The three properties are part of a family-owned group over three distinctive destinations: Hedenlunda Slott in Sörmland, Badhotellet in Tranås, and Strandvillan in Ljunghusen. Each property offers a unique experience: Hedenlunda is a historic castle dating back centuries; Badhotellet is one of Sweden’s oldest spa hotels; and Strandvillan is an exclusive boutique hotel by the sea in southern Sweden.
The group recently went live with VisBook after being long-time users of HotSoft, and are already seeing the benefits of an all-in-one system, with a tighter integration with BookVisit as part of the Visit ecosystem.
Christopher Hamilton, CEO of the three properties, explains that both Hedenlunda and Badhotellet had been using HotSoft for more than 15 years. While the system worked, it was increasingly holding the hotels back.
“The problem is that it’s outdated” Christopher explains, “The interface feels old, it takes a long time to train new staff, and we had to maintain expensive server solutions at every site.”
Another challenge was integration. The group has long used BookVisit for direct sales, but pairing it with HotSoft created manual, time-consuming work. “As soon as we set up a new package in BookVisit” Christopher notes, “we had to set it up again in HotSoft, and there was a lot of manual work. It could take half an hour to manage one booking and that’s simply unsustainable.”
On top of this, he notes, the restaurants ran on separate systems, meaning sales data was scattered – “There was no real overview when sales were spread across different platforms.”
The group evaluated several PMS systems, but VisBook stood out immediately. The deciding factor was its ability to integrate seamlessly with BookVisit, while also providing one complete overview of hotel, restaurant, and conference operations.
“We looked at three different systems and included department heads in the process. From a management perspective, the overview VisBook gives us is unbeatable. I can click on my computer in real time and see everything from coffee sales to how many quotes are pending. That’s impossible in HotSoft”.
Switching and implementing new systems across three hotels is no small task, but Christopher highlights the onboarding experience as exceptional.
“Kristin, our onboarder, was outstanding. Structured, clear, patient – it couldn’t have been done better. We’re a small organization without an IT manager, so each hotel manager wears many hats. VisBook’s onboarding made it possible for us to handle such a big change smoothly”.
All three hotels transitioned within a year, starting with Hedenlunda, followed by Strandvillan, and most recently Badhotellet, with Christopher saying, “The process has been very smooth, and we felt seen as customers throughout”.
One of the most noticeable improvements has been the reduction in manual administration, particularly for reception and booking staff. Christopher notes that, “now a quote for a large group coming for a spa weekend can be done in seconds. Previously, it could take half a day. That frees up the reception to focus on guests instead of systems”.
The integration between VisBook and BookVisit also eliminated the need for manual double work. Bookings now flow seamlessly, saving both time and effort.
Another clear gain has been restaurant reservations. “The built-in restaurant booking has absolutely driven sales” Christopher explains, “Guests can easily book a table online, the restaurant manager can see availability in real time, and we can guide guests to early or late sittings to maximize covers. That’s a big improvement compared to before”.
Training new staff has become easier thanks to VisBook’s intuitive interface, and the benefits are clear. “It has simplified reception and booking work” Christopher says, and staff can now focus on the guests, rather than the system.
Ricki Galczewski, Hotel Manager at Hedenlunda Slott, agrees, noting the extent to which VisBook is easier to use for the seasonal staff in their restaurant, and highlights its speed and modernity compared to their previous system.
Talking of the switch to VisBook, Christopher is clear. “For owners and management, the difference in overview is incomparable. You get real-time insight into sales, quotes, and invoices across all hotels, something HotSoft simply couldn’t deliver. From a management perspective, it’s a no-brainer”.
For Christopher, however, the switch is also about partnership. “What surprised me most was the personal side of the onboarding. Even though VisBook has grown a lot, we still felt seen as customers, and that means a lot.”
