Transforming Hospitality with Technology: Insights from a Tech CEO
Hospitality is an industry that thrives on human connection, but it has often been held back by outdated technology. In a recent interview on Hotel Tech Insider, Matt Welle, CEO of Mews, shared his journey from being a hotelier to leading a revolutionary property management system (PMS) company. His insights provide a roadmap for how technology can empower hoteliers to deliver better guest experiences and drive operational efficiency.
Surviving Legacy Systems
Matt’s story begins like so many in hospitality: with acute frustration at the limitations of legacy hotel tech. “I’ve deeply felt the pain of bad technology,” he recalls. As a hotelier managing properties for a major brand, Welle faced systems that were clunky and inefficient, a far cry from the seamless experiences guests expected.
His epiphany came during conversations with Richard Valtr, Mews’ founder, who was managing a hotel project in the Czech Republic. Richard’s vision for a hotel without a reception desk sparked a challenge: could a hotel be run entirely on a tablet? The answer, they believed, was yes, but getting there required rethinking a PMS from the ground up.
“Hotels were running on systems designed for data entry, not guest experiences,” Matt explains. Processes like manual check-ins were ripe for disruption, and Mews set out to digitize and streamline these workflows.
Building a Modern PMS
Creating a PMS that serves diverse hotel functions – from housekeeping to revenue management – proved to be an immense task. “The first three years were the hardest,” Matt admits. However, persistence paid off. Mews gained traction in markets like the Netherlands and unlocked transformative features.
One big breakthrough was tokenized payments. By enabling hotels to automate payments securely, Mews replicated the convenience of platforms like Uber, where payments happen seamlessly in the background, making payments “completely automatic.” The complexity of hotel workflows, including virtual cards, deposits, and varied rate plans, meant this innovation became a significant growth driver for Mews.
The Power of Open APIs
Another game-changing decision was publishing Mews’ APIs online. Historically, PMS providers restricted access to guest and reservation data, stifling innovation. “We realized the whole industry was waiting for a PMS with an open API, and then suddenly all these startups started building around Mews,” says Matt. By enabling third-party integrations, Mews unlocked a vibrant ecosystem of tools, from upselling platforms to advanced revenue management solutions. Today, Mews boasts over 1,100 integrations, highlighting the value of openness in driving hotel performance.
Build vs Partner
When it comes to expanding its product capabilities, Mews carefully evaluates whether to build solutions in-house or collaborate with partners. For instance, payment processing is deeply integrated into Mews through partnerships with providers like Stripe and Adyen. However, other functionalities, such as channel management, are handled by third-party providers. “We always ask ourselves: can we innovate in this space? If not, we partner with the best.”
Acquisitions have proven to be an effective way to introduce new products into the Mews ecosystem. Their first product acquisition was Bizzon, which is now the fully embedded Mews POS. Last year, Mews announced the acquisition of Quotelo, an events management tool, and Atomize, a revenue management leader.
Breaking Down Barriers to Adoption
Despite the benefits of modern technology, many hoteliers remain hesitant to adopt new systems. Matt compares switching PMS to “open-heart surgery,” recalling how painful these migrations were in the past. But there’s good news: “We’ve completely reimagined that journey,” minimizing disruption and providing onboarding options from remote self-serve to a fully assisted onsite deployment.
The pandemic also accelerated technological adoption by changing guest expectations. Automated kiosks, once viewed with skepticism, are now recognized as valuable tools for upselling and efficiency. Matt draws a parallel with McDonald’s kiosks, where guests often spend more because they aren’t influenced by social pressures. “The same happens with Mews Kiosks,” he says, praising their ability to consistently deliver high-quality, visual upsell experiences.
Turning Data into Action
How do you turn guest data into personalized experiences? Despite having a wealth of information, hoteliers often struggle to use it meaningfully. Mews addresses this by integrating AI technologies to make data actionable and impactful.
For instance, Mews uses AI tools to analyze historical guest information, including past stays, purchase behaviors and preferences like dietary restrictions or past complaints. These insights are then summarized into "smart tips", concise and actionable pieces of information for hotel staff. Imagine receiving a prompt like: “Matt’s allergic to peanuts, requested an upgrade, and was disappointed last time.” This allows staff to proactively improve the guest experience.
