Sharon Cowley, Sales Director at Net Affinity, and Quinten Gazendam, Director of Sales and Marketing at Smarthotel, shared their insights on how this collaboration is benefiting hoteliers and their shared vision for the future.

A partnership built on strengths

Sharon Cowley of Net Affinity reflects on the benefits of working with Smarthotel: “Our collaboration allows us to compete with other providers that offer a broader range of services. With Smarthotel’s flexible infrastructure, we can now build custom connections — particularly valuable for region-specific strategies or even GDS.”

Meanwhile, Quinten Gazendam of Smarthotel emphasised how the companies’ complementary strengths are central to the partnership: “At Smarthotel, we specialise in distribution, PMS connectivity and payments. Net Affinity brings expertise in booking engines and digital marketing. Combining our skills provides a holistic solution for hoteliers that covers both front-end bookings and back-end operations.”

Working together to maximise hotel revenue and guest satisfaction

The main takeaway from their conversation is that while Net Affinity and Smarthotel are separate entities, their collaboration brings new opportunities to streamline hotel operations and revenue management. This partnership offers a seamless integration between booking engines, digital marketing, PMS and payment solutions.

For instance, hoteliers are now benefiting from faster issue resolution. Previously, hotels had to coordinate across multiple vendors when facing rate and package mismatches between websites and OTAs. Now, with the shared support team, issues are resolved quickly, saving time and reducing complexity.

Quinten added: “Previously, dealing with niche OTA connectivity was a dead-end. Now, we can build custom connections for our clients globally. This flexibility ensures we meet the unique needs of every hotelier we work with.”

What this collaboration means for the hotels

Here are a few ways the collaboration is already delivering tangible value:

Quicker resolution times: Clients now deal with one team who understands both sides of the system – cutting delays and increasing satisfaction.

Rate and package mismatches: Resolved faster with integrated support across website and OTA channels. Now, with joined-up support, issues are resolved quickly by one support team together.

Marketing that syncs with live data: Campaigns from Net Affinity are now backed by real-time availability updates, closing the loop between demand and inventory.

Automated payments: Smart Payments suite helps hotels collect OTA payments or send paylinks for group bookings, reducing manual admin and elevating the guest journey.

How hotels are already seeing the benefits 

One standout example of this collaboration is The Hawthorn Hotel, a stunning new property opening in 2026 on Ireland’s West Coast.

From day one, The Hawthorn has partnered with Net Affinity and Smarthotel to create an effortless, guest-centric digital ecosystem — all before their first guest checks in.

The hotel’s tech stack is mobile-first and revenue-driven, combining Net Affinity’s booking engine and marketing tools with Smarthotel’s channel manager and PMS integrations. The hotel is benefiting from a fully connected journey from pre-arrival to post-stay, designed to boost conversion, reduce friction and elevate the guest experience.

Watch the full interview here:

Looking at future prospects

Sharon and Quinten are excited about what lies ahead for the collaboration. Sharon sums it up perfectly: “It’s not just about now, it’s about guaranteeing our presence in the next decade. Our clients want stability and with this partnership, we’re future proofing our services.”

Quinten adds: “We’ve found a groove with Net Affinity. The synergy between our teams is strong and that’s where the real value lies – creating a better, more integrated experience for hoteliers.”

This corporation between Net Affinity and Smarthotel will be the ultimate solution for hoteliers to drive direct bookings, depend less on OTAs and increase their revenue strategies across Europe. 

For hoteliers looking for tailored digital solutions to grow their business, this partnership offers the perfect combination of expertise, innovation and customer-first values.

For more information about the Hotel Tech Group, please visit https://www.hoteltechgroup.com/ and to learn more about Net Affinity’s partner, Smarthotel, visit https://www.smarthotel.nl/.

One standout example is The Hawthorn by Galway Bay, set to open in Spring 2026 as Ireland’s newest five-star luxury hotel. The hotel is partnering with Net Affinity to create a future-proof, guest-first digital ecosystem – ensuring every touchpoint feels effortless and personalised.

This strategy marks a shift in mindset across the sector: technology is no longer an afterthought but a foundational element of modern hotel design and operations.

“We’re not just investing in systems – we’re investing in the future guest experience,” said Aisling Kennedy, Group Marketing Manager at Connacht Hospitality Group.

A tech stack built around tomorrow’s guest

From first interaction to final check-out, The Hawthorn is using technology to anticipate guest needs and enhance both service and efficiency.

At the core is a mobile-first booking engine from Net Affinity – optimised for conversion, personalised journeys and seamless mobile payments. The wider digital ecosystem includes a fully integrated CRM and PMS to automate communications, streamline operations and support meaningful guest relationships at scale.

“Whether it’s contactless check-ins or in-room smart features, our goal is to offer experiences that are intuitive, personal and designed for the modern traveller,” Aisling added.

Seamless integration with Smarthotel for real-time revenue control

To support smarter revenue and distribution strategies, The Hawthorn has also partnered with Smarthotel, whose Channel Manager empowers hotel teams to manage rates, inventory and availability in real time – all from one central platform.

“Hotels today need fast, flexible systems,” said Quinten Gazendam, Chief Growth Officer at Smarthotel. “We’re reducing complexity while helping teams move at speed and scale.”

A model for future-ready hospitality

Commenting on the partnership, Sharon Power Cowley, Sales Director at Net Affinity, said:

“The Hawthorn’s strategy reflects what’s possible when technology is embedded from the outset. With full integration across guest touchpoints, they’re enabling smarter pricing, data-driven personalisation and more agile commercial decisions.”

With a scalable digital infrastructure and AI-ready foundations, The Hawthorn by Galway Bay is building more than a hotel – it’s crafting a guest experience designed for the future.

To learn more about The Hawthorn by Galway Bay, visit https://www.thehawthornhotel.ie/

For more on how Net Affinity supports leading hotels with future-ready tech, contact sales@netaffinity.com