RealTime Grabs STAY as Hotels Push Ancillary Revenue Into Apps

RealTime Reservation acquired STAY to expand its hotel technology platform.

The companies did not disclose the deal value. Wavecrest Growth Partners supported the transaction with investment backing.

RealTime Reservation helps hotels sell and manage services beyond the room, such as cabanas, parking, spa bookings, day passes, food and beverage, and activities. STAY adds a branded guest app that lets travelers book services, order room service, make requests, and find hotel information from their phones.

The combined company says it will serve more than 2,000 properties in over 75 countries. Its goal is to help hotels manage more of the guest journey in one place, from pre-arrival planning to on-property services.

Hotels want more spending during the stay

Hotels are looking for ways to earn more from guests without depending only on room rates. This is why ancillary revenue has become more important. It includes money from services such as dining, wellness, parking, upgrades, local experiences, and resort amenities.

These services can be valuable because many guests are already willing to spend during a trip. The challenge is making those options easy to find and book. If guests need to call the front desk or search across different channels, hotels may lose revenue opportunities.

A connected digital platform can make the process simpler. Guests can book services faster, while hotel teams can manage availability, requests, and payments more clearly.

STAY strengthens the mobile experience

STAY gives RealTime Reservation a stronger guest-facing product. Its app lets hotels offer restaurant reservations, room service, spa appointments, tours, requests, and hotel information through a branded mobile channel.

This fits how travelers already use digital services. Many guests expect to manage simple tasks from their phone instead of waiting in line or calling the reception desk. For hotels, this can reduce manual work and help staff respond to requests more efficiently.

The deal also helps RealTime Reservation move further into the in-stay experience. Instead of only supporting service reservations, the company can now help hotels communicate with guests and promote services while they are already on property.

Companies are trying to bring fragmented hotel systems into one more connected workflow. A similar issue is fixed in Cloudbeds’ Ask Signals, an AI tool that helps hotel teams use data from reservations, revenue, payments, guest profiles, and marketing without switching between multiple systems.

Photo by Mindaugas Norvilas on Unsplash