This Brazilian brand, located in Ponta Negra, had been lagging in the online reputation ranks as far back as 2019. After plummeting in occupancy, and losing most of its staff in 2020, the direction needed a change for the better. Technology was harnessed to improve guest experience, and staff was put at the top of the agenda, with incredible results.
Aquaria Natal Hotel
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Americas
How Aquaria Natal Hotel Climbed from #59 to #1 on Tripadvisor and increased ADR by 55%

Area of operation
Number of properties
Number of rooms
After a significant drop in occupancy and staffing challenges in 2020, Aquaria Natal Hotel leveraged technology to enhance its guest experience. This transformation led to a Tripadvisor ranking jump from #59 to #1, a 55% increase in ADR, and the rehiring of 32% of its staff.
Solutions implemented
Infrasys POS
Reviewpro Reputation
Iceportal Content
Shiji Platform
Daylight PMS
Meridian Experiences
Horizon Distribution
Astral Payments
Twilight Data + AI
Challenge
• In October 2019 the hotel was at #59 of116 hotels in Natal.
• In March 2020, the property’s occupancy plummeted from 95% to 15% in one week.
• In December 2020, the hotel was forced to lay off over 45% of its employees.

Solution
The response was deliberate: look after remaining staff and this would have a positive impact on guest satisfaction. “If you want to deliver great service to your guests, first you must deliver great conditions for your staff,” said Alves.

We recognized from the very beginning that our greatest advantage was our team and our service. We needed to invest in our team development.““
-Gefferson Alves, General Manager
1) Improved staff wellbeing as a key driver to success
Alves recognized the importance of transparency and clear expectations. “If you want things done well, you have to work closely with the team,” he said. “You have to put yourself in their shoes.” Some of the employee programs and benefits offered by the hotel include:

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2) Used the right technology to monitor and improve guest satisfaction
Aquaria Natal Hotel used the ReviewPro’s Hotel Reputation solution every day to:

3) Set KPIs and internal goals to ensure success
The brand used the ReviewPro solution to set KPIs and also established new internal procedures to support continuous improvement.

Results
•Today Aquaria Natal Hotel currently occupies the #1 position on TripAdvisor.
•ADR is now 55% higher than in 2019.
•The brand has managed to hire back 32% of the employees that were laid off.
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About
Aquaria Natal Hotel
The Aquaria Natal Hotel is located on the seafront of Ponta Negra Beach, Brazil. Serving as one of the newest hotels of the area, it was designed to provide guests with a beautiful view of the sea in front of the Hotel.
The hotel currently is ranked as #1 on Tripadvisor in Ponta Negra Beach.
About Shiji Group
Shiji is a global technology company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for the hospitality industry, ensuring seamless operations for hoteliers day and night.
Built on the Shiji Platform—the only truly global hotel technology platform—Shiji’s cloud-based portfolio includes Property Management System, Point-of-Sale, guest engagement, distribution, payments, and data intelligence solutions for over 91,000 hotels worldwide, including the largest chains.
With more than 5,000 employees across the world, Shiji is a trusted partner for the world’s leading hoteliers, delivering technology that works as continuously as the industry itself. That’s why the best hotels run on Shiji—day and night. While its primary focus is on hospitality, Shiji also serves select customers in food service, retail, and entertainment in certain regions.For more information, visit shijigroup.com