In the near future, Mews plans to go further. For example, a system could automatically create a task for housekeeping to remove allergenic items from a room or tailor a guest’s arrival experience based on their preferences. This evolution hinges on hoteliers collecting richer, more relevant data. Shifting from asking for IDs and credit cards to open-ended questions like, “What could we do to make your stay remarkable?” could unveil deeper insights into guest expectations.
Asking the right questions and capturing qualitative insights transforms guest profiles into dynamic, personalized resources. For example, learning that a guest is a Formula 1 fan could inspire small but meaningful gestures, like incorporating themed decor or amenities into their stay. These thoughtful touches not only create memorable experiences but also foster guest loyalty.
Rethinking Room Keys
The transition from physical keys to digital solutions is picking up pace. Mews Digital Key integrates seamlessly into online check-in workflows, eliminating the need for kiosks or reception interactions to distribute physical keys. Guests receive a push notification with room details and a digital key that can be downloaded instantly.
Apple Wallet’s offline capabilities mean guests can access their rooms even if their phone battery dies, addressing a key concern with digital keys. The best properties provide both efficiency and choice for guests, allowing them to choose between a fully digital experience or a more traditional interaction.
Maximizing Revenue
Hotels often overlook the revenue potential of underutilized spaces. Lobbies can be reimagined as coworking hubs or community spaces. Meeting rooms can serve multiple purposes, transforming from daytime conference venues to evening event spaces. Even poolside service can be optimized with simple innovations like QR codes on deck chairs for seamless ordering.
The goal is to maximize revenue per square meter while enhancing guest convenience. This is best done through integrated workflows that enable automation, such as messaging guests about available coworking spaces or other tailored offers during their stay.
Mews is designed to capture and connect all guest spending, providing a comprehensive view of total guest revenue. By linking credit card tokens across profiles, hoteliers gain insights into ancillary revenue streams from dining, spa services, or other activities, even if guests don’t charge expenses to their rooms. This holistic perspective helps hoteliers identify and target high-value guests more effectively.
Cybersecurity
In an era of increasing cyber threats, data security is paramount. “I've had conversations with CEOs in all categories of hospitality and everyone's experiencing it,” Matt says. “We talk about it quite openly now because I think it is important that we educate that you should always check the URL and bookmark your website login pages.”
Phishing attempts are not a system breach, but a manipulation of people – in hospitality’s case, hotel staff and guests. Educating staff on best practices to protect your hotel from phishing is essential to safeguarding sensitive data.
Embracing Hybrid Travel Trends
As hybrid travel gains popularity, guest needs are becoming more dynamic. A guest might require coworking facilities during weekdays but leisure-focused amenities over the weekend. AI-powered systems can segment these preferences, delivering personalized experiences that evolve throughout a single stay. By automating workflows and leveraging integration partners, hotels can seamlessly cater to hybrid travelers without additional strain on staff.
Proactivity is another key differentiator in the guest experience. AI enables hoteliers to anticipate needs rather than simply react to them. For example, AI tools can analyze flight data and local traffic patterns to predict when guests are likely to arrive. Staff can then adjust check-in workflows to ensure a seamless arrival. Similarly, monitoring weather patterns might allow hotels to proactively offer umbrellas or adjust outdoor event setups.
Looking Ahead
The future of hospitality lies in leveraging technology to enhance personalization, optimize operations and reimagine guest experiences. “I wish that brands wouldn't just copy each other. I could not tell you what the difference is between some of these brands. But there's technology now that allows them to completely rethink what that experience should be.”
Mews is at the forefront of this transformation, empowering hoteliers to harness data, integrate innovative solutions, and ultimately redefine the boundaries of hospitality.
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About Mews
Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering over 5,500 customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include BWH Hotels, Strawberry, The Social Hub and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024, 2025) and listed among the Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025) by Hotel Tech Report. Mews has raised $335 million from investors including Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Notion to transform hospitality.
