Wandery sets a new standard with their tech-driven hostel experience

For Wandery, evoking a sense of community and creating social experiences is non-negotiable. While Michael, Ed, Mirjam, and Daniel prioritized automation as part of their tech-driven operations, they also sought to free up valuable time for their staff to create meaningful interactions with guests. 

A social and engaging atmosphere remains at the heart of the Wandery experience. Shared spaces like kitchens and lounges, as well as organized weekly events, foster a sense of community among guests from diverse backgrounds. 

It’s about “removing the admin stuff and keeping the fun stuff.”

By virtue of having a tech-driven micro-hostel, this enables Wandery’s business model to be scalable and efficient, allowing them to manage a hostel with a limited number of onsite staff. 

Wandery’s usage of Cloudbeds’ website builder also simplifies the hostel’s booking management and integrates efficiently with the founders’ existing tech stack, enhancing the guest experience even before arrival.

Seamless digital check-ins

To keep check-ins contactless and effortless, Wandery utilizes various tools to automate guest communication and daily tasks, minimizing the need for manual intervention from staff. 

100% digital check-in is almost non-existent in the hostel space as of yet. I think we're just at the beginning of the contactless experience for hostels.

Mirjam Neuenschwander, Co-Founder at Wandery

Encouraging independent guest experiences while reducing employee workloads, Wandery currently utilizes Cloudbeds PMS, Goki for integrated guest experiences, and Whistle for Cloudbeds to communicate effectively.

In turn, fewer questions and guest inquiries mean less time spent answering calls or emails. The amount of time spent answering basic guest questions via phone has drastically decreased, going from 12-13 hours per month down to 30-40 minutes. Furthermore, Michael states that thanks to Cloudbeds’ automation, he now only spends an optional one day per week at the property, compared to seven days per week when they first opened.

Remote management and data-driven insights

Cloud-based operations enable remote management, cutting down daily hours spent at the hostel by its founders, allowing for more time to prioritize and train new staff, particularly students. This empowers Wandery’s employees to be versatile and adaptable for potential roles in future hostel expansions.

Cloudbeds supports integrations like Pricepoint for revenue management, allowing Wandery to collect more data and gain better insights as they continue to scale. 

The platform also facilitates reporting on accounting and invoicing. “I look at the RevPAR report several times a day. It gives me an overview of how the day is going and I make decisions based on that,” says Daniel.

Ease of use and staff success

With Cloudbeds, Wandery receives the intuitive solutions it needs to get all staff onboarded. “Our reservations manager, who had prior experience using a PMS, jumped right into using Cloudbeds and understood everything,” shares Michael. “The only questions she had were related to our own rules and procedures.” 

“Our housekeepers had never used a PMS, so it was their first time learning the system easily. From my experience, and I’ve used quite a lot of different PMS systems, including the old-school ones, Cloudbeds is intuitive, simple, and straightforward.”

Thanks to the efficiencies created with Cloudbeds and their automated systems, Michael’s goal is to train staff at their current property and then enable them to manage the next property they open.

With Cloudbeds as their backbone, Wandery continues to build momentum in expanding and redefining the hostel experience. “One way we measure our success: the fewer questions people need to ask, the better,” says Michael.

Even during the low season, Wandery’s occupancy rates exceeded expectations. November rates outperformed June, and projections for May 2025 show a four-time increase over May 2024. 

It was very interesting to see how different prices influenced specific target groups. Now, we understand more and are confident in strategic-level decision-making.

Daniel Snisar, CMO & Co-Founder at Wandery

The founders envision a centralized database to aggregate data from OTA channels, PMS, and key systems. This data will analyze guest behavior, identify areas for improvement, benchmark performance, and enable better decision-making to drive growth.

Presently, Cloudbeds continues to play a significant role in Wandery’s journey, optimizing operations and helping to expand the business. “We’re excited to start growing hubs in Europe. When we have a stable base, I think we’ll look to expand globally,” shares Mirjam.