THE VAQUERO MOTEL

Opening a new property with limited staff and no brand recognition

To modernize the property, The Vaquero Motel required a robust technology solution to support the business. Carlos was familiar with Opera and the big software companies based on his prior experience and wanted a software partner with a trusted brand focused on independent hotels. He was attracted to Cloudbeds because it is a “one-stop shop” – with a PMS, payments solution, website, and digital marketing solution.

“As the owner, I wear a lot of hats and am always looking for trusted partners,” says Carlos.

Cloudbeds provides a unified platform with a complete digital marketing solution to drive more revenue.

With a small team, Carlos looked for a trusted partner to help streamline Vaquero’s operations and grow its online presence. With Cloudbeds, they can manage all their reservations through Cloudbeds’ PMS and leverage the channel manager to reach new guests on Booking.com and Expedia. They’ve attracted a lot of international guests through these channels with their “cowboy experience,” and have delivered on this desire. Carlos is proud to hold a 9.3 rating on Booking.com, where guests consistently tout the property’s incredible service and cleanliness.

In addition to bookings from OTAs, Carlos wanted to diversify their distribution strategy and drive more bookings through direct channels. He turned to Cloudbeds’ digital marketing solution, Cloudbeds Amplify, to help maximize direct revenue.

With Cloudbeds’ team of digital marketing experts, Carlos says, “it’s been nice to have someone in the backend testing things out and making changes to improve our performance.” With the help of Cloudbeds Amplify, The Vaquero Motel has implemented an SEO-enhanced and fully integrated website with a mobile-friendly booking engine to drive more direct bookings and has increased brand visibility online across metasearch platforms. With Cloudbeds Amplify, Carlos can “set it and forget it” when managing his property’s digital marketing and has peace of mind knowing the Cloudbeds team is there to help.

54% of revenue from direct bookings

Carlos worked with the Cloudbeds’ design team to create a beautiful website to match the updated look of the property. With a modern, mobile-friendly website design, website visitors can book directly via a safe, secure booking engine. Since he launched the business, he’s steadily increased direct bookings, which now account for 54% of revenue.

5X ROI on marketing spend

The Vaquero Motel turned to the marketing specialists at Cloudbeds to reach more guests and drive more revenue. Carlos started with metasearch platforms and recently switched to the Cloudbeds Amplify Pro Plan. The Cloudbeds team manages their online business listings to ensure all the property information is up-to-date, increasing the motel’s online credibility. Travelers booking on metasearch sites like Tripadvisor, Google Hotel Ads, and Trivago can more easily find The Vaquero Motel with strategically placed metasearch listings.

Since opening, the Vaquero Motel has exceeded expectations from both a revenue and feedback standpoint. With the help of Cloudbeds Amplify, they have strengthened their brand awareness and have built a solid foundation to drive more direct bookings. Looking to the future, Carlos is excited to continue diversifying The Vaquero Motel’s distribution strategy across online platforms and trusts that with the help of Cloudbeds’ digital marketing experts, the motel will be top-of-mind for travelers visiting the San Antonio area.