The new wave: 5 French hotel groups embracing automation to scale smarter

France has long set the global standard for excellence in hospitality. Now, it’s defining a new one – for smarter, more sustainable growth powered by automation. 

Five hotel groups are among those leading the way. Many are achieving double-digit performance gains through automation, centralization, and connected intelligent systems – all without losing the human touch that defines French hospitality. 

The challenge is universal: scaling in a way that's sustainable. The leaders you’ll meet here have approached it with a blend of operational intelligence and digital transformation – using technology to standardize processes, break down silos, reduce friction, unlock data, and empower teams to make faster, smarter decisions. 

With systems that provide group-level visibility and API-driven connectivity, these groups have built resilient, future-ready operations that support their ambitious expansion plans. Let’s meet the innovators leading this new wave of French hospitality. 

Life Hotels streamlines with automated payments

Emerging French hotel group Life Hotels is reimagining city stays with a model that’s as smooth and easy as calling an Uber.  

By automating its entire payments system, Life Hotels removed front-desk friction, eliminated manual reconciliation, and secured steady cash flow. But that isn’t all payment automation achieved. “In addition to simplifying the booking process,” says Justin Durupt, Life Manager, “automating payments allows us to move away from the transactional aspect of check-in and refocus this first contact on the guest experience.” 

With front-desk teams focusing on connection instead of card terminals, interactions with guests moved from transactional to truly meaningful.  

Building on their strategy of operational simplicity, Life Hotels has new openings planned for 2026. With a playbook of standardized operating procedures that make it easy to replicate success, they can expand their portfolio without expanding headcount to match. 

Inwood Hotels preserves boutique charm at scale

The appeal of a boutique hotel lies in its unique character. But as a group scales, the question is how to preserve that character. Paris-led collection Inwood Hotels seems to have found the formula. 

Each Inwood property has its own distinct personality, yet all reflect the group’s signature art de vivre. With new openings planned, Inwood needed technology that would enable consistency where it mattered but still allow for flexibility. 

So, in 2021, Director of Operations Olivier Romain moved the group to a modern, automation-ready platform with Mews at its core. And in 2023, Villa Mirae migrated mid–peak season with zero downtime. Teams adapted fast through intuitive tools and self-paced training, and guests continued to receive the exceptional service they expected. 

Now, group-wide reporting increases visibility while operational flexibility allows every hotel to retain its own unique identity and charm. 

“Technology optimizes our operations and guest experience by automating repetitive tasks,” says Olivier Romain, Director of Operations. “But we make sure to maintain personalization in every interaction.” 

Inwood’s story shows that, with the right tech, boutique hospitality can scale beautifully. 

Emerald Stay masters the art of remote hospitality 

Luxury without a lobby. That’s the promise Emerald Stay delivers across its curated collection of premium chalets, villas, and homes throughout Europe. Designed for guests who value both comfort and autonomy, the group has turned remote operations into a five-star experience. 

Running a dispersed portfolio demands precision. Every process – from payments to housekeeping – must work flawlessly without a front desk in sight. With a fully digital model built on automated payments, online check-in/out, and integrated tools like GuestJoy, Bowo, and Breezeway, Emerald Stay ensures every guest, owner, and team member stays connected through one intelligent ecosystem. 

The results speak for themselves: up to 10 hours saved weekly on manual admin, 30% higher revenue through dynamic pricing, and an experience that feels premium and hyper personalized. 

“It’s the combination of technology and human connection that makes our model agile, scalable, and deeply hospitable,” says CEO Lauren Lacourt. “It enables us to grow faster and better while staying close to our guests and partners.” 

Groupe Valdys sets the standard for wellness-led hospitality at scale  

Wellness-led hospitality is difficult to execute well. The mix of outlets and products creates immense complexity. But across its hotels and thalasso resorts on France’s Atlantic coast, Groupe Valdys is showing how it’s done. 

Beneath a seamless guest experience lies sophisticated coordination between hotel, spa, and restaurant teams. Separate systems once caused friction – data moved slowly, communication faltered, and teams lost time reconnecting the dots. 

Now, a unified, cloud-native setup keeps every department in sync. Two-way integrations with Lightspeed and the group’s customer data platform link every stage of the stay while shared guest profiles and real-time reporting mean decisions happen faster, and collaboration flows naturally. 

The outcome: fewer bottlenecks, smoother operations, and a guest experience that feels effortless. 

“Thanks to the integration of our systems, we’ve connected our departments, unified our data for faster decision-making, and provided our guests with a smooth and simplified experience,” says Floriant Jaouen, Head of Information Systems. 

For Groupe Valdys, operational harmony isn’t just supporting growth – it’s setting a new standard for wellness-led hospitality at scale.

The Boost Society redefines hybrid hospitality 

The old boundaries between hotels and housing? An innovative player in the French hospitality scene is redrawing them. The Boost Society’s growing portfolio of co-living and student residences blends hotel-style service with long-stay practicality.  

But managing diverse stays and services – hourly, nightly, monthly and beyond – across separate systems created complexity and fragmented data. Which in turn slowed growth. With Mews Spaces, every stay and service type runs in one smart framework 

Head of IT Operations Louis Salomé explains, "Thanks to technology, we automate and connect reservations, billing, payments, as well as all services, regardless of the guest profile or length of stay.” 

Automation rules handle short-, mid-, and long-stay allocations seamlessly across 38+ properties while custom integrations with Salesforce and their own booking engine keep contracts, communications, and recurring payments flowing smoothly. 

By capitalizing on unified data and automation, The Boost Society has turned hybrid hospitality from a logistical challenge into a repeatable growth engine. 

France leads the way 

Throughout hospitality history, the world has often followed the French lead. The same will no doubt be true for these five hotel groups. By using tech to scale while preserving their brand character, they’re forging a pathway for a new wave of French hospitality. 

Innovation in hospitality always begins with people who imagine a better way. If these stories sparked an idea for how your own hotel or group could grow, let’s explore it together.