A beautiful blend of history and modern hospitality—this is what one experiences when setting foot into Hotel Berlin, Berlin, part of the Radisson Individuals portfolio. Established in 1958, it’s one of Germany’s oldest and largest hotels, with over 700 rooms. Today, it has fully embraced a modern, tech-forward philosophy.
Robert Broeck, the Digitalization Manager, is leading the digital transformation at the hotel, and started as a front office member in 2012. Now, his role involves implementing new technology to enhance guest experiences, improve operational efficiency, and drive revenue.
We spoke with Robert at the hotel’s beautiful café about the dynamic shift in their upselling strategy—and how Oaky has been a key player in their digitalization journey.
Hotel Berlin, Berlin Restaurant
Hotel Berlin, Berlin Lobby
The challenge: limitations of manual and static upselling
Before switching to Oaky, the hotel had used two other upselling solutions. While functional, these systems were rigid, labor-intensive, and lacked the flexibility to adapt to demand.
Key obstacles included:
Manual upselling processes: The previous systems required excessive manual effort, making upselling time-consuming and inconsistent.
Static pricing model: Fixed upgrade prices meant lost revenue when demand allowed for higher rates.
“A static upselling model where you always ask for €20 per upgrade isn’t efficient. We needed a dynamic, automated solution that could adjust pricing and maximize revenue," explains Robert.
At the same time, he also missed the flexibility to set maximum and minimum dynamic price ranges for the upgrades.
Inability to meet the needs of diverse guest segments: With 700+ rooms serving a diverse guest mix (business, leisure, and groups), the hotel needed a more personalized approach.
Limited guest engagement with hotel offers: Upselling was only happening at check-in, missing the opportunity to connect with guests before arrival and excite them about additional offerings.
To overcome these challenges, the hotel needed a solution that was dynamic, automated, and easily integrated into daily operations.
Why switching to Oaky was a “no-brainer” decision
Joining Radisson Hotel Group made adopting Oaky an easy, high-impact decision. Having been familiar with Oaky’s capabilities for years, Robert recognized its value right away:
“In one word, Oaky was a no-brainer,” he says throughout our conversation.
What made the difference:
Advanced segmentation: Offers are personalized based on guest type, booking details, rate codes, and loyalty status, ensuring relevance and higher conversion.
Dynamic pricing integration: Connecting Oaky with Duetto RMS ensures the room upgrade prices automatically match demand. Robert also uses percentage-based pricing for room-related upsells:
Instead of fixed fees, early check-in, for example, scales with the room rate. If a guest pays €200, their early check-in fee is a fair percentage of that, maximizing revenue while ensuring fairness for guests.
Robert Broeck
Digitalization Manager
Automation thanks to the PMS integration: Direct connection with their property management system (Emma) eliminates manual approvals or manual data entry, saving time and reducing errors.
Self-serve, user-friendly interface: Having the flexibility to make changes independently, without needing external support.
“Radisson HQ recommends offers like breakfast and loyalty programs, but I like the flexibility to add some local flavor and create custom offers suited to our unique property," Robert appreciates this freedom.
With Oaky, upselling isn’t just about revenue, it’s about delivering the right experience at the right time. Guests book more when offers feel tailored, and that’s exactly what Oaky helps us achieve. Plus, setup was seamless—once it’s running, it works automatically.
Robert Broeck
Digitalization Manager
The impact since implementing Oaky’s hotel upsell software
Higher spend per guest, more revenue from existing bookings: With an average €41.28 in upsell revenue per guest per month in 2024 (peaking at €57.43 in March 2024), the hotel is maximizing guest spend from existing bookings.
"Guests are arrive asking about upgrades—‘I saw you offer breakfast’ or ‘Can we get a better room?’” says Robert.
Low rejection rate: only 3% of deals have been declined since the hotel started using Oaky, showing that offers are highly relevant and well-targeted.
Improved efficiency: Automatic approvals reduce workload and frustration.
Revenue diversification: Today, 40% of upsell revenue comes from services, 37% from room upgrades, and 23% from room-related deals.
Smoother and more enjoyable guest experiences
Robert’s priority is ensuring Hotel Berlin, Berlin stays at the forefront of technology while creating a smoother, more enjoyable guest experience. Oaky’s pre-arrival emails have transformed guest interactions in several ways:
Creating emotional connections before arrival and building anticipation
Reducing guest frustration through instant approvals. When a guest selects an upgrade, Oaky instantly checks availability and confirms it in a matter of seconds.
Providing an easy and consistent guest journey thanks to an intuitive interface that also matches the hotel’s branding, creating a cohesive experience across all touchpoints, whether on the website, social media, or emails.
Staying competitive and generating more revenue
Oaky has helped the hotel maintain its competitive edge.
Our data shows that many guests initially book the cheapest room online but later upgrade via pre-arrival emails, paying €80 or €100 more for a better room.
Robert Broeck
Digitalization Manager
This insight has transformed their revenue strategy. Rather than pricing rooms high initially and losing potential bookings, they can offer competitive base rates while capturing additional revenue through targeted upselling.
Advice from Robert Broek for other hotels
Robert’s recommendation is simple:
“Start with Oaky immediately. It’s a no-brainer.”
He especially sees value for larger hotels, where segmentation and tailored offers—like differentiating individual vs. corporate guests—simplify complex upselling operations.
Conclusion
For Hotel Berlin, Berlin, Oaky has provided the perfect balance of automation, customization, and guest-centricity. It allows Robert and his team to leverage technology without sacrificing the personal touch that makes each guest’s experience memorable.
As one of Germany’s largest hotels with a diverse guest mix, they’ve found that Oaky’s intuitive interface and powerful segmentation capabilities make upselling effortless and consistent, reducing the team’s workload and generating more revenue.
“More rooms mean more complexity. Oaky makes it manageable,” Robert sums it up.
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