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What happens when you remove the front desk from a hotel? For Andreas Sparsis, owner of SLEEP Eco Hotel in Worthing, the answer is a fully automated, carbon-neutral guest experience that feels surprisingly more personal. In this episode of BOLD, host Nadja Buckenberger sits down with Andreas to explore how he turned a historic 1910 wash house into one of the UK’s most innovative eco hotels—run thr...

What happens when you build a boutique hotel inside a football stadium? In this episode of BOLD, RoomRaccoon founder Nadja Buckenberger sits down with Pauline Boyle, Hotel Operations Manager at Tynecastle Park Hotel — a 25-room property built within Edinburgh’s Tynecastle Park, home of Heart of Midlothian Football Club. Pauline shares how she transitioned from a decade at Hilton to helping open th...

What happens when a historic castle meets modern hospitality thinking? In this episode of BOLD , Philipp Skaar shares how he and his partner reclaimed his 19th-century family estate, Schloss Neetzow, and turned it into a 29-room boutique hotel rooted in peace, authenticity, and smart simplicity. Discover how they run a 29-room castle with just five full-time staff by: Setting clear guest expectati...

How do you run a 21-room hotel with fewer staff, more automation and still create an unforgettable guest experience? In this episode of BOLD, Arlette Ventevogel shares how she transformed the historic Hotel Truida into the Beachfront Boutique Hotel in Vlissingen. From selling breakfast slots as add-ons to closing reception at 6PM and letting tech take over, she’s built a hotel that’s both efficien...

What does it take to build a boutique hotel brand that guests remember — and return to? In this episode of BOLD, Lesley and Rupert Sykes share how they built Pineapple House into one of Cape Town’s most sought-after stays. From personalised guest journeys to brand-driven design choices, they’ve created an experience that lingers long after checkout. Learn how embracing RoomRaccoon’s tech tools all...

In the very first episode of BOLD, we meet José Gonçalves, who left behind a 30-year career in IT to build not one, but two stunning boutique hotels operating 35 rooms in Portugal’s Algarve. What began as a family dream is now a thriving hospitality brand defined by local partnerships, sustainable values, and tech-powered service. Tune in to hear how José: Built unique guest experiences using Room...

“Hospitality is hard work, but when you love it, it loves you back.” The final entry. Saying goodbye to The Bliss wasn’t easy, but some things never fade. Once a hotelier, always a hotelier. Nadja reflects on how running her hotel shaped her, the lessons that stayed with her, and how they now help her build smarter solutions for hoteliers. About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suites to Sof...

“Guests don’t just book a room—they book an experience. The right upsell makes it unforgettable (yes, even a goldfish!).” The secret to successful upselling? Making it feel effortless. Nadja figured out how—and it’s not about having a smooth-talking receptionist. Nope, it’s all about personalization and catching guests at just the right moment before they arrive. About this series: Diary of a Hote...

“It’s not always about the weather—it’s about knowing your guests.” Every hotel feels the seasons differently. It’s one thing to know when demand changes—but figuring out why is what really helps you plan ahead. In this episode, Nadja shares how she handled the summer slump when her corporate guests disappeared. About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suites to Software. An authentic, behind-...

“You operate in a dynamic industry—let your prices reflect it.” Setting the right room prices is one of the trickiest parts of running a hotel. Nadja shares how a well-intended Sunday rate drop ended up costing her big time. She dives into dynamic pricing and other revenue strategies—like focusing on guest loyalty—that can be a total game changer. About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suite...

“Mistakes are part of the journey—fail fast, learn faster, and keep pushing forward.” Nadja may no longer greet guests at the front desk, but she’s still serving them—this time through RoomRaccoon’s innovative solutions. Tune in to hear how she embraced her role as CPO and how Tymen transitioned from engineer to CEO. About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suites to Software. An authentic, be...

“Staying lean and scaling fast isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.” Building a SaaS business takes serious funding—unless you get creative. In this entry, Nadja and Tymen share how they stayed bootstrapped and launched their Minimal Viable Product (MVP) in just one year. Discover their resourceful journey and how they turned constraints into opportunities! About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From S...

“Furry, clever, and just a little daring—just like us.” The animal kingdom is full of choices—lions, elephants, all kinds of majestic deer. But Nadja and Tymen? They went for the scrappy, resourceful raccoon. Curious why? They’re finally spilling the beans, and it’s a story worth hearing! About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suites to Software. An authentic, behind-the-front-desk look into...

