How CODA Williamsburg Reduced PMS Costs and Made Hotel Operations Easier With Stayntouch

The Challenge

As part of the hotel’s renovation and rebrand, CODA Williamsburg wanted to modernize its technology while finding opportunities to reduce operating expenses.

Its previous property management system offered extensive functionality but was more complicated than the hotel needed for its day-to-day operations. For a 64-room boutique property, the complexity created unnecessary challenges for employees who needed to complete routine tasks quickly and efficiently.

The hotel wanted a PMS that would be intuitive enough for front desk employees to navigate without extensive training, while still providing the functionality needed to manage operations.

Cost was also an important consideration.

“We were just looking for a different modern PMS that would save us some money,” Hinojosa explained.

As the team evaluated its options, Stayntouch stood out for its combination of affordability and ease of use.

“Stayntouch just seemed to be the right fit as far as price point and user-friendliness,” he said.

Hinojosa was particularly impressed by how naturally the platform could be navigated.

“I compare it to, if you can use an app on your phone, you can use this,” he said. “It’s very, very well designed for the user experience.”

For CODA Williamsburg, the goal wasn’t simply to replace one PMS with another. It was to give employees technology that made their jobs easier while reducing the hotel’s software costs.

The Solution: A Modern, Intuitive PMS That Works With the Hotel’s Existing Technology

After selecting Stayntouch, CODA Williamsburg began the transition to its new cloud-based PMS.

According to Hinojosa, the implementation process was smooth, with the Stayntouch team providing guidance and assistance throughout the transition.

“It was fairly smooth, the team was very supportive,” he said.

When questions arose or the hotel needed assistance preparing information for the migration, the Stayntouch team was available to help.

“They provided great support that made the transition easy. When there were questions that we had or things that we didn’t know, the support was there.”

The transition also involved connecting Stayntouch with several systems the hotel already relied on.

Rather than replacing its existing technology, CODA Williamsburg was able to integrate Stayntouch with its central reservations system, Toast point-of-sale platform for food and beverage and minibar transactions, and hotel key system. The property later connected its CRM as well.

For Hinojosa, those integrations have worked reliably with minimal troubleshooting.

“Oh, yeah, simple, smooth. I don’t have any complaints about the integrations,” he said.

With Stayntouch in place, CODA Williamsburg gained a PMS that combined a modern interface with the flexibility to work alongside its existing technology.

The Results: Lower Costs, Faster Training, and Smoother Daily Operations

Lower PMS costs without compromising usability

One of the initial reasons CODA Williamsburg began exploring a new PMS was to reduce its technology expenses.

With Stayntouch, the hotel achieved savings on its per-room PMS costs while gaining a more modern, intuitive platform for its employees.

For Hinojosa, that combination of affordability and usability made Stayntouch a strong fit for the property.

The hotel didn’t need a complicated system with unnecessary layers. It needed technology that could support its operations efficiently while making financial sense for the business.

By choosing Stayntouch, CODA Williamsburg was able to reduce its PMS software costs while improving the day-to-day experience for employees.

Faster onboarding for employees new to hospitality

One of the biggest benefits of Stayntouch has been how quickly new employees can learn the system.

During the hotel’s transformation, Hinojosa was hiring guest service agents who were just beginning their hospitality careers. Many had little or no previous hotel experience, making ease of training especially important.

With Stayntouch, employees were able to learn basic processes and become comfortable navigating the PMS much faster than they could have with a more complicated system.

“I think what I praise Stayntouch a lot about is the user-friendliness, which allows you to onboard and train new hires and get them operational in a shorter time frame,” Hinojosa explained.

He credits the platform’s visual design, intuitive navigation, and straightforward workflows with making the learning process easier.

“Even if you have candidates that don’t have hotel experience, the training modules are pretty good to get your feet wet,” he said. “And then with some training, the user-friendliness of the software makes grasping the processes easier.”

Hinojosa also noticed that as new employees became familiar with the system, they were able to work through unfamiliar tasks more independently. Instead of needing someone to walk them through every process, employees could increasingly rely on the interface to find what they needed.

For a busy boutique hotel, that means new employees can become productive sooner and managers can spend less time teaching the mechanics of the PMS.

Intuitive housekeeping workflows for a diverse team

The benefits of Stayntouch’s user-friendly design extend beyond the front desk.

CODA Williamsburg also uses Stayntouch to support housekeeping operations, where its straightforward interface has made it easier for employees to learn and follow daily processes.

Alberto notes that the platform’s visual design is particularly valuable for employees who may not speak English as their first language.

“Even if there was a language barrier, it’s still easy,” he explained. “It’s still functional enough and user-friendly that with a little bit of training, you can get people to use it and follow the process.”

The visual interface helps employees recognize room numbers, understand room statuses, and navigate routine tasks without relying entirely on written instructions.

For Alberto, the simplicity makes the system easier to learn and remember.

“It’s muscle memory. It’s repetition,” he said. “Even though it’s not your native language, it can still get you functional, and the colors and the interface help to make remembering easy.”

That accessibility helps CODA Williamsburg support employees with different levels of experience and language backgrounds while keeping housekeeping workflows consistent.

Flexible reporting and responsive customer support

Beyond its operational simplicity, Stayntouch also gives CODA Williamsburg the flexibility to access the information management needs.

Alberto particularly appreciates the ability to create customized reports when a standard report doesn’t contain the exact information he’s looking for.

“I like the fact that you can create reports of your own,” he said. “Even if Stayntouch does not have a standard report for this, you have flexibility of creating it with your own parameters, so that’s very helpful.”

When he needs assistance finding information or configuring a report, the Stayntouch support team is available to help.

Alberto describes the team as responsive and willing to guide him toward the right report or help find another way to access the information he needs.

Combined with the platform’s reliable integrations, that flexibility gives CODA Williamsburg a PMS that is straightforward for everyday users while still supporting the reporting requirements of hotel management.

The Advice: Choose a PMS That Works for the People Using It

For Alberto, the decision to switch PMS shouldn’t be based on cost savings alone.

While reducing software expenses was an important part of CODA Williamsburg’s decision, he believes hotels also need to carefully evaluate how technology will affect the employees responsible for running the property.

His advice to other general managers is to involve people who have firsthand experience working in hotel operations.

“Make sure that there’s other people that are evaluating the software that have actually worked operations,” he said.

He cautions against selecting a PMS based only on technical requirements or the potential to save money.

“Don’t be caught off guard just by savings,” Alberto advised. “You want to make sure that the PMS works for the actual people on the ground level that are using it.”

For CODA Williamsburg, Stayntouch delivered both: lower PMS costs and a more intuitive platform that employees could learn quickly, use confidently, and rely on throughout their day.

As the property continues to build on its transformation, Stayntouch helps the hotel keep its technology straightforward, its systems connected, and its team focused on delivering a great guest experience.