The story behind why we’re building Guestara and how we’re planning to empower hospitality every day with our products.

‍If you’ve ever felt like hotels and short-term rentals are stuck in the past, you’re not alone. I came across a tweet recently from Mark Pincus, the founder of Zynga, that struck a nerve:

Why are hotels so f**ing dumb? They leave a TV on in your room when zero people want that. The nicer the hotel, the longer they take to check you in. It literally seems like they didn’t know you were coming, typing on a PC for 5 minutes. What are they doing?

This tweet racked up 2.8 million views for a reason: it perfectly captures the frustration that so many travelers feel. It’s not just about the check-in process or the oddly persistent TV—it’s about an industry that’s failing to keep up with the expectations of today’s guests.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a guest problem. It’s a hospitality operator problem, too. So, why is the guest management still broken, even in the most advanced hotels and rentals?

The messy world of Guest Management

‍Managing the guest experience sounds simple: provide great service and meet expectations. But in practice, it’s anything but straightforward.

After speaking with operators and analyzing the market, I noticed recurring challenges that hold the industry back—problems rooted in complexity, fragmentation, and inefficiency.

• Fragmented Tools, Disconnected Processes: Hotels use over 15 different systems to manage operations, but these tools rarely integrate, forcing staff to manually connect the dots and causing delays and inefficiencies.
• Rising Guest Expectations: Modern travelers expect seamless, personalized experiences, but most operators lack the tools and data to go beyond generic, transactional interactions.
• Overwhelming Operational Complexity: Scaling properties or managing multiple units often leads to clunky workflows, manual processes, and overworked service teams struggling to keep up.
• Reactive Approach to Guest Management: Operators are stuck fixing issues after they arise, missing opportunities to proactively engage guests and drive additional revenue.
• Siloed Data and Lack of Insights: Despite having access to guest and operational data, most operators can’t leverage it effectively, leaving valuable insights untapped.

These issues aren’t just frustrating—they’re costly. They hurt the guest experience, overwhelm staff, and limit revenue potential.

Introducing Guestara

We are on a mission to enable and empower hospitality operators.

We want Guestara to bridge the gaps between guests, hospitality teams, and the fragmented tools they rely on. Our mission is to simplify guest management, streamline operations, and empower properties to create exceptional experiences. Here’s how we’re planning to do it.

• Unified Platform for Guest Management: Guests can communicate, request services, and get answers easily. No more back-and-forth between apps and front desks.
• Invisible Tools for Operators: Complex workflows? We automate and integrate behind the scenes to make your life easier without adding extra steps.
• Connected Data for Better Insights: No more silos. We unify data to create actionable insights, helping them make smarter decisions and drive more revenue.
• AI at the Core: Use AI to anticipate guest needs, personalize experiences, and automate routine tasks—leaving team more time to focus on what matters.
• Open APIs for Flexibility: Already using great tools? No problem. Guestara integrates seamlessly with existing systems.

Why Now?

The hospitality industry is at a crossroads. We’ve seen the rise of Cloud PMS and a huge shift toward smarter, cloud-based tech. The travel boom post-pandemic has created massive demand, but operators are struggling to keep up with staffing shortages and rising guest expectations. Big players are evolving, and the next decade will be about the B2B rearchitecture of the space. The focus will shift towards smarter, more integrated, and guest-centric technologies that streamline operations, enhance service, and drive long-term growth.

Where are we today, and what’s next?

This is just the beginning. We’ve been heads down building and testing with early users, gathering feedback to make sure we’re solving the real problems. As we scale, we’ll integrate with more systems and expand our reach.If you’re an operator looking for a simpler way to deliver better service, let’s talk. We’re here to make your job easier, and your guests happier.