6. June 2025

Sustainability starts with smart operations: The Views Hotels story

Nestled on the sun-drenched island of Madeira, The Views Hotels group is more than just a collection of properties. With 750 rooms across three hotels - The Baía, The Monumental, and The Oasis - this family-owned brand is leading a revolution in sustainable hospitality. 

At the heart of it is Operations Manager Sergio Costa, who has been instrumental in transforming their vision of eco-conscious hospitality into a daily reality.

"Sustainability is at the core of our business," says Sergio. "We have been ISO 14001 certified since 2011. From the day we had this vision, we sought solutions to make our hotels greener."

That vision has led to everything from solar panels to LED lighting. But one major challenge remained: the day-to-day operations were still running on paper.

Increasingly, sustainability in hospitality is being driven by behind-the-scenes tech - systems that help teams work more efficiently, reduce waste, and personalise the guest experience. Here's how hotels are using AI and automation to do just that.

The operational roadblock: paper trails and miscommunication

The Views Hotels team has always had strong sustainability ambitions. But the hotel’s internal workflows told a different story. 

Housekeeping schedules, maintenance requests, even room readiness updates were all managed on paper or over the phone. And with no centralised digital system, miscommunications were frequent.

"It was all phone calls and paper trails," Sergio explains. "Miscommunication was constant."

The team had already been working with Host PMS for over a decade, which held crucial operational data. But they needed a way to bring that data to life - and that’s where Sweeply came in.

The turning point: introducing Sweeply and managing change

Any new tech solution brings a degree of uncertainty. But with Sweeply, the transition was smoother than expected. The Sweeply team flew to Madeira to carry out implementation on-site.

"It took us about three days – not full days, just a couple of hours each. By the fourth day, people were comfortable. After a month, we stopped paper completely."

Sergio knew change management would be key. He asked for in-person support, and Sweeply delivered. The approach reflected a growing industry trend: that success with digital tools depends on empathetic rollout, simplicity, and genuine human help - a model increasingly embraced across modern hospitality operations. 

Operational transformation: from manual chaos to smart, sustainable workflows

The benefits of having Sweeply in place were immediate. Teams across departments could communicate more clearly, with staff quickly recognising icons and what they meant - making life easier for everyone.

Housekeeping managers gained real-time visibility. Front desk agents could inform guests about their room status without guesswork. And Sergio could ensure fairness in task allocation.

"It was a game changer," he says. "Everyone is connected in one system now."

More importantly, Sweeply brought The Views’ sustainability goals to life. Paper was eliminated. The "No Clean" programme - where guests opt out of daily housekeeping - became easier to manage and track. And operations became leaner, faster, and more aligned with its ethos. 

The Views Oasis: Maximizing Room Revenue by minimizing Housekeeping load

In one year of Partnership with Sweeply, The Views Oasis achieved significant operational efficiencies and cost savings. 

On average, housekeeping activities were reduced by 60%, as many guests opted to skip daily room cleaning. This behavioral shift led to substantial financial benefits, including a monthly saving of 25€ per room in housekeeping salaries—calculated based on a standard salary of 1,350€ per month. Additionally, the hotel saved 2.1€ per room per month on energy and water consumption, resulting in a total monthly saving of approximately 420€ in utility costs. 

In total, The Views Oasis achieved an estimated monthly savings of 5,370€, demonstrating the tangible financial impact of optimizing housekeeping operations with Sweeply.

A connected tech ecosystem that drives real results

The Views' operational success isn’t down to just one tool. Let’s take a look at the tech used behind-the-scenes at the hotel.

Cloud PMS System  

Host PMS has been a trusted partner of The Views for over a decade - acting as the operational brain of the hotel and the single source of truth across departments. Its flexible architecture enables seamless, two-way integrations with platforms like Sweeply, allowing the entire tech stack to work in sync.

Sweeply pulls real-time data from Host - like room status and housekeeping schedules - and pushes updates back instantly, triggering cleaning tasks and room turns without manual follow-up.

Self-service kiosks

The Views has also recently redesigned its lobby to incorporate more self-service kiosks powered by Host. The goal here is not to replace staff, or limit the amount of human interactions guests experience with the team. Instead, it’s to reduce an administrative burden - which in turn, frees up staff to focus on moments that surprise and delight.

Connected Guest Experience 

The Views partners with UpMarket to keep guest experience and communication top-tier. Guests use the app to request services, give feedback, and interact with the team - reducing the burden on the front desk.

Soon, thanks to integrations between UpMarket, Host, and Sweeply, guests will be able to select their cleaning preferences directly when booking. 

"This is something we’re testing now," Sergio adds. "Once connected, Sweeply will handle the operations side automatically."

The long-term impact: a hotel ready for what’s next

By streamlining operations, The Views Hotels unlocked time, insight, and energy to think bigger. Front office teams are no longer stuck behind desks - they’re out in the lobby, engaging guests. The group is even reimagining its hotel architecture to match this people-first, tech-driven vision.

"Thanks to tools like Sweeply, we can now focus more on the guest - and that’s what hospitality should be," says Sergio.

And coming up? Regenerative tourism. The Views is already in discussions with experts to move toward a model that gives back to the local community and environment.

Sustainability isn’t a department. It’s how you do everything. And at The Views, that starts with operations: less paperwork, fewer missed tasks, and more time for what really matters.

Sweeply helps hotels like The Views put their values into practice - every single day. Ready to future-proof your hotel with greener, smarter operations? Book a demo with Sweeply.