The nights are drawing in which can only mean one thing; the festive season is almost upon us and hotels are heading into one of the busiest periods of the year.

By escaping the cooking, hosting, tidying and washing up at home, guests look to hotels as havens of relaxation, allowing them to escape the stresses that Christmas can bring. Of course, this expectation comes with many pressures for the hospitality industry, with professionals striving to provide the best possible service whilst creating a magical experience that guests will remember.

Here, we give our top tips on how to prepare your staff for this busy period, ease some of the pressure by streamlining your services and deliver a wonderful stay for your guests.

1. Speed up your check-in / check-out

With more guests than usual, and most arriving and departing at the same time, front desk operations need to be slick to keep guests happy over Christmas.  Arrival at your hotel should mean instant relaxation for your guests as they begin their Christmas break, and many will want to get to their rooms swiftly, giving them more time to soak up the festivities!

Zonal Hotel Solutions’ convenient online check-in / out uses smartphones to enable guests to register and pay, which is especially important during peak arrival and departure times. This, together with access to digital room keys, frees up more time for staff to spread the festive cheer and provide an excellent service.

Encouraging guests to make the most of these digital functions, will enhance their stay and reduce queues at your front desk. Additionally, you can use our PMS to keep on top of any specific Christmas requests such as gifts, food or drinks in rooms and any special guest requirements, to make ordering and payment processing as quick as possible.

2. Get your marketing in check

Build excitement and anticipation for guests with engaging and attractive emails in the run-up to their stay; a great opportunity to upsell table reservations, special drinks or gift packages for their Christmas or New Year’s trip.

Why not create some extra magic by theming your hotel’s festive offering? Glitz and glam, traditional Christmas, ski chalet chic or winter wonderland for example – and tie it in across marketing emails, collateral, menus and decorations for a targeted and coherent approach.

Use emails to follow up with guests’ post-stay, to gain valuable reviews, whilst offering deals and discounts for 2025 to encourage those all-important repeat bookings.

3. Seasonal staffing

Avoid staff burnout and manage your team’s workload by hiring additional seasonal staff for housekeeping, waiting, bar and front of house, to accommodate guests during the busiest periods.

Create a staff rota well in advance and manage expectations of the quality of work expected from your team throughout December. Remember your staff members may be stretched more than usual and missing out on family gatherings to work, so make them feel appreciated and ensure support is available – a personal thank you can go a long way!

Boost morale with staff perks and discounts, create a fun and friendly working environment and organise a team Christmas party for after the festive rush – a happy team will deliver the best possible customer service.

4. Festive feasting

Food is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated things about Christmas, so preparation is key when it comes to delivering the most special meals of the year.

Zonal Hotel Solutions’ PMS easily integrates with Zonal’s technology ecosystem helping front- and back-of-house operations save time and money to maximise profits.

Our kitchen management system helps staff to keep on top of their food inventory and our recipe management tool will ensure that reviews and customer feedback can be used to tweak dishes and make constant improvements to your F&B offering.

Our real-time restaurant availability and table reservations module will further boost F&B revenue, by allowing guests to instantly view and reserve tables, streamlining their experience to make their stay even easier and more relaxing. What’s more, it remembers guests’ dietary requirements and specialist needs for every meal throughout their stay, creating a personalised experience for every person.

5. Offer Gift Vouchers

The festive season is the perfect time to boost bookings and create memorable experiences at your hotel. By offering gift vouchers, it’s a smart way to attract new guest bookings while showcasing your hotel.

Don’t miss your opportunity to turn Christmas shoppers into future guests!

While Christmas packages are a brilliant way to fill rooms and boost profits, guests expect the very best when it comes to the most wonderful time of the year, putting pressure on your hotel’s staff and resources. But with creativity, teamwork and some excellent software, your hotel can deliver on its promises, create magical experiences and keep guests coming back to stay year-on-year.

As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the best-integrated technology solutions for hoteliers, High Level Software rebranded to Zonal Hotel Solutions on Monday, 14th October.

Launched at the Independent Hotel Show, customers can expect the exact same robust features and customer service they already rely on, but with more integrated functionalities, all under one cohesive brand.

Why the rebrand?

High Level joined the Zonal family in 2016 and since then the team has been working diligently to integrate our systems and enhance our offerings. The rebranding to Zonal Hotel Solutions reflects our unified vision and mission to provide innovative, comprehensive, and customer-centric technology solutions for the hotel industry.

What to expect from Zonal Hotel Solutions

With Zonal Hotel Solutions, customers will receive the same high-level service through its impressive cloud-based hotel property management system and will continue to feature its real-time booking engine, channel manager, and vital reporting and revenue management tools.

