 U.S. Hotel Ancillary Revenue & Drivers Report).

The guest journey doesn’t live in silos. And neither should your tech.

When personalization is powered by integration, luxury hotels can elevate both experience and revenue.

Visit plusgrade.com to see how leading hotels are using integration to elevate luxury—without adding work for their teams.

Paul Rantilla, Senior Vice President, CRO - Hospitality Ancillaries at Plusgrade, is a seasoned executive with an extensive three-decade track record in the hospitality sector. His mastery of hospitality management, market expansion, sales strategies, and marketing leadership has evolved over the years. Before joining Plusgrade, Paul held the pivotal role of Chief Commercial Officer at Birchstreet Systems, where he oversaw sales, marketing, and global hospitality brand relationships. He also served as Executive Vice President of Global Sales at Amadeus Hospitality. Paul's strategic vision significantly shapes the future of ancillary revenue solutions in the global hospitality sector. Beyond his professional endeavors, he enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, two dogs, and bunny.

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