“Dreaming out loud could be game-changing.” Chapter 4 is here! Nadja sits down with Tymen Van Dyl, RoomRaccoon's CEO and Co-Founder, to explore how being 'outsiders' in the hotel tech industry turned into their greatest strength. Tymen calls it 'a positive kind of being naive,' explaining how they skipped copying existing solutions and focused on creating something better from the ground up. Don't...

“I couldn’t find a solution that fit my budget and offered the operational flexibility a boutique hotel needs.” Nadja recounts her search for the perfect hotel software and how it led to the creation of RoomRaccoon. She shares a practical checklist for choosing the right hotel software, so you don’t make the same mistakes. Tune in for real talk, helpful tips, and a story that could change your app...

“It will cost you a lot of time and money if you don’t think about payments when you start running your hotel.” Nadja shares 5 things she wish she knew about hotel payments as a new hotelier. Learn how to avoid costly mistakes and set up smarter payment solutions from the start. About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suites to Software. An authentic, behind-the-front-desk look into the world...

“Guests expect something extra when they make the effort to check out your website instead of booking through an OTA — don’t disappoint them.” Your distribution strategy is the backbone of how you sell those rooms effectively, ensuring you reach the right guests through the right channels. In this episode, Nadja shares 5 tips she used to build the ideal booking channel mix—helping The Bliss achiev...

"The mistake that made my hotelier's heart bleed." Navigating those “oops” and “oh no” moments is part of every hotelier’s journey. In this episode, Nadja shares 5 lessons on handling unexpected challenges—and reveals the one mistake that truly made her "hotelier's heart bleed." About this series: Diary of a Hotelier: From Suites to Software. An authentic, behind-the-front-desk look into the world...

Chapter 2: Entry 8 “From 6.0 to 9.7: How I revived The Bliss’ reputation with repairs and stellar service.” In Nadja's words: "Positive guest reviews are currency for attracting more bookings." But how do you build a strong online reputation? Nadja shares the strategies that helped grow The Bliss' reputation—through much-needed maintenance repairs and exceptional guest service. About this series:...

Chapter 2: Entry 7 “At The Bliss, we didn’t just serve guests—we became them.” This entry explores what it takes to create a guest experience that makes guests feel welcome before they even arrive and remembered long after they’ve left. From honesty bars to online check-ins, Nadja’s fresh perspective as a first-time hotelier highlighted simple yet impactful ways to enhance every step of the Bliss'...

Chapter 2: Entry 6 “Discovering firsthand the hidden costs of inefficiency—one overbooking and missed business opportunity at a time.” Running a hotel comes with a million things to juggle, and mixing multiple operational systems—one being pen and paper—is a recipe for chaos. Nadja learned this the hard way when overbookings, late-night admin, and lost business opportunities started creeping in. A...

Chapter 2: Entry 5 “Day one: If it could go wrong, it did. Silver lining? I found my favorite part of hospitality.” Talk about being thrown in the deep end! Nadja’s first day running The Bliss was a wild ride—80% occupancy, a surprise roof leak, and a flurry of guests to handle—all on her own. But somewhere between breakfast mayhem and a crisis or two, she discovered something she loves about hote...

Chapter 1: Entry 4 "From themed suites to winning over personal assistants and partnering with casinos—here’s how I reinforced The Bliss as a luxury brand that stands out.” What does it really take to turn a boutique hotel into a memorable brand that guests talk about long after their stay? In this episode, Nadja dives into her journey of shaping The Bliss’s brand identity, one thoughtful detail a...

Chapter 1: Entry 3 “Hire for attitude, train for skill”—the secret to building a core team that excels.” Running a small boutique hotel means you wear many hats—and so does your team. In this episode, Nadja shares her journey of building a strong core team by focusing on character and potential rather than just qualifications. From rolling up her sleeves to gain her team’s trust to creating a cult...

Chapter 1: Entry 2 “Buying a hotel? Get ready for a crash course in de-escalation techniques—you'll need it for handling tipsy guests!” From securing funding to navigating a maze of regulations, Nadja faced hurdles at every step—including a surprising certification requirement that no new owner expects. In this episode, we break down the true costs and compliance challenges of becoming a hotelier,...