Medina Palms Resort, Kenya
“Guests enjoy the tranquillity and privacy of dining in their villas which is evidenced by the 84% increase in F&B revenue year on year”
Medina Palms offers luxury accommodation on one of the most spectacular and unspoiled beaches of the Indian Ocean in Watamu, Kenya.
This ground-breaking hotel offers a range of luxury suites and villas, with views over tropical gardens and pools, tree top-level penthouses with inner courtyards, and magnificent beachfront villas. The hotel’s gastronomic outlets include its signature Amandina Restaurant, the sophisticated Long Bar and Star Lounge, as well as its tropical coffee garden.
“Introducing IRIS® has initiated a transformation in the way our F&B department accepts and processes orders. Even on the African shores of the Indian Ocean, the implementation and training by the IRIS® team has been quick, simple and highly professional.
The QR code ordering process, from the comfort of a poolside bed, or a sea view suite, has increased our sales tremendously.
I enjoy having the app, it adds a layer of technology and innovation and helps us become more future proofed for the next generation of travellers. We promote tranquillity and unique experiences, and the IRIS app helps us to facilitate this.
I highly recommend the product and the team behind it.”
Hotel Requirements
The hotel’s main ethos is to promote a peaceful and relaxing experience. As such, they wanted to provide guests with a personalised, contactless means of ordering food and drink to enjoy in the comfort of their own suite or by the poolside.
They wanted to position themselves as a forward-thinking hotel that can cater for the needs of digital-savvy guests who prefer to manage their stay themselves, on their own devices.
Solutions Installed
Benefits
Contactless orders
The software was implemented during Covid to ensure the hotel could carry on trading whilst adhering to contactless measures. The hotel had always wanted to implement a digital experience for guests, so this was the right time to start.
Increased F&B revenue
Medina Palms allows guests to customise their dining and refreshment options to create a more personalised hospitality experience. In-room orders and private dining are so far proving the most popular.
Orders and revenue from the hotel’s F&B outlets increased by, on average, 84% year on year (September 2021 v 2022) - evidence of how much the guests enjoy the tranquillity and privacy of dining in their villas. It’s also a reflection of how digitally savvy today's consumers are and their preferences for personalising and managing their own stay.
Future-proofed
The hotel recognises that the trend towards mobile ordering shows no sign of abating, and guest demand for digital experiences is increasing – especially amongst Generation Z guests.
The hotel feels that they are now well-placed to serve the next generation of guests and is future-proofed for when the mindset shifts even more, and it becomes the expected means of ordering. More and more is done on mobile phones, so the hotel wanted to reflect this option throughout the property.
Personalised guest experience
The hotel promotes restfulness and rare experiences, and if guests seek peace, quiet and space, then guests can order from the home dining menus and dine privately in their own suite or villa.
Perfect for when guests don’t want to get ready or dress up, they can enjoy a meal and drinks in a more relaxed setting, in their bath robes or swimsuits for example, and make use of their luxury suite!
Plus, with the order history tab, guests can also review their orders and spend.
Easy QR code ordering
QR codes became the standard during Covid, and guests are familiar with and are happy to use them. At the hotel, QR codes work well in directing their guests to the digital menus and hotel information. They display the QR codes on check-in registration forms, on coffee tables in the garden, around the pool, at the beach and in the bedrooms.
Range of options available
Guests can order from the hotel’s two F&B outlets:
Amandina Restaurant – the hotel’s signature restaurant offering a range of dishes and alcoholic beverages.
The hotel can state when the items are available until and how long delivery will be – guests can select when they want to have an item delivered e.g breakfast to their room the next morning. Guests can get these dishes delivered to their room or to one of the pools or the beach – or even arrange for it to be picked up.
Coffee Garden - set amongst indigenous rainforest trees, this garden terrace serves Kenya’s finest coffee as well as fresh pastries for breakfast, afternoon tea and ice creams.
Guests can select from the extensive menu and choose from a range of food items, snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages – teas, coffees, cocktails, wine etc – to be delivered to their location.
Best of both worlds
The hotel enjoys providing their guests with the option of digital ordering, along with personal service from the waiters who enjoy talking and interacting with the guests when serving their food - they feel this is the best of both worlds, for both staff and guests.
Efficient support
The staff find the platform easy to use and manage. When they need to contact the IRIS support team, they find that they’re quick to help and resolve queries.
