By automating key processes with Mews, this Swedish boutique hotel empowered teams and enhanced the guest journey.
“Mews isn’t just a PMS, it’s a complete solution that supports both operational excellence and long-term growth. For hotels looking to streamline processes, empower teams and elevate the guest experience, Mews is one of the best choices on the market."
About Best Western Hotel Danderyd
Best Western Hotel Danderyd is a boutique hotel located in a suburb north of Stockholm. With 37 rooms and Green Key certification, the hotel blends Scandinavian simplicity with comfort, efficiency and personalized service that keep guests coming back.
After decades of working in IT as a business controller, hotel owner Mark Iverstam decided to make a career shift to hospitality.
“I wanted to work closer to people and build something tangible that guests could experience every day,” says Mark. “What makes our hotel unique is how we blend a warm, human guest experience with a highly automated and professional back-of-house operation.”
Before adopting Mews, the hotel’s legacy PMS made that vision difficult to achieve.
“Hotel operations are far more complex than people think,” Mark notes. “The right technology has a huge impact — not just on guests, but on staff wellbeing too.”
When your PMS becomes your biggest headache
Challenge
When Mark purchased Best Western Hotel Danderyd, he inherited its legacy PMS. He ran the hotel on the system for more than ten years, describing it as his “biggest headache and disappointment” due to its lack of flexibility and functionality.
“It was clear that the PMS no longer supported modern guest expectations, integrations or efficient workflows,” says Mark. “We didn’t want to manage limitations anymore. We wanted a system that actually helped us grow.”
Solution
In September 2025, Best Western Hotel Danderyd replaced its legacy system with Mews, implementing Mews PMS, Mews Payments and Mews Kiosks alongside integrations for accounting and BWH Hotels’ systems.
From day one, the difference was clear.
“Suddenly everything made sense,” says Mark. “Data was accessible, workflows were logical and the system worked with us instead of against us.”
With reservations, payments, reporting and guest journeys centralized in one cloud-based operating system, uncertainty and double work disappeared. Manual payment handling was eliminated, speeding up front-desk operations and allowing staff to focus on guests instead of admin.
“One of the best decisions was to start using Mews for our hotel. I’m impressed with the product and the true value it brings to our guests and staff.”
Stress-free onboarding
The hotel’s onboarding experience played a crucial role in the smooth transition to Mews.
“The onboarding was structured, clear and professional,” says Mark. “Expectations were realistic, timelines were respected and the training material was easy for the team to absorb.”
He adds that Premium Support, which he calls “world class,” was instrumental, quickly resolving issues and ensuring the hotel was fully up and running without disruption to operations and service.
“Premium Support is proactive, knowledgeable and fast. Issues are understood in context, not treated as isolated tickets,” says Mark. “The Mews team genuinely understands hotel operations, which makes all the difference when something is time-critical.”
Result
● Cloud-based system unifies operations and centralizes data
● Fast onboarding with minimal downtime
● Increased staff productivity and confidence
Automation frees team to refocus on guests
Challenge
Before Mews, the team at Hotel Danderyd was buried in manual tasks. Payments, night audits, reporting and corrections demanded relentless attention, especially during busy periods. These repetitive tasks weren’t just tedious; they were stressful, draining energy that could be spent on service.
Mark, with a background in IT and engineering, understood the impact the right technology could have on hotel operations.
“My mantra is ‘automate everything,’” Mark says. “I’m always thinking about how we can automate processes to make operations smoother and smarter, so our team has more time to spend with guests.”
Solution
With Mews, key processes were automated, freeing up time for staff to focus on what matters most: guests.
“Administration now runs in the background, which is exactly where it belongs,” says Mark. “The team is now able to greet guests properly and actually look up instead of down.”
Night audits, once a stressful, 30-minute process that locked the team out of the PMS, are now fully automated and reliable.
Other processes quickly followed suit:
● Payments run automatically across all channels
● Guest communications and rate management happen seamlessly
● Reporting is instant, accurate and effortless
Result
● Staff spend time with guests, not admin
● Peak periods run smoothly and stress-free
● Operations are reliable, with fewer errors
70% reduction in manual payment handling
Challenge
Manual payment handling was previously one of the hotel’s biggest pain points, which Mark says felt “outdated and unprofessional.”
Payments took time and errors were frequent. During check-in and check-out, staff had to enter card details by hand, often while guests waited at the front desk.
Solution
With Mews Payments, transactions now run automatically across terminals and online channels, while the Fortnox integration handles accounting and reconciliation in the background. Different payment types are mapped cleanly, reporting is reliable and manual work is no longer part of the equation.
“Automating payments has saved time, reduced errors and removed awkward moments at check-in and check-out,” says Mark. “Guests appreciate the smoothness, and staff feel more confident and less stressed.”
Result
● 70% reduction in manual payment handling
● 50% Mews Payments adoption within first 3 months
● Time saved per week on reconciliation and accounting
30-40% faster check-in/out with Mews Kiosk
Challenge
First impressions count, but guest arrivals at Hotel Danderyd used to be a pressure point. With a small team, queues built quickly and it was difficult to balance speed with personal attention.
Solution
Mews Kiosks transformed peak arrival times. Guests who prefer self-service can check-in quickly, while staff focus on guests who want personal interaction.
"The kiosk offers flexibility, reduces queues and creates a more modern first impression,” says Mark.
Result
● 30–40% faster check-in/out
● Shorter queues during peak arrival times
● Meaningful guest interactions
Seamless alignment with BWH Hotels’ systems
Challenge
As a BWH Hotels property, Hotel Danderyd relies on accurate coordination across reservations, rates, loyalty and reporting, which previously required manual effort and was error-prone.
Solution
Mews integrates directly with BWH Hotels’ systems, enabling two-way data flow across reservations, pricing, loyalty and payments. Information stays aligned automatically, and staff always work with accurate, up-to-date loyalty guest data.
Result
● Instant loyalty member recognition and simplified enrollment
● Automated reservation syncing
● Consistent guest experience across all channels
“Mews has reduced manual work, improved data accuracy and ensured that guests receive a consistent experience across channels, which is especially important for loyalty members.”
Looking ahead
With Mews in place, Hotel Danderyd has moved beyond daily operational firefighting. The focus is no longer on managing system limitations, but on refining workflows, reducing friction for staff and delivering a more personalized experience to guests.
“Mews isn’t just a PMS, it’s a complete solution that supports both operational excellence and long-term growth,” says Mark. “For hotels looking to streamline processes, empower teams and elevate the guest experience, Mews is one of the best choices on the market.”
