Gilmer Apartment Hotel: Driving Direct Bookings with Smart Tech and Seamless Guest Experience

With STAAH, Gilmer simplified rate management, enhanced guest booking experience, and grew direct reservations through Google and GDS.

Tucked into the heart of Wellington’s buzzing CBD, just steps from Lambton Quay, Gilmer Apartment Hotel is a haven for business travellers who value independence, comfort, and convenience. Offering modern serviced apartments with kitchenettes, in-room washer/dryers, on-site parking, and complimentary gym access, this is more than just a place to sleep — it’s a space designed to live and work well.

But delivering a great guest experience doesn’t stop at the room. Gilmer knew their digital journey needed to match their high in-stay standards — and that’s where STAAH stepped in.

The challenge: a booking system that wasn’t keeping up

Before switching to STAAH, Gilmer was using another channel manager and booking engine. But it quickly became clear the tools weren’t quite meeting their needs.

“Managing availability and rates across multiple OTAs was time-consuming and often inconsistent,” says Steffen Dittrich from Gilmer Apartment Hotel. “The channel manager lacked intuitive design and the booking engine on our site wasn’t helping us convert visitors into guests.”

The team was also exploring integration with the Global Distribution Systems (GDS), and their previous provider’s solution was proving to be expensive and restrictive. They needed a smarter, more affordable alternative that was easier to use, looked better online and could scale with their goals.

STAAH waltzed in with smarter pricing, seamless bookings and exceptional support

The move to STAAH checked every box for Gilmer — and then some more. Here’s what stood out:

• Powerful booking engine. STAAH’s Booking Engine completely transformed Gilmer’s direct booking experience. Its clean, mobile-responsive interface and smooth functionality gave website visitors an easy, fast, and visually appealing path to confirm a reservation. “It’s one of our favourite tools,” says Steffen. “It consistently delivers strong conversion rates and makes a great first impression.”
• Competitive GDS integration. STAAH’s GDS connection came at a far more competitive rate than other options, making global visibility more accessible and sustainable for the hotel.
• Smart pricing tool. With Smart Pricing, the team could easily set dynamic discounts — like last-minute deals, multi-night promotions, or offers targeted by guest location. No need for constant manual updates. It offered flexibility, without needing to babysit the system.
• Google Hotel ads integration. By enabling Get Google, Gilmer now appears directly in Google Hotel Search results — allowing guests to book direct without detouring through OTAs.

The STAAH: greater efficiency, better visibility and more bookings

Since switching to STAAH four years ago, Gilmer has seen steady, tangible improvements in both daily operations and long-term growth:

• Increased website conversions, thanks to the intuitive booking engine
• Improved rate control and fewer booking errors, leading to more revenue
• Better OTA integration, reducing time spent on manual tasks
• Growth in direct bookings, helped by Google Hotel Ads and smart discounting tools
• Stronger online visibility, which continues to drive new guest traffic

“STAAH has helped us work smarter — not harder. Everything from setup to support has been smooth and effective.” And perhaps most importantly, the Gilmer team feels heard.

“STAAH listens to their partners. We’ve seen regular improvements that come directly from user feedback, which is rare and refreshing.”

Want to increase conversions and simplify your tech stack like Gilmer Apartment Hotel? Talk to the STAAH team today.