Best Western and SIHOT

With 134 rooms spread across two buildings, an in-house restaurant, a wellness area and a bar, the Palatin Hotel in Wiesloch offers top-level comfort and hospitality. However, the hotel is much more than just a place to stay. Managing a public underground parking garage with 416 spaces and serving as a venue for events and cultural gatherings, the Palatin is a central hub for the region.

From conferences and trade fairs to gala events, the Palatin Hotel covers a wide range of functions with its 16 event rooms, including a hall that accommodates up to 1,260 guests. Whether it’s political meetings, weddings, gala dinners or Oktoberfest celebrations, every event is executed flawlessly with customized catering options, innovative technology and a comprehensive entertainment concept. These diverse services set the Palatin Hotel apart from traditional hotels.

The Palatin Hotel’s previous Property Management System (PMS) was outdated and no longer met the demands of the digital era. A virtual customer journey, including digital Check-in, was not possible—an essential shortcoming in today’s increasingly digital world.

Given the hotel’s complexity, the need for a central system to efficiently manage all operational processes became more pressing. The search for a new PMS began in 2019, but many providers failed to meet the Palatin’s specific requirements. After extensive research the hotel which belongs to the Best Western Group finally found the ideal partner: SIHOT. Tailored solutions were created for all the hotel’s unique needs.

The decision to choose SIHOT as the new PMS system was driven by one key factor: customizability. Given its numerous departments and specialized requirements, the Palatin Hotel needed a solution that could adapt flexibly to its operations. SIHOT offers precisely that—nearly every product can be customized to fit each department’s specific needs.

This flexibility sets SIHOT apart from the competition—custom solutions are developed, programmed and implemented to address specific challenges. Additionally, the system enables seamless integration between different areas such as the hotel, restaurant, parking garage and event management.

For the Palatin Hotel as a large event venue, SIHOT.C&B was particularly crucial. This event management solution not only facilitates comprehensive event administration but also allows for customized user interfaces. Given the hotel’s wide variety of events—from political congresses to major gala nights—the system had to be capable of handling this diversity. From generating event proposals and function sheets to final billing, everything can be managed automatically within the system. The complexity and diversity of events at the Palatin are further highlighted by its extensive service catalogue—just within the technical domain, there are over 800 different service items available.

The implementation of multiple SIHOT products has been a key step in digitization for the Palatin Hotel, significantly enhancing the customer journey. Departments are now better connected and work more efficiently — benefiting both staff and guests alike. The integration of the following SIHOT products has optimized internal operations and improved the guest experience:

• SIHOT.PMS: The Property Management System provides all essential front-office, reservation, and housekeeping functionalities in a dynamic interface. Thanks to its modularity, each department can tailor the system to its specific needs. This was a primary reason for choosing SIHOT — every department received customized solutions that perfectly fit their requirements.
• SIHOT.POS: The restaurant’s point-of-sale system brought significant improvements to the hotel’s dining services. Previously, orders could only be processed at central cash registers, but SIHOT.POS now allows direct ordering at the table. This saves time, reduces staff movement and enhances service efficiency. Seamless integration with the PMS also allows guests to consolidate hotel and restaurant bills, while preferences such as food allergies and special requests are automatically transferred between systems.
• SIHOT.C&B: As a major event venue, the Palatin Hotel heavily relies on SIHOT.C&B for event planning and management. This tool enables easy room planning, equipment management and package coordination, all linked to hotel reservations. Additionally, through integration with SIHOT.POS, event services can be directly billed. The system’s high adaptability makes it the perfect fit for the hotel’s diverse event business.
• SIHOT.GO!: Implementing SIHOT.GO! was a logical next step towards a digital customer journey. Guests can enter their personal details before arrival, manage their reservations and Check–in via the app — only needing to pick up their room key upon arrival. They can also prepay, reducing front desk workload and making Check-in faster and more seamless.
• SIHOT.KIOSK: To manage high reception traffic — especially due to the integrated theatre box office — the Palatin Hotel plans to introduce Self-Check-in Terminals. These will provide an additional Check-in option for guests and help alleviate reception bottlenecks during peak hours.

In summary, the Palatin Hotel required a customized solution to seamlessly integrate its diverse event operations into hotel management. SIHOT delivered precisely that. Since implementation, the Check-in process has significantly improved and staff now have a comprehensive overview of all upcoming events. The result: greater efficiency, satisfied guests and seamless coordination between hotel and event operations.