Bed & breakfast cuts constant interruptions and drove revenue from upsells

The Villa Toscana was overwhelmed by endless early check-in and late checkout requests. With Akia, those questions became automated upsells worth $1.1k per month.

75%

reduction in repetitive questions

$1,153

average monthly upsell revenue

About

Villa Toscana is a charming 8-room bed & breakfast run by owner-operators Ashley and Brandon. Located in the heart of Chicago, the property offers a home-like, welcoming stay with a focus on comfort, privacy, and personalized guest service. Since opening in July 2020, it has built a reputation for streamlined, high-touch hospitality without the overhead of a full front desk.

Integrations
Key Features
AI Agents, Mini Apps, Journeys, Smart Upsells, Cashless Tipping
Property Type
Bed & Breakfast
Property Size
8 rooms
Challenge

Running an 8-room bed & breakfast without a front desk meant constant interruptions for the owner. Guests were constantly asking if they could check in early or check out late, but since it wasn’t offered as a purchase option, every request required a manual response. Over time, those back-and-forth messages disrupted the schedule and the cleaners’ flow. Managing these requests one by one wasn’t sustainable. 

Solution

Ashley used Akia to turn recurring requests into upsells. Instead of messaging back and forth, guests now see early check-in, late checkout, cleaning, parking, and cashless tipping options directly in their registration card, check-in instructions, and checkout flows.

Upsells become orders, not messages

Previously, The Villa Toscana had to respond to nearly every guest asking, “Can I check in early?” With Akia, those questions disappear and are automatically offered. Guests simply choose early check-in (or opt-in options) themselves, and the request appears in the Orders dashboard.

Review and approve orders immediately

They can review all incoming orders with room details, timing, and payment in one place, then approve them with a single click. Once approved, a confirmation is automatically sent to the guest with the details they need, eliminating the back-and-forth of guests asking if something is available or not.

Example: After purchasing parking, the guest is sent an automated message for parking instructions.

Tiered pricing

Early check-in can be sold in increments ($10 for 1 hour, doubling each hour).

Same-day arrivals

If a guest didn’t pre-purchase early check-in, but their room happens to be cleaned and ready earlier than expected, Villa Toscana would send a message that their room is ready to capture last-minute requests.

Housekeeping stays in flow

Because orders are tracked in one dashboard, housekeeping can prioritize rooms that need early turnover without disrupting cleaning routine.

See Akia in action!

Schedule a demo today and learn how our hospitality platform can transform your operations and elevate your guest experience.

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Results

75%

reduction in repetitive questions

$1,153

average monthly upsell revenue

Before, almost every guest asked about early check-in. Now, it’s automated. Guests who want it can just purchase, and I don’t have to keep answering the same question over and over.

Ashley Cornwell

Owner

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