Please note that your PMS login URL remains unchanged.

Enhanced technology and innovation

The rebrand of High Level to Zonal Hotel Solutions allows customers to benefit from Zonal’s cutting-edge ecosystem of hospitality technology, keeping you ahead in the competitive hotel industry. By leveraging enhanced food and beverage operations and streamlining marketing solutions to boost direct bookings, customers will greatly benefit from Zonal’s integrated technology

Dedicated support and training

Our commitment to providing excellent customer support and training remains unchanged and we will continue to offer the same onboarding, ongoing support and comprehensive training programmes to ensure that our customers fully leverage Zonal’s connected technology and maximise its benefits for their businesses.

Transparent pricing and zero commission fees

We will continue to operate under the same pricing structure, ensuring there are no unpleasant surprises when the rebrand occurs. Our commitment to straightforward and fair pricing will stay consistent, providing you with peace of mind as we transition to Zonal Hotel Solutions.

Seamless transition

We understand that changes can be unnerving, but rest assured, this transition will be seamless. The only changes you’ll notice are the branding of our communications and billing. All your existing data and configurations will remain intact, and our support team is here to assist you every step of the way.

Looking ahead

The rebrand to Zonal Hotel Solutions is just the beginning of many exciting developments. We are dedicated to continuously improving our services and offerings to better serve your needs. Stay tuned for updates on new features, enhancements, and opportunities to maximise the benefits of our PMS.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. We look forward to this new chapter and are excited about the future possibilities it brings.

In an era where hospitality standards define visitor experiences, the importance of ensuring quality standards is paramount. As a result, the free Visitor Ready Digital Accreditation Scheme was born – an essential benchmark for excellence that aims to elevate hospitality standards to new heights.

The scheme empowers UK hospitality businesses to demonstrate their commitment to operating safely within current industry standards and legislation. What’s more, it’s more than just a compliance tool, it equips establishments with the knowledge to meet today’s expectations for safety and cleanliness.

Understanding the Visitor Ready Digital Accreditation Scheme

With consumers becoming more selective over where they choose to visit, demonstrating a commitment to safety, ethical practices, and cleanliness has become essential for businesses in the industry. In response, the Visitor Ready Digital Accreditation Scheme was launched. This initiative, introduced in February 2024, offers hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, and transportation services a free and pioneering opportunity to elevate the visitor experience within the hospitality sector.

The scheme stems from the modernisation and simplification of quality assessment frameworks previously utilised by the AA and VisitEngland. By making compliance accessible to all businesses in hospitality, it aims to ensure that establishments meet and exceed current industry standards. This strategic initiative not only boosts confidence among visitors but also supports businesses in maintaining high operational standards and fostering trust within their communities.

Purpose of the Scheme

• Safety and compliance. Ensures businesses operate safely within legal and industry standards.
• Visitor Expectations. Helps businesses understand and meet the evolving expectations of today’s selective visitors.
• Ethical Practices: Promotes ethical business practices, enhancing trust and reputation.
• Accessibility: Simplifies the accreditation process, making it accessible to all hospitality businesses.

Implementation and Accessibility

• Scope: The scheme is open to all businesses operating in the hospitality, leisure, and tourism sectors.
• Free Access. It’s a pioneering initiative that is free to participate in, ensuring broad accessibility across the hospitality industry.
• Quality Assurance. AA and VisitEngland’s baseline quality accreditation scheme is free and accessible to all.

Benefits for Hotels

• Enhanced Reputation. Demonstrates a commitment to high standards, boosting trust among guests.
• Operational Guidance. Provides clear guidelines on safety, cleanliness, and service excellence.
• Competitive Edge. Differentiates accredited businesses in a competitive market, attracting fastidious guests.
• Industry Alignment. Aligns with current industry trends and guest preferences, ensuring relevance and appeal.

Benefits for Guests

• Assured Standards: Guests can trust accredited establishments to meet stringent safety and cleanliness criteria.
• Confidence: Provides peace of mind through transparent compliance with industry standards.
• Consistency: Ensures consistent quality across various hotel services, enhancing overall guest satisfaction.

The Visitor Ready Digital Accreditation Scheme marks a significant step forward in ensuring excellence within the UK hospitality sector.

By embracing accreditation, hoteliers not only meet regulatory requirements but also cater to the expectations of today’s informed and more selective guests.

As the scheme continues to evolve and expand, it promises to set a new standard for hospitality excellence, fostering trust, satisfaction, and growth across the industry.