About Book NOLA
Founded in May 2018, Book NOLA was established the afternoon of founder Mike Springer’s final law school exam, after growing from a small co-hosting business into a full-fledged vacation rental management company. By leveraging technology, branding, and SEO-driven marketing, Book NOLA has become a market leader in New Orleans, providing guests with an authentic and seamless travel experience while maximizing direct bookings.
From French and Spanish-inspired architecture to the flavors of authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine, and the soulful sounds of Jazz and Zydeco music, every stay is designed to capture the essence of New Orleans. More than just a destination for revelry, Book NOLA offers curated stays that connect travelers with the city’s local art, music, and culinary scene—ensuring an unforgettable experience.
By leveraging StayFi and Hostfully, Book NOLA has taken control of guest data, streamlined operations, and scaled direct bookings from 1% to 10%—reducing reliance on OTAs like Airbnb.
“If you do not own your guest contact info, you don’t own your business.”
— Mike Springer, Book NOLA
Results Overview
- Direct booking rate grew from 1% to 10%
- 18,116 unique guest emails collected for direct marketing
- Proactive outage tracking helped eliminate WiFi issues at a key property
- Improved brand awareness through branded WiFi splash pages
- Enhanced compliance with local occupancy regulations using StayFi’s monitoring tools
Size
Book NOLA has 55 active properties under management.
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
StayFi Tools Activated
The Results
Owning Guest Data & Driving Direct Bookings
Book NOLA turned to StayFi and Hostfully to take full control of their guest data and marketing strategy. By capturing guest contact information through StayFi’s branded WiFi splash pages, they increased direct bookings tenfold—from 1% to 10% in under two years.
“StayFi has allowed us to further ingrain our brand in the minds of our guests. Guests not only see our branded WiFi but also land on our branded splash page, which showcases curated information and highlights how booking direct saves them time and money.”
Since implementing StayFi, Book NOLA has collected 18,116 unique guest emails, allowing for highly targeted email marketing campaigns that increase repeat bookings. Rather than generic newsletters, they send personalized promotions based on guest interests, travel history, and past stays.
Book NOLA’s SEO-first marketing strategy has allowed them to increase website traffic by 260% YoY, relying exclusively on organic search, relevant blog content, and personalized email marketing—without spending on ads.
Scaling Operations & Guest Experience with Hostfully
StayFi helped Book NOLA capture guest data and increase brand awareness, but Hostfully’s robust PMS has been essential in streamlining operations and maintaining high occupancy rates.
“Hostfully has been a consistent hub for innovation at our company, constantly rolling out new integrations with emerging industry players to ensure we remain at the forefront of technology in our space.”
Through Hostfully’s centralized PMS and integration network, Book NOLA benefits from:
- Seamless channel distribution across OTAs & direct booking platforms
- Automated guest messaging and pre-arrival data collection
- Dynamic pricing tools with Quibble to optimize rates based on market demand
- Custom guest guidebooks to enhance the stay experience
- Internal marketing automation that allows for a high-touch guest experience at scale
- Custom guest experiences, including free early check-ins and late check-outs for direct bookings
By using Hostfully’s guest experience tools, Book NOLA delivers a seamless and personalized stay for every guest while optimizing operational efficiency. From automated messaging and dynamic pricing to custom guidebooks and pre-arrival data collection, Hostfully’s platform empowers Book NOLA to provide a high-touch experience at scale.
Proactive Monitoring for Connectivity & Compliance
StayFi’s WiFi monitoring and outage tracking tools have helped Book NOLA address connectivity challenges, allowing them to provide a seamless experience for guests while ensuring their properties operate efficiently.
“We were able to use StayFi outage tracking to show a client how terrible their ISP was, despite repeated failed attempts to resolve issues. This prompted them to change ISPs and eliminate WiFi issues at that property.”
Beyond connectivity, StayFi’s occupancy monitoring has played a critical role in ensuring compliance with local short-term rental regulations, preventing over-occupancy and unauthorized parties.
“Keeping track of WiFi users has allowed us to proactively stop over-occupancy and potential parties, both of which are illegal per local regulations and put our short-term rental operator license at risk. This allows our clients and our team to rest easier knowing our units are being monitored for such violations.”
Branding, SEO, and the Path to Direct Bookings
Book NOLA has built a strong brand identity that ensures guests interact with their name at multiple touchpoints throughout their stay. From the moment guests log into StayFi’s branded WiFi, they are welcomed into the Book NOLA experience. Beyond digital branding, custom throw pillows, coffee mugs, keychains, fridge magnets, and post-stay texts keep the Book NOLA name front and center, reinforcing their identity long after checkout.
Their website is optimized not just for aesthetics but for converting visitors into direct bookings. By integrating a price comparison tool, guests can instantly see the cost savings of booking directly versus using OTAs. Showcasing authentic guest reviews builds trust and confidence in potential travelers, further encouraging direct bookings.
Content marketing has been a crucial part of their growth strategy. SEO-driven blog content brings in 7,000-10,000 organic visitors per month, positioning Book NOLA as a trusted resource for New Orleans travelers. Hyper-personalized email marketing keeps guests engaged post-stay, targeting past visitors with relevant promotions based on their travel history and preferences. Additionally, loyalty segmentation ensures repeat guests receive exclusive deals, increasing the likelihood of them booking directly in the future.
Mike says, “The best marketing is a great guest experience—guests will return and tell their friends. There’s no higher-value marketing than word-of-mouth.”
Final Thoughts
For short-term rental operators looking to take control of their guest relationships, Book NOLA’s success story serves as a testament to the power of StayFi and Hostfully. As Mike Springer puts it:
“We’ve all heard the horror stories of Hosts being kicked off Airbnb without warning for a number of reasons – what would you do if that happened to your business? A great direct booking website and internal marketing machine put control of your business back in your hands. “
By leveraging StayFi, Hostfully, SEO, and a powerful brand identity, Book NOLA has transformed into a market leader, growing direct bookings, strengthening guest loyalty, and scaling operations efficiently.
