How Belmond increased guest satisfaction and conversion

Challenge: Tedious manual reconciliation and a need for efficiency

Prior to integrating with Adyen, Belmond's hotel staff processed payments manually, which proved inefficient and disrupted the luxury experience promised to guests. This traditional approach caused delays and required guests to spend additional time at Reception during check-in and checkout, failing to meet the fast-paced demands of the hospitality industry.

"In the past, we spent a lot of time behind computers, behind paperwork, and emails. But for luxury hospitality, you must have time for guests," says Santi Roggio, Head Concierge at Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel.

Solution: Mobile check-in process and wireless terminals

Integrating with Adyen and PMS partner Infor, meant that Belmond could leverage a mobile check-in process and mobile terminals for payments. Guests can now enjoy the convenience of checking-in or out from anywhere within the premises, without needing to fumble for wallets.

Upon arrival, guests are presented with a mobile tablet. They can sign digitally with their finger and complete the transaction on an Adyen wireless terminal. 

For the most convenient checkout experience, guests can call or message from their room to inform Reception that they’re ready to depart. All Belmond associates have to do is authorize the charges to the credit card, and the guest can continue with their journey.

Belmond refers to this as slow luxury, which creates meaningful time for guests to connect more with their surroundings.

Result: Increased guest and staff satisfaction

By combining operational efficiency with Adyen’s innovative technology, Belmond has elevated its service levels to new heights. With the time saved on manual reconciliation, they are able to deliver an unexpected service that exceeds the guests’ expectations.

This commitment to world-class hospitality and service has resulted in significant outcomes, such as a 4.2% increase in Belmond’s Net Promoter Score (NPS), reaching its highest value ever.

Challenge: protect sensitive card data and reduce risk

Managing a diverse portfolio of hotels, safari camps, trains, and river cruises, Belmond faced legacy data management challenges, including securing sensitive credit card information in its systems. This posed security risks and regulatory compliance challenges, prompting the need for advanced solutions

In addition to this, hotels must prioritize staying updated and innovative in data security, particularly with the release of PCI DSS v4.0. This updated standard introduces new requirements for mobile technology, contactless payments, and cloud security to address evolving hospitality industry needs.

Solution: enhance security and payments with proxy tokenization

Belmond introduced Proxy tokenization—a method involving a random string of characters that are used to replace sensitive credit card data. It provides significant benefits for Belmond by making it less appealing for attackers. By ensuring their stored data holds no value, they enhance security, adhere to regulation and keep up with innovation.

Result: invisible payments for a discreet and seamless experience

Proxy tokenization has helped Belmond hotels secure their payments by reducing the risk of data breaches.  

Partnering with Adyen has unlocked new possibilities for Belmond, especially in enhancing their online booking experience.

As of early Q1 2024, Adyen has been successfully deployed in over 80% of Belmond’s product portfolio and operates in 100% of Belmond's eligible global hotel portfolio. Adyen went live with Belmond in the last two locations: Brazil's Copacabana Palace and Hotel das Cataratas. They also launched Maroma on the Riviera Maya, Mexico.