Customer Spotlight: Carlton Hotel

Key Results:

• Reliable OTA distribution: With rates and availability synced in real time across OTAs, Carlton Hotel no longer needs to manually update listings – avoiding costly errors and saving hours each week.

• Time savings for the team: With Lighthouse, fewer clicks means more time. The team spends less time updating systems and more time being present on the floor.

• Guest experience upgraded: Guests arrive with everything already handled, so no forms or ID scans required, just a warm welcome.

Background

Located in Ghent, Belgium, Carlton Hotel is a boutique property known for combining comfort with a distinctly personal touch. Managed by Jeffrey and Steven – his brother –, the hotel offers guests a refined yet relaxed experience, supported by a small, committed team. For over 13 years, the brothers have steadily grown their presence in the local market, also owning a second hotel, Chamade, nearby.

Carlton’s philosophy has always been to deliver high-quality service without losing the personal feel that defines independent hospitality. But as their business grew and guest expectations evolved, they realized that maintaining their standard of service while managing operations manually was no longer sustainable.

“When we started, the tech was really basic. A channel manager, no PMS, and reservations still coming in by fax,” Jeffrey recalls. “We were growing, but we were also losing time.”

To modernize the business without sacrificing its boutique values, the team adopted Lighthouse’s Channel Manager and Reservation Manager, two tools that would ultimately become central to Carlton’s evolution.

A familiar tool, now powering automated operations

Having used Channel Manager since day one, Jeffrey has witnessed its transformation firsthand. What began as a basic tool to distribute rates and availability has become a dependable, fully integrated system that powers Carlton’s entire distribution strategy.

Today, the team uses it to manage restrictions, adjust stay requirements, and control availability across all channels from one place. The core advantage is that most of the system’s work happens quietly in the background. There’s no need for constant monitoring or daily logins to third-party portals, there’s only the occasional manual update when needed.

This shift has saved the team countless hours over the years and dramatically reduced the risk of errors. Manual sync issues, double bookings, and conflicting availability are now problems of the past. More importantly, the team has peace of mind knowing their distribution setup is stable and consistent.

Technology that fits how your team actually works

Carlton Hotel runs on a hybrid staffing model, with a fixed team complemented by a rotating group of part-time employees. Many of the flexible workers only cover evening or weekend shifts, and often come from outside the hospitality industry entirely.

That reality shaped the hotel’s approach to software adoption. Any system brought into the operation had to be intuitive, efficient, and immediately usable by people with limited time or training.

Lighthouse’s Reservation Manager proved to be a perfect fit. With its clean interface and clear daily overview, even less experienced team members can confidently review bookings, check payment statuses, and assign rooms without needing to dig through complex menus or back-end tools.

This accessibility has led to better team coordination, faster onboarding, and a higher level of operational consistency. Shift handovers are smoother, fewer questions need to be answered mid-shift and because the system is centralized, everyone works with the same information at the same time, regardless of when or how often they’re on duty.

Simplifying the guest arrival process

One of the biggest guest-facing improvements in recent years has come through online check-in. By allowing guests to complete check-in digitally before arriving, the hotel has significantly reduced the amount of time spent at the front desk.

This has proven especially valuable during peak periods or late-night arrivals, when staff availability is limited. Instead of collecting passports and filling out forms, the team can focus on welcoming guests, providing local recommendations, or managing other tasks.

Looking ahead, Carlton Hotel is also in the process of integrating Salto’s digital key system in their Lighthouse tech stack, which will eventually allow fully contactless arrivals. Guests will be able to check in online and go straight to their room, no stop at reception needed.

Together, these features don’t just improve efficiency. They elevate the overall experience, ensuring guests feel taken care of before they even walk through the door.

A system that supports strategic growth

Today, Carlton Hotel operates as a well-oiled, technology-supported property. But the goal isn’t just operational efficiency, it’s future growth. Jeffrey and his brother are actively exploring a third hotel project, and they credit their ability to take that step to the automation and stability they’ve built into their current setup.

Because tasks like rate updates, restriction management, check-ins, and team scheduling are largely automated or simplified, they’re free to focus on expansion, partnerships, and long-term planning.

What began as a small, hands-on operation now runs with the confidence of a large organization, without sacrificing the personal touch that defines it.

Final thoughts

Carlton Hotel’s journey with Lighthouse began with the earliest version of Channel Manager and grew alongside it. Over the years, the tools have evolved, the interface has improved, and the integrations have deepened. But what hasn’t changed is the platform’s core value: stability, clarity, and time savings for independent hoteliers.

With Channel Manager and Reservation Manager seamlessly working together behind the scenes, Carlton’s team is able to focus on their guests, their strategy, and their future instead of on time-consuming, manual tasks.