How The Coastal Inn Increased Ancillary Revenue by 340%

The Challenge

The Coastal Inn, a 45-room boutique hotel on California's central coast, had a problem familiar to many independent properties: they knew their guests wanted local experiences, but the process of booking and managing them was a nightmare.

"We were handling everything manually," explains General Manager Maria Santos. "Phone calls, spreadsheets, paper confirmations. Staff spent hours every week coordinating with local tour operators, and we still had double-bookings and miscommunications."

The hotel was also missing out on significant revenue opportunities. Guests would ask about activities at the front desk, only to be handed a list of local businesses with phone numbers. Most never followed up.

The Solution

In early 2024, The Coastal Inn implemented ExperienceLocal to transform their experience program.

Implementation Timeline

The team was up and running faster than expected:

• Day 1: Account setup and property configuration
• Day 2-3: Added first 8 experiences to the platform
• Day 4: Widget embedded on website
• Day 5: Staff training completed
• Week 2: First guest bookings processed

Experiences Offered

The hotel curated a selection of local experiences:

1. Kayak Tours - Guided coastal exploration
2. Wine Country Day Trip - Partnership with local wineries
3. Sunset Sailing - Evening yacht excursions
4. Farm-to-Table Cooking Class - With a local chef
5. Beach Yoga Sessions - Morning wellness
6. Whale Watching - Seasonal adventure
7. Private Beach Bonfire - Exclusive add-on
8. Bike Rentals - Self-guided exploration

The Results

Within six months, the results exceeded all expectations.

Revenue Growth

The average booking value increased from $65 to $142, driven by:

• Easy add-ons and upgrades
• Group booking capabilities
• Pre-arrival email marketing
• Widget visibility on the website

Operational Efficiency

Staff time spent on experience coordination dropped by 85%. The front desk team could now focus on guest service rather than phone tag with vendors.

"Before, I'd spend 3-4 hours a day on experience bookings," says Front Desk Manager Jason Park. "Now it's maybe 20 minutes to review the dashboard. Everything else is automated."

Guest Satisfaction

Guest feedback improved dramatically:

• NPS score increased by 47 points
• Experience-related reviews up 215%
• "Would recommend" scores at 94%
• Repeat booking rate increased 28%

ExperienceLocal didn't just increase our revenue—it completely changed how guests perceive our hotel. We went from "nice place to stay" to "amazing destination experience."

Key Success Factors

1. Pre-Arrival Marketing

The hotel implemented a two-email sequence:

• 7 days before arrival: Introduction to available experiences
• 2 days before arrival: Personalized recommendations based on booking type

This pre-arrival flow drove 62% of all experience bookings.

2. Staff Buy-In

The team held a launch meeting to get everyone excited about the new system. Staff were incentivized to mention experiences during check-in, and the easy tablet interface meant anyone could help guests book.

3. Quality Curation

Rather than listing every activity in town, the hotel carefully selected partners who delivered consistently excellent experiences. Quality over quantity built guest trust.

4. Continuous Optimization

Monthly reviews of booking data helped identify trends:

• Sunset sailing was undersold—added more time slots
• Cooking classes were overbooked—increased capacity
• Wine tours peaked on Fridays—adjusted pricing

Looking Ahead

The Coastal Inn plans to expand their experience program in 2025:

• Adding 5 new seasonal experiences
• Launching a "signature experience" package
• Implementing dynamic pricing for peak periods
• Expanding to their sister property

Your Turn

The Coastal Inn's success story isn't unique—it's achievable for any property willing to invest in their experience program.

The key ingredients:

• A quality booking platform
• Curated local partnerships
• Staff engagement
• Guest communication strategy
• Continuous improvement

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