HOSPITALITY TECHNOLOGY - PMS Peer Review

May 19, 2010

Lisa Terry, Contributing Editor

Who better to explain what makes a property management system (PMS) a good fit than those who are using it every day? In the third annual installment of this informal peer review, hotel executives highlight why their property management system was the right choice for their needs, and what it has done for their enterprise.

Shanty Creek Resorts
Core Needs: Integrated suite across locations
Locations: 4,500-acre Michigan site with three villages
Vendor: Northwind (www.maestropms.com)
Product: Maestro

As a multi-property resort with more than 500 hotel rooms, suites and condo units, four championship golf courses, two ski mountains, five dining outlets, a spa and executive conference center, Shanty Creek Resorts (www.shantycreek.com) is admittedly a challenging setting for any PMS. "We were trying to find something that could tie everything together, where we could push a button and have everything on one screen," producing a complete itinerary for each guest, says Leslie Chinn, director of revenue management for Shanty Creek.

Ease-of-use and security were also priorities for the 4,500-acre property, which chose Northwind's Maestro, implementing it right in the middle of golf season. Now, "we can go in and get an overall picture much faster," says Chinn, and the additional data has helped the property analyze usage and drive revenue, as well as improve marketing. Chinn also likes the ability to easily move reservations around in the system.

Guests can now research options and book rooms, packages, activities and amenities across three hotels online. "More guests are shopping and booking online and our Maestro-integrated solution has helped us increase direct hotel website bookings by five percent and our ADR is up ten dollars thanks to Maestro's easy-to-use booking technology," Chinn says.