Mews is at the heart of Villa Mara’s luxury hospitality

About Villa Mara Carmel

Villa Mara is a luxury boutique hotel nestled in the serene surroundings of Carmel-by-the-Sea, offering an exclusive adults-only retreat. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, it has 16 residentially inspired rooms with plans for expansion. Guests can unwind in spacious front and back yards complete with firepits or enjoy a bar that serves breakfast from a local patisserie and curated evening drinks. The staff take pride in sharing insider tips about local gems to ensure unforgettable moments both on and off the property.

As a luxury brand, Villa Mara sought to enhance operational efficiency and integrate automation while preserving the priceless value of face-to-face guest interactions.

Simple onboarding and a dedicated customer support

Challenge

Switching to a new PMS system can be time-consuming and disruptive, with rushed implementations often failing to address property needs. 

Solution

From the very first call with Mews, there was a strong sense of trust and understanding. Villa Mara Carmel benefited from a structured onboarding process that included weekly consultation calls and comprehensive support during the go-live phase. A dedicated onboarding specialist worked closely with the hotel to map out their needs, providing guidance on details like rate setup. After the launch, the team received five days of hypercare, ensuring any challenges were swiftly addressed. This was followed by ongoing support for continuous improvement, as Mews understood the importance of clear communication once the system went live. As a result, even after the hypercare period ended, the hotel team raised very few support tickets.

Result

• Fully onboarded in just five weeks
• Minimal disruption during transition
• High satisfaction with tailored support 

A direct connection with Booking.com and Expedia

Challenge

Villa Mara Carmel was hindered by reliance on a third-party channel manager through their previous PMS provider. This resulted in delays, higher costs and potential overbookings.

Solution

Mews provides a direct connection with Booking.com and Expedia, eliminating the need for a third-party channel manager. The seamless integration ensures that reservations and inventory updates are sent back to OTAs in seconds, compared to the minutes it would take with a channel manager – a crucial difference when multiplied over time. Significantly reducing the risk of overbooking and maximizing room availability is especially important in a competitive market like San Diego. Additionally, it has resulted in huge cost savings since the hotel no longer needs to pay for a channel manager to distribute to these platforms.

Result

• Near-instant inventory updates prevent overbooking
• Improved efficiency in managing a high-demand market 

Helping staff embrace the change 

Challenge

The Villa Mara Carmel staff initially feared that adapting to the new system would require excessive time and effort.

Solution

With guidance from Mews, the team quickly identified their desired outcomes and worked together on a configuration framework. This adaptive approach helped minimize risks and address concerns proactively. Once the team saw firsthand how manageable the challenges were, even the most vocal critics became champions for change. As they began to see data come in, they realized how simple it was to make adjustments. Previously, they had to shut down the PMS to change configurations and wait until the next day to see the results. Now, the staff feels more empowered, confident and self-sufficient in using Mews to manage their tasks.

Result

• Ability to implement changes instantly
• Higher team confidence in handling daily operations 

Mews University makes training easy and enjoyable 

Challenge

Staff training on new systems is often tedious, with traditional manuals and sessions leaving employees disengaged and underprepared. 

Solution

Implementing a new PMS is one thing, but learning it is another. Rather than relying on lengthy manuals that keep staff glued to their computers, Mews University offers a dynamic training platform with self-paced modules and live sessions. Villa Mara Carmel integrated this training early in the onboarding process, ensuring their team felt confident and prepared before the system went live. New hires are also required to complete the training, maintaining consistency across the team. Even after implementation, staff continue to use the platform for ongoing learning and development.  

Result

• Deeper understanding of the system leads to more engaged employees
• Streamlined training for new hires 

Integration spotlight

Villa Mara Carmel wanted to integrate with third-party solutions at no extra cost. Their previous provider imposed high connection fees and offered a limited selection of partners. With Mews, they now have access to over 1,000 of the best solutions in the hospitality industry.

SynXis

SynXis is a leading inventory and reservations management solution that allows Villa Mara Carmel to easily set up and manage their tailored distribution strategy. The two-way integration with Mews means that reservations, rate updates and room inventory are always up to date with no need for manual imports between the two platforms.

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Canary Technologies

Canary Technologies helps Villa Mara Carmel streamline guest-facing operations by digitizing everything from post-booking to checkout. The platform supports the hotel in creating digital keys and verifying guest documents, eliminating paper-based processes. This not only boosts staff efficiency but also enhances the overall guest experience. 

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