Skift and Mews reveal how guest-first strategies drive hotel revenue and long-term hotel growth

New industry report shows how guest-centric, community-focused models unlock new revenue and long-term asset value

NEW YORK, Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new joint report by Skift and Mews, "Why Hotels and Their Investors Are Leaving Millions on the Table," challenges one of hospitality's oldest assumptions: that success should be measured by rooms sold.

For decades, occupancy rates, average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR) have been the industry's benchmarks for performance. But according to the report, this "room-first" mindset no longer reflects how value is created in modern hospitality. Guests today expect experiences, flexibility, and meaningful connections – and hotels that only optimize for heads in beds are missing major opportunities for growth.

"Hospitality isn't just about rooms anymore – it's about relationships," said Matt Welle, CEO of Mews. "When you shift your mindset from maximizing room revenue to maximizing guest value, you unlock new sources of income, loyalty, and long-term growth."

From rooms to relationships

The report highlights a growing shift from room-based performance metrics to more guest-centric measures such as Revenue per Available Guest (RevPAG), which captures the total value of each guest interaction – whether they stay overnight, dine, work, or socialize.

Lifestyle brands like Ennismore, for example, now generate over 60% of their revenue from non-room sources such as F&B, coworking, and events, proving that experience-driven hospitality can be both more profitable and more resilient.

Unlocking community value

Forward-thinking operators are reimagining their properties as community spaces that serve locals as well as travelers. Examples include Staypineapple Boston, where a popular neighborhood bar, the Trophy Room, has transformed the hotel lobby into a lively public hub, and Paradise Resort Gold Coast, which increased revenue and satisfaction by packaging experiences such as water-park access and spa bookings around unified guest profiles.

Nearly one-third of hotels on the Mews platform now offer additional bookable services such as parking, coworking, or memberships. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of hospitality businesses using Mews Spaces, which powers these non-room bookings, nearly doubled from 1,179 to 2,223. In the same period, reservations rose by more than 230%, highlighting the industry's accelerating shift toward diversified, experience-led revenue.

Measuring what matters

Traditional KPIs capture only a fraction of a property's potential. By focusing on the total guest journey and connecting operational, marketing, and financial systems, hotels can better understand overall guest value, deliver more personalized experiences, and tap into new revenue streams.

Technology as an enabler

Technology underpins this transformation. Integrated solutions make it possible to anticipate guest needs, personalize experiences, and manage multiple revenue sources seamlessly.

The report features Swiss Hotel Apartments, which connects guest data across departments to deliver tailored service across 48 properties, and Strawberry, which uses flexible systems and AI tools to streamline check-in, housekeeping, and communications while keeping service personal.

"Technology doesn't replace hospitality, it reveals it," said Richard Valtr, Founder of Mews. "When digital systems handle the complexity, staff have more time to focus on what guests truly remember: feeling seen and cared for."

A new era for hospitality investment

The Skift x Mews study concludes that hotels focused solely on room sales are leaving millions in potential revenue on the table. Guest-centric, community-based strategies not only enhance the guest experience but also strengthen long-term asset value.

Download the full report: Why Hotels and Their Investors Are Leaving Millions on the Table.

About Mews 
Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering 12,500 Customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include BWH Hotels, Strawberry, The Social Hub and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024, 2025) and listed among the Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025) by Hotel Tech Report. Mews has raised $410 million from investors including Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Tiger Global Management to transform hospitality. For more information, please contact the Mews press team: press@mews.com

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