Barberstown Castle Hotel, a 61-bed venue in County Kildare, teamed up with Net Affinity in 2022 to help widen its appeal beyond just weekend weddings to include leisure holidaymakers and corporate business guests.
To achieve this, the 61-bedroom hotel needed a functional booking engine and an optimised website to generate direct bookings and increase sales of gift vouchers – a primary source of revenue during the off-season periods.
Net Affinity provided a seamless and user-friendly digital solution that perfectly aligned with Barberstown Castle Hotel’s ambition to be known as ‘Ireland’s friendliest hotel.’ A fully branded voucher system was introduced, to make it easier for guests to buy and redeem vouchers, while website optimisation facilitated easy direct bookings, supporting the hotel's growth.
The results have been impressive, with the venue seeing growth in voucher sales by 30% and a significant year-on-year rise in direct bookings – revenue grew by 43% in 2023 and a further 4% in 2024.
Ted Robinson, Managing Director for Barberstown Castle Hotel, said: "For us, the decision to use Net Affinity was a no-brainer. Their hospitality technology expertise has played a critical role in defining our online presence, so that each touchpoint from our website to the booking engine provides a seamless and intuitive experience for our guests. Their team's strategic advice and continuing guidance have not only enabled us to grow our direct bookings, but also dramatically increased our sales of gift vouchers."
He continued: “By optimising our online platform and rolling out a fully branded voucher system, we’ve really solidified our status as a year-round destination, attracting both leisure and corporate guests beyond just weekend weddings. Beyond the tech side, continuous collaboration and expert support have been essential in helping the hotel adapt to industry trends.”
Net Affinity's website utilises the most up-to-date booking engine technology to grow direct bookings and generate commercial success for independent, resort and group hotels. By keeping booking easy, Net Affinity enables hoteliers to focus on guest experience creation while growing their direct business.
Reflecting on the success of the partnership, William Cotter, Founder and Managing Director of Net Affinity, said: "We are thrilled to be assisting Barberstown Castle Hotel through its online development, ensuring their online presence mirrors the warm hospitality and heritage that they provide their visitors. Our technology aims to streamline the booking process while maximising direct revenue, and it’s amazing to see the positive impact it’s already had on their business. As they continue to develop into a year-round destination, we’re excited to be part of their ongoing success.”