Apartments Ciastel

Tell us about your property.

We’re a small family business with eight units and have been open since 2015. The property, Ciastel, is a renovated noble residence from the 14th century.

Alongside the apartments, we run a restaurant that I manage together with my mother—she’s the head chef. Our idea is to combine the farm, where we source most of our products, with the restaurant to offer guests a local and sustainable dining experience.

Since COVID, our guest profile has gotten younger—more and more couples from all over the world. Speed is everything now. Being bookable online and responding quickly is what matters most today.

Where do most of your bookings come from?

It depends on the time of year. For advance bookings, we get a lot of direct reservations—guests take their time comparing different platforms and often book directly.

Booking.com makes up about 30–40% of our reservations. It’s especially strong for last-minute bookings.

Our main seasons run from early December through Easter, and then again from May 25 to mid-October.

When did you start using Smartpricing, and how did you discover it?

We started using Smartpricing in June 2023. I think we discovered it at a trade fair.

It was really important for us to keep the workload as low as possible, since we’re also managing the restaurant and farm.

I remember being on shift at the restaurant in the evening when a booking came in—the price looked right—but then two more bookings followed that same night. That’s when I realized we were priced too low.

I looked around for a better solution and Smartpricing convinced me. I could see the investment would pay for itself quickly, and it was clear from the start that their support team would be there if I ever needed help.

How did you manage pricing before Smartpricing?

We used seasonal pricing based mostly on our past experience and what others in the area were doing. It took a lot of time because we had to look at competitors’ rates manually.

A lot of it was guesswork. We went with what felt right at the time.

What results have you achieved with Smartpricing?

In the first summer we used Smartpricing—2023—we saw a 12% increase in revenue, even though we were open almost a month less than the previous year.

We especially noticed a difference with last-minute bookings. The software was able to set much higher prices than we would have manually.

Sometimes prices came up that I honestly wouldn’t have dared to set myself—but the bookings still came in. Even repeat guests didn’t hesitate.

How do returning guests respond to dynamic pricing?

That was something I wondered about in the beginning. But in our case, most of our regulars book their next stay before they even check out—so they naturally get a very good rate.

If someone reaches out and asks, “Can I get last year’s rate again?” I can often offer them something similar, and they can see that the public rate is actually higher now. That makes them feel valued, while we’re still able to steadily increase our average rate.

Has Smartpricing saved you time?

Definitely. Of course, you still need to check in now and then, but I spend much less time managing pricing than I used to.

Because we juggle so many responsibilities, that makes a huge difference.

In the past, we focused heavily on the winter season and kind of neglected the summer. Now, the pricing runs all year long, and we immediately see when the market shifts.

What do you like most about Smartpricing?

For me, it's the flexibility and the time savings. As soon as several bookings come in at once, I can see prices reacting automatically.

This is a huge help—especially in busy periods like autumn, or when it suddenly starts snowing and demand spikes.

I also really appreciate that Smartpricing is affordable and works just as well for small properties. In the beginning, we asked ourselves, “Do we really need this with just eight units?” Today I’d say—absolutely.