Hotel Van Zandt, a Sage property, replaces 3 tools with Akia to simplify operations
Hotel Van Zandt replaced a platform for SMS, email blasts, and manual check-ins with a single guest experience hub.
3 → 1
Replaced 3 disconnected tools
Hotel Van Zandt is a boutique hotel located in Austin’s lively Rainey Street District, blending upscale amenities with the city’s music-driven spirit. Part of the Sage Hospitality portfolio, the property features 319 guest rooms, a rooftop pool, and live music at its in-house venue, Geraldine’s. With its refined design and local character, Hotel Van Zandt offers a uniquely Austin experience for both leisure and business travelers.
Split platforms creates a broken guest journey
Before Akia, the hotel’s operations were spread across multiple platforms:
- A clunky SMS-only system for guest communication that was difficult to use.
- A separate tool for generic upsell email blasts
- Manual check-in processes that slowed down arrivals and led to inconsistent data capture
Staff couldn’t see the full guest journey. Guest engagement wasn’t tracked properly. Messages overlapped and guests were hit with uncoordinated offers—often leading them to ignore everything. Newer agents also struggled to upsell confidently in person.
“We used to fire off messages from 10 different platforms. That kind of overload can be a turnoff for guests.” —Chris Guse, GM at Hotel Van Zandt
One seamless system
Akia replaced all three systems—guest messaging, mobile check-in, and upsells—with one platform.
Now, everything happens in one place:
- Mobile check-in: Guests submit information ahead of time, reducing manual entry and speeding up arrivals.
- All messages tracked: Communication messaging is unified across SMS and web-based apps, so guests receive timely, relevant info without the spammy feel.
- Automated upsells: Early check-in, late checkout, and curated packages are offered through a visually-branded format and mobile flow —removing pressure from staff to sell in person. The revenue from upsells drove a positive ROI, and covered the cost of their Akia subscription.
“Akia helped our team avoid those awkward upsell conversations. Guests just select what they want in advance—it saves time and feels more natural for everyone.”
—Connor, Director of Rooms
- Guest data collection: Pre-arrival forms ask guests about trip purpose or preferences, helping personalize their stay and in some cases, spark creative experiences.
“Akia checks so many boxes. In the past, we would’ve needed three different vendors to do what we can now do in one place.”
—Chris Guse, GM
Bonus benefit: staff love it
When front desk agents can “see money” from incoming upsells and it flows directly into Opera for tracking and credit, engagement goes up.
—Connor, Director of Rooms
Results
- 3 platforms replaced by 1
- Faster check-ins with less front desk training required
- Clear, centralized guest messaging = fewer complaints about overcommunication
- Custom mini apps for experience packages (Texas Tinis, Wellness Kit, Movie Night) that was visually appealing.
See Akia in action!
Schedule a demo today and learn how our hospitality platform can transform your operations and elevate your guest experience.
3 → 1
Replaced 3 disconnected tools
What stood out about Akia was how many boxes it checked for us. In the past, we had to use multiple vendors just to cover upsells, mobile check-in, and guest communication—but Akia brought it all into one platform.
Chris Guse
General Manager at Hotel Van Zandt
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