Albergo Centrale

Tell us about your property

Albergo Centrale was opened in Lamezia Terme by my great-grandparents in 1920. Over the years, it has welcomed many notable figures, some of whom mentioned it in their works—it’s an institution in the city.

My family has endless love for this place. Eight years ago, I decided to take over the property for sentimental reasons: I promised my mother I would turn it into a gem, and I succeeded. The renovation took a long time—ten years, four of which were tied up in bureaucracy—but now I’m completely satisfied.

I’ve traveled the world as a backpacker, lived abroad for years, and am a nature-loving animal rights advocate and surfer. I wanted the hotel to reflect my values: a design-forward, eco-friendly structure with no plaster or silicone. We’re the first certified ClimaHotel in Calabria and south of Florence.

Our journey hasn’t been easy; we opened in 2019, right before the pandemic. But once the lockdown ended, things took off: with 11 rooms, we’re nearly always full, and early 2023 data shows a 60% increase compared to 2022.

We’ve also been warmly received by the local community. On the ground floor, we’ve set up a bar where locals come for aperitivo, and weekends are especially lively thanks to this space.

Regular guests make up the majority of our clientele. Many were familiar with the fixed pricing model and questioned the change. I explain that the world has changed—everything is variable now: flights, hotels, even utility bills. That’s just the nature of business.

How did you set rates before Smartpricing?

At first, I used a fixed price list that I created myself, based on two seasons: high and low. For our opening, I adopted a highly aggressive pricing strategy, which quickly brought in satisfying results.

As we grew, we began adding services, such as opening a fitness club that provides wellness programs for hotel guests.

I want everyone to be captivated by what we offer. We’re going all out to exceed customer expectations and deliver an incredible experience.

To support this growth, we transitioned from fixed to dynamic pricing. However, doing this manually was an enormous, daily task that consumed a lot of time.

What convinced you to try and adopt Smartpricing?

Since I’m not from the hospitality sector, I made an effort to educate myself. I read extensively about the future of hospitality through in-person and online courses. Also, I’m a tech enthusiast—it’s my passion. I spend countless nights exploring new solutions.

During one of these late-night searches, I came across Smartpricing. Later, I met the team at a trade fair and decided to see if even a small property like mine could implement revenue management.

How has your work changed with Smartpricing?

Even though it’s only been a short time since we started working together, my impression is extremely positive, and the initial data shows excellent results.

Thanks to Smartpricing, I’ve significantly simplified management and am moving toward my ultimate goal: achieving the highest level of automation possible for the hotel.

Do you use Smartpricing with regular guests?

For me, working in Lamezia Terme and primarily serving business travelers, regular guests make up the majority of my clientele. They all got to know us when we had fixed rates and, understandably, questioned the price changes.

I explain that the world has changed and that everything—flights, hotels, even utility bills—has become variable. That’s just how the game works now.

Would you go back to the old way of setting prices?

No, I wouldn’t go back. On the contrary, I’m constantly focused on finding new experiences to offer guests, improving our service even further, and, alongside dynamic pricing, continuing to grow my revenue.