GuestStay Portal

A white-label web portal that lets guests do the boring parts before they arrive, so arrival takes under a minute at the kiosk.

UXUIUX Writing
Portal hero

Role

Sole product designer

Team

PM, dev lead, 4 engineers

Timeline

Jun 2023 to Nov 2024

Focus

UX research, UX, UI, UX writing

At a glance

The problem

Guests thought online pre-check-in was the full check-in, then had to repeat it at the hotel. OTA bookings couldn't even get the invite.

My role

Sole product designer: hotelier interviews in the UK and Germany, first-impression tests, flows, UI, UX writing and the shared design system. Worked with a PM, a dev lead and 4 engineers.

Impact

Higher pre-check-in adoption, kiosk check-in under 1 minute for prepared guests, new pre-arrival upsell revenue and fewer invoice requests to hotels.

Skills

User interviewsUsability testingInformation architectureUX writingResponsive web designDesign systemsSelf-service UXUpsell and revenue designCross-functional collaboration

Tools

Maze

Outcomes

<1 min

kiosk check-in for guests who pre-checked in

4

jobs in one place: pre-check-in, extras, bookings, invoices

1

design system shared with Kiosk and booking engine

2

markets researched, UK and Germany

Context

Guests who completed online pre-check-in often thought they were fully checked in, then got asked for the same details again at the hotel. On top of that, the portal only worked for direct bookings. OTAs like Booking.com often hide the guest's real email, so hotels couldn't even send the invite.

What I found

I interviewed hoteliers in the UK and Germany and ran first-impression tests of the pre-check-in flow with potential guests in Maze.

  • Guests assumed pre-check-in was the full check-in.
  • Manual data entry caused errors that staff had to fix later.
  • Guests often contacted the hotel after their stay just to get an invoice.
  • Hotels wanted their own branding and proof of ROI.
  • Competing portals mostly digitised forms, with few upsells or customisation options.

What I did

I designed one responsive portal that covers the whole stay:

  • Pre-check-in that actually counts. Data entered online pre-fills the kiosk, so arrival is a quick confirmation.
  • Extras before arrival. Breakfast, late check-out, parking and room upgrades, offered at the moment guests are planning.
  • Self-service bookings. View, edit or cancel, with policies stated clearly.
  • Invoices on demand. Guests download past invoices themselves.

It's built on the same Guest Design System as the Kiosk and the booking engine, so hotels apply their branding once. I also rewrote the guest communications. For example, "Check in now!" became "Complete our secure and fast check-in form before you arrive", which sets the right expectation.

Pre-check-in flow
Upsells and upgrades
Reservation management and invoices

Results

  • Pre-check-in adoption went up, easing congestion at arrival
  • Kiosk check-in took under one minute for guests who had pre-checked in
  • Pre-arrival upsells added incremental revenue
  • Invoice requests to hotels dropped
  • Fewer "double check-in" complaints
  • One consistent experience across Portal, Kiosk and booking engine
White-label design system
Rewriting guest communications

What's next

The portal launched as a standalone product next to the kiosk, on the same design system and backend. The next phase we explored was personalisation: upgrades based on past stays, late check-out when flights are delayed, and remembering returning guests' favourite add-ons.