The Guessing Game
“I’d look at local hotels, other B&Bs, trying to piece together
where we should be,” Sydney recalls of those early days. “With my marketing background, I knew we weren’t the budget option. But beyond that? It was just guessing.” Then came 2020. Like many innkeepers, Sydney watched helplessly as reservations disappeared overnight. But as the world began reopening and travelers sought refuge near National Parks, she faced an unexpected challenge: her conservative “zombie apocalypse” rates had filled the property with bookings that didn’t reflect its true value. “We had higher occupancy but lower income,” Sydney explains.
“We were working harder than ever, but making less. And with over a hundred new Airbnbs popping up in our neighborhood, we couldn’t afford to keep playing the guessing game with our rates.”
Finding a Better Way
When Sydney first heard about TakeUp’s AI-driven pricing system, her marketing instincts perked up. Unlike the one-size-fits-all solutions she’d tried before, TakeUp promised something different: the ability to understand not just local rates, but the true value of each unique room based on real- time market demand.
The Moment Everything Changed
The transformation wasn’t just in the numbers, though they were impressive—an 8% increase in average daily rate and significantly higher revenue. The real change was in Sydney’s peace of mind. When local competitors started slashing rates during a slow period, her old instincts screamed to follow suit. But TakeUp’s data told a different story. “The system showed me it wasn’t a pricing problem—it was an area-wide decrease in travel searches,” Sydney explains. “Even more telling? When bookings did come in, guests weren’t choosing our cheapest rooms. They were booking our premium options. The demand was there; we just needed the confidence to hold our ground.”
Beyond the Numbers
Today, Sydney uses TakeUp’s dashboard to make informed pricing decisions. The system quietly adjusts rates in the background, testing different price points to find the sweet spot for each room. More importantly, it’s given her the freedom to focus on what she does best: creating exceptional guest experiences and marketing her unique property. “I finally feel like I can trust the process,” Sydney reflects.
“When a reservation comes in at a rate I never would have dared to set myself, I just smile. The system knows better than I do.”
A Partnership for Growth
For Sydney, one of the most surprising aspects has been TakeUp’s hands-on support. “They treat us like we’re their biggest client, even though we’re just a four-room property,” she notes. The responsive support team and regular check-ins ensure that Sydney can maximize the system’s potential for her property. Looking ahead, Sydney is excited about diving deeper into guest booking patterns and price sensitivity data. But her biggest reward has been the confidence to let go of the constant pricing anxiety that plagues so many innkeepers.
“In this business, you wear so many hats,” she says. “Being able to take one off—especially one that kept me up at night—that’s priceless.”
