Snö Hotels increases its sales through the direct channel

Hotel management in mountain destinations: the challenges of seasonality.

When Ana Sánchez joined Snö Hotels as Revenue Manager more than five years ago, she found herself faced with an exciting challenge: helping to build a hotel chain specializing in snow and mountain destinations from the ground up with the right technology from day one.

“We had seen the problems that come with not having the right tools at other hotels: manual availability updates, lack of communication between systems, overbookings… We knew we needed a solid technological infrastructure from the start,” Ana explains.

Snö Hotels, founded in 2017, currently manages 15 properties with 970 rooms and 92 apartments spread across the most beautiful valleys of the Pyrenees and Galicia. Its properties include the Snö Mont Romies Hotel and Apartments in Salardú, the Snö Hotel Aragón Hills in Formigal, and the Hotel Pazo O Rial in Vilagarcía de Arousa. The chain specializes in mountain and snow tourism, with a marked seasonality that requires maximum operational agility, maintaining an average rate of €110 and an occupancy rate of 57% during the season.

Channel manager and PMS: the integrated solution for seasonal hotels.

When Snö Hotels designed its business model in 2017, they identified from the outset the unique challenges they would face as a chain specializing in mountain destinations. The extreme seasonality of snow tourism, where demand fluctuates dramatically depending on weather conditions, required an agile technological infrastructure from day one.

Their diverse portfolio, which would include everything from aparthotels to large mountain hotels and a Galician country house, required a system capable of managing this heterogeneity without adding operational complexity. “A good snowfall can skyrocket demand in a matter of hours,” Ana notes, explaining why agility was a key requirement in their initial technological planning.

The distribution strategy was also designed with a forward-looking vision. They knew they would need a presence on both traditional OTAs and specialized snow tourism channels, and that manually managing this diversity would be unsustainable for a growing chain. The decision to implement a channel manager integrated with their PMS from the start was no coincidence, but a strategic decision based on the founding team's prior experience.

“What led us to seek these solutions was primarily the need to automate processes so we could dedicate more time to strategy and less to repetitive administrative tasks,” says Ana, explaining the philosophy that guided the choice of the Suitech PMS (powered by Microsoft) and the SiteMinder channel manager (connected to more than 400 channels) since the chain's founding.

PMS and channel manager integration: automation from day one

From the outset, Snö Hotels focused on creating a fully integrated technological ecosystem, where the hotel management system and distribution platform functioned as a single solution. This strategic decision allowed them to avoid the typical problems of technological fragmentation that plague many hotel chains.

Real-time, two-way integration became the heart of their operation. “The moment any change occurs to a reservation, the information automatically flows to all sales channels. Everything happens in the background, without staff intervention,” Ana explains. This seamless synchronization encompasses inventory, rates, restrictions, and reservations, creating a truly unified workflow.

The power of this integration became evident during critical situations. Ana recalls an exceptional snowfall that completely transformed demand:

“We were able to adjust our rates in minutes and see them instantly reflected across more than 400 channels. As reservations came in, the system automatically managed availability in real time. We achieved full occupancy at premium rates without a single overbooking or manual intervention. It was a perfect weekend from an operational and revenue perspective.”

This integrated architecture not only connects systems, but also transforms the way you operate: from multi-company financial management to inventory control and revenue management strategy. Everything works as a single entity that responds agilely to business needs.

Results: 40% more room nights on the direct channel and 50% less dependence on OTAs

Snö Hotels' technological commitment since its founding has generated an extraordinary impact in all areas of the business.

Growth of the direct channel

The direct channel experienced spectacular growth: it went from 8.42% to 10.5% of total reservations in just one year, representing a 40% increase in room nights. “This growth in the direct channel not only improves our margins but also allows us to develop a closer relationship with our customers,” explains Ana. Currently, the direct channel represents nearly 30% of the chain's total reservations.

Distribution optimization

While the industry average remains 70-80% dependent on traditional OTAs, Snö Hotels has managed to reduce this to 50%. This diversification has also allowed them to increase their presence in specialized mountain tourism channels, attracting higher-value customers with longer stays and higher average spending.

Transformative operational efficiency

The chain manages its 15 properties and 2,500 beds with a significantly reduced team, has virtually eliminated overbooking problems, and has freed its staff from repetitive administrative tasks. "We've been able to manage our growth without having to proportionally increase our administrative staff," Ana emphasizes. "This allows us to invest in what really makes the difference: the guest experience and the training of our team in customer service."

Real-time availability management: practical cases.

The true test of any technology is in its practical application, and Snö Hotels has concrete examples that illustrate the power of its integrated ecosystem. One of the most significant achievements was solving the connection with Viajes Baqueira Beret, a strategic partner for its mountain hotels. “Previously, we had to manually update availability through their proprietary platform, which was time-consuming and generated a risk of errors. Now, all our beds are for sale in real time without any manual intervention,” Ana explains with satisfaction.

Seasonal opening management represents another perfect example of how technology adapts to the specifics of the snow business. Meteorological uncertainty is an inherent part of this sector, and agility is crucial.

“Sometimes we're not sure a station will open until the day before. Imagine what it used to mean to manually notify each channel, update rates, manage existing reservations… Now, in a matter of minutes, we can open or close sales on all our channels simultaneously. This immediate response capability has allowed us to capture last-minute demand that we previously missed and, at the same time, avoid compromising situations when conditions aren't right,” Ana explains.

Hotel revenue management: next steps in digital transformation.

Snö Hotels isn't content with its achievements and is already working on the next phase of its digital transformation. The chain is implementing automated quota and guarantee management, a crucial aspect for optimizing relations with tour operators during the peak season. At the same time, they are making progress in integrating direct rate increases from the management system, which will eliminate one of the last processes that still require some manual intervention.

“Every technological improvement we implement has a clear objective: to free up more time for human resources,” Ana reflects. “What I value most about this entire technological ecosystem is that it allows us to focus on what really matters: guest service. We have undergone a profound transformation, moving from reactive management, where we were constantly putting out fires and solving operational problems, to truly proactive management. We can now anticipate our guests' needs, personalize their experience, and dedicate our resources to creating memorable moments instead of managing administrative processes.”

This continuous evolution reflects Snö Hotels' philosophy: technology is not an end in itself, but rather the means that allows them to offer exceptional experiences in Spain's most spectacular mountain destinations.

Keys to success: integrated technology for mountain hotels.

The case of Snö Hotels demonstrates that the right combination of technology, implemented from the outset and with seamless integration, can completely transform hotel management. The vision of implementing a robust PMS integrated with a global channel manager from day one has allowed the chain not only to grow sustainably but also to maintain its focus on what truly matters: creating memorable experiences for its guests in Spain's most spectacular mountain destinations.

The numbers speak for themselves: 40% more room nights through the direct channel, 50% less dependence on OTAs, and the ability to manage 2,500 beds with a streamlined team. But beyond the numbers, the real success lies in having built an agile operation, prepared for the unique challenges of mountain tourism.

As always, with the support of our web and booking engine provider: Paraty Tech