Fenwick Islander + Guestfolio CRM

How a seaside inn broke free of the OTAs with Guestfolio CRM

Everyone is family at Fenwick Islander, including the team running the place. “It’s me, my wife, my mother, mother-in-law, 3 sons, daughter and my step-father,” says Tom Sites, Owner and General Manager. Tom Sites, who’s also the local high-school principal, operates the “quiet resort” with his friendly clan in serene Fenwick Island near Ocean City, MD.

As an independent hotel, Fenwick Islander needed to keep marketing and acquisition costs low with a tight grip. To get on travelers’ radar, Fenwick Islander had previously depended on the OTAs, which took around 15-30% commission cuts on bookings. With Guestfolio CRM, Fenwick Islander moved away from the OTAs to a direct booking strategy that has resulted in 95-100% occupancy.

Success stats: 

• 70% of reviews rated as “Excellent” or “Very Good”
• 512% increase in TripAdvisor review volume
• 86% of TripAdvisor reviews attributed to Guestfolio
• 61% open rate on emails sent through Guestfolio