“With Mews, you can elevate both your operations and guest experience in meaningful, measurable ways, without losing the essence of what makes your property unique.”
The destination
Historic jewel in the heart of Marbella
Located in Marbella’s old town, La Fonda Heritage Hotel is a refined retreat where historic charm meets modern luxury. Housed in a restored 16th-century building, the hotel is defined by elegance, authenticity and deep connection to the local culture.
A proud member of Relais & Châteaux, with two restaurants and a rooftop bar, La Fonda puts gastronomy and service at the heart of guest experience. From thoughtful details to a personalized approach, every interaction reflects the team’s commitment to attentive, high-touch hospitality.
“Exceptional hospitality is about anticipating guests’ needs before they even express them, delivering bespoke service with heart, precision and grace,” says Matteo Consalvo, Manager.
The challenge
Legacy systems hindered high-touch guest experiences
Behind the beauty of La Fonda’s historic walls, operations and guest service were constrained by an outdated PMS.
“Our old PMS was rigid, complex and overly reliant on manual processes,” recalls Matteo. “Reporting was cumbersome, integrations were limited and overall efficiency was lacking.”
Everyday tasks required unnecessary effort and left little room for agility. For a property focused on delivering bespoke, high-touch experiences, the system simply didn’t match their ambition.
“We needed a modern, cloud-based solution that would streamline our workflows and allow us to focus more on delivering exceptional guest experiences."
The solution
Guest-centric operating system with unmatched flexibility
La Fonda chose Mews because it met all of the hotel's criteria. Ease of use was essential. Automation needed to be meaningful, not superficial. And the system had to support an ecosystem of integrations rather than operate in isolation.
Just as important was flexibility. As a luxury heritage property with highly curated gastronomic and event offerings, La Fonda needed technology that could adapt, without forcing the hotel into standardized processes that didn’t reflect its identity.
"Mews stood out for its intuitive design, strong cloud-native infrastructure and forward-thinking approach. Its unmatched flexibility and ambitious vision for the future aligned perfectly with our operational and experiential goals."
The onboarding
Personalized training and hands-on support enabled smooth transition
Introducing a new operating system is as much about people as it is about technology, especially in a luxury environment where service standards leave little room for disruption. At La Fonda, the transition to Mews was designed to prioritize clarity, confidence and continuity from day one.
Ahead of launch, staff trained in a dedicated Mews demo environment, allowing them to practice real-life scenarios without risk. Supported by Mews University and clear, step-by-step online resources, the team could master workflows in advance, minimizing errors and creating consistency across departments.
The biggest challenge wasn’t learning something new, but letting go of old habits. “The main challenge was change management and adjusting long-standing habits, but the clarity and logic of the system helped our staff adapt quickly,” Matteo explains.
Hands-on training, combined with ongoing support, proved especially valuable for team members less familiar with new technology. Initial hesitation quickly turned into confidence.
"As with any technological shift, there was some initial hesitation. However, Mews’ intuitive interface facilitated a fast and confident transition."
The results
Efficiency behind the scenes, excellence at every touchpoint
Today, Mews PMS, Mews Payments and Mews POS form the invisible backbone of La Fonda. Behind the scenes, operations are smarter, faster and more accurate. At the front of the house, guests experience a seamless arrival, effortless payments and high-touch service at every touchpoint.
80% fewer errors in room assignment and billing
By automating room assignments and billing, manual handling and the risk of human error have been reduced by up to 80%.
40% faster check-in
Before Mews, check-in was a manual, time-intensive process. Instead of focusing on guests, staff manually verified reservations, entered guest details and processed payments at the front desk, while queues grew.
“After implementing Mews, much of the check-in process is handled digitally through online check-in and pre-authorized payments,” says Matteo. “Guests arrive already registered, which significantly reduces time at the front desk and allows staff to focus on service rather than administration.”
Since implementing Mews, La Fonda has seen:
- 40% faster check-in with online check-in, automated room assignments and billing
- 15 minutes saved per check-in
Seamless payments and VAT-compliant billing
With Mews Payments, La Fonda has streamlined one of hospitality’s most complex and error-prone operational areas.
Managing pre-authorizations, payments and refunds is now centralized, secure and transparent. At the same time, the system ensures full compliance with Spanish VAT requirements, reducing administrative effort while increasing confidence and accuracy across the team.
A smoother digital guest journey — and measurable business impact
From pre-arrival communication and online check-in to contactless payments, Mews has elevated La Fonda’s digital guest journey without compromising personalized service. Guests consistently highlight the ease of arrival and departure in their feedback.
Since implementing Mews, La Fonda has seen:
- 0.3–0.5 point increase in guest review scores
- 10–15% increase in repeat bookings
"Guests don’t come to a hotel just to sleep; they come to live an experience. Every detail matters and hotel operations should never feel inconvenient. With Mews, the operational side stays in the background, where it belongs."
The takeaway
Modern systems, unique brand identity
For heritage and luxury properties, digital transformation doesn’t have to mean sacrificing their identity. La Fonda proves that with the right partner, technology can elevate operations while preserving authenticity.
“It’s about finding the right balance between modern innovations and the timeless experience of genuine, personal hospitality,” says Matteo.
His advice to other Relais & Châteaux properties considering a new system?
“With Mews, you can elevate your operations and guest experience in meaningful, measurable ways, without losing the essence of what makes your property unique."
