“Be brave and own your bookings” – RoomStay founder’s call to operators

At this year’s NoVacancy, Mandy Clarke sat down with Declan Mimnagh, Founder of RoomStay, to talk about direct bookings, technology and why operators have more power than they think.

Declan has always been fascinated by technology and how people buy. “I was drawn to product placement and advertising from a young age,” he said. His path into travel tech was anything but traditional. He began in publishing, moved into digital agencies and then joined Expedia. “That was a huge learning curve,” he said.

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“Eventually, I left to set up my own digital agency, which is still going 11 years on, the agency focused on travel, fintech and e-commerce clients, which is really where I began to see the opportunity in the market. We were getting incredible direct booking results for travel clients, and one day a hotel CEO asked me, what else can you do? That was when I realised how much we could do to stop the leakage happening in booking engines.”
From that moment, RoomStay was born.

Why RoomStay exists

Declan explained: “Think about shopping on Amazon. You stay on one seamless journey. But with most hotels there is a core website and then an external booking engine. That break creates a disjointed experience and leakage. Guests also worry about phishing scams and wonder if they clicked the right thing. We built RoomStay to solve that.”

He built the product and signed RoomStay’s first client shortly before COVID. “It was a false start,” he said, “but since then growth has been strong. NoVacancy has been a fantastic event for us. It helps us reach operators who want to improve conversion and direct bookings.”

RoomStay began with boutique brands such as Ovolo Hotels and Crystalbrook Collection and now works with motels, apartments, hotels, private islands and holiday parks. “Parks have been an exciting addition for innovation” Declan said.

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“We built a 3D feature so guests can explore the park and get a feel for the property instead of the traditional phone call or viewing a PDF map on the website. We are trying to solve the simple customer questions of “how far away is the amenities block” or “is the cabin or plot near the beach” before booking, and the accommodation industry simply doesn’t have good technology options to choose from.”

On winning direct bookings

I asked why operators still rely so heavily on OTAs. Declan was clear. “Confidence. Smaller properties sometimes say they do not have the budget. But if you are paying OTA commissions, you have the money. Your P&L will have a pot set aside to pay the commission. If you increase web direct, you’ll save those OTA commissions which means more money in the bottom line which you can reinvest into the property or your own channels to drive web direct. You just need the confidence to pull the lever.”

RoomStay’s job is to prove that confidence pays. “When we launched, hotels like Ovolo and Crystalbrook backed us because they could see the digital opportunity. We provided them with the formulae, and they saw revenue and conversions rise, which positively impacted the bottom line. Hotels can compete. They just have to believe it.”

What sets RoomStay apart?

Unlike a standard booking engine, RoomStay mirrors the OTA experience but keeps the booking and guest data with the operator. “Travellers are used to a certain flow: calendars, filters and upsells. If your direct site feels clunky or is positioned as a ‘brochure’, you increase the likelihood that they will go back to an OTA,” Declan said. “We also hand back guest data so you can own the relationship, market directly and build loyalty and ultimately grow your business.”

RoomStay integrates with most major PMS and channel managers. “Set-up is usually just a few days and our team does the heavy lifting,” Declan said. ‘’It also supports upsells such as late checkout, spa treatments and activities in the booking flow, while automating pre-arrival and post-stay communications.’’

Looking ahead

“We are about to launch a gift card product and we are working on AI-driven onboarding to make implementation easier,” Declan said. “Payments will also keep evolving. The more payment options you offer, like Afterpay, the better. It opens new demographics which drives incremental uplift and has proven effective for CABN, our launch partner.”

Partnerships remain a focus. “We want more integrations and more connections with other technologies. Our goal is to keep improving conversion and building digital tools for our customers.”

Declan’s advice for operators

“Trust us and be brave. I think like I own the hotel or park: Our team thinks the same. My view has always been that many of today’s hotel digital marketing strategies are set with caution. If not managed properly, we’ve seen hotels out of auction by 11 am, which allows the OTAs to “eat their lunch” —taking customers for the rest of the day. The answer is to stay in the market all day. Be efficient, stay present and trust that the right strategy will increase direct bookings.”

Declan knows OTAs have their place but believes hotels underestimate their own power. “They give away too much profit because they think they cannot compete. But we have proved they can.”

Takeaway

RoomStay is more than just a booking engine. It is a conversion-focused platform built by someone who knows the OTA playbook inside out. For operators who want to reduce commissions, keep guest data and control their revenue, Declan Mimnagh’s message is clear: you can compete and win if you back yourself and use the right technology.