Mews and Uber join forces: Guest transport moves directly into the hotel system
The technological partnership brings ride booking automation into the hotel system and directly links transport costs to the guest's hotel bill.
Hotel industry for decades, the logistics of guest transport has been handled in an old-fashioned way – by manually calling taxis at reception or sending emails to local transport companies. This segment of travel, although crucial for the overall experience, has largely remained outside the digital control of the hotels themselves. However, that could soon change thanks to a new technological partnership which directly links the global ride network and hotel operations.
Hotel operating system Mews has announced an integration with Uber, which will allow hotels to organise, track, and pay for transportation all within a single platform. The news, announced ahead of Mews' annual Unfold conference in Amsterdam, represents a clear step towards the digitalisation of ancillary hotel services.
Reception automation and clean bills through Mews Payments
The main goal of this integration is to relieve hotel staff and remove administrative pressure from the reception. The system is designed so that a ride can be initiated by either hotel staff or guests themselves through a digital portal. What makes this collaboration commercially interesting for hoteliers is the automated billing system.
The cost of rides is automatically linked to the guest's hotel bill via Mews Payments. This means less manual entry, zero paper invoices for guests to present at check-out, and a significantly reduced risk of billing errors. Additionally, hotels gain insight into their guests' travel habits, opening up opportunities for better service optimisation and the creation of personalised offers.
Ecosystem expansion and a solution for late shift work
Interestingly, this collaboration not only resolves logistics for guests but also offers practical application in internal human resource management. Hotels will be able to utilise the system to organise transport for their own employees, particularly those working late or night shifts, which is a common operational challenge in the hospitality industry.
For Uber, this is a continuation of a wider strategy to delve deeper into travel industry, This has recently been confirmed by their partnership with Expedia, enabling hotel bookings within the Uber app itself. On the other hand, Mews allows hotels to retain control over a larger part of the customer journey and more easily monetise ancillary revenues without complicating daily operations.
The project is currently in the development phase, with the launch of a pilot programme announced for the end of this year. As technological ecosystems within tourism increasingly overlap, hoteliers who are early adopters of such automated processes will have a significant advantage in boosting efficiency and creating a seamless experience for modern travellers.
