Hotels • Hakuba

Hakuba Hospitality Maintains 4.8-Star Guest Satisfaction While Streamlining Check-In and Operations with Duve

Reduced staff burden and improved guest convenience through online check-in and automated communication flows
4.8 average guest satisfaction score maintained across hundreds of post-stay check-out reviews
7.3 average guest app sessions per reservation during tourist season

Introduction

Hakuba Hospitality Group (HHG) is the leading hospitality provider in Hakuba Valley, Japan, managing a collection of properties ranging from boutique hotels and chalets to apartment buildings and dining venues. HHG prides itself on delivering exceptional service while preserving each brand’s unique identity. As a tech-forward group operating across a 5 km valley, HHG relies on innovation to unify its scattered properties and ensure a seamless guest experience. To address challenges around operational inefficiencies, communication gaps, and personalization, HHG turned to Duve.

If you really want to take guest experience and convenience to the next level, Duve is the perfect platform for it.

Marcus Bauder

CEO, Hakuba Hospitality Group

Challenges

Manual Check-in Process: Before implementing Duve, HHG’s check-in was highly reliant on manual processes. Guests were either required to travel to a central office for in-person check-in or staff had to physically visit each chalet or property to complete the process. This not only added logistical strain but also caused a lengthy arrival experience, particularly for long-haul travelers after long drives to the Hakuba Valley.
Lack of Pre-arrival Communication and Real-time Engagement: Communicating critical information like shuttle services or access codes was crucial to ensure a seamless arrival for guests.
Difficulty Localizing Content for Different Guest Segments: Hakuba welcomes international guests during the winter ski season and mostly local Japanese visitors in the summer months. Prior to Duve, it was time-consuming to adapt communications based on season, segment, or language.

Solution

Duve provided HHG with an end-to-end guest experience platform that centralized operations and ensured improved guest experiences. The group now uses Duve to:

Automate guest data collection and online check-in across all properties
Send scheduled messages for confirmation, pre-arrival, and arrival, including access codes and Wi-Fi details
Centralize guest information, offers, and communication through the Guest App
Place QR codes inside chalets to direct guests to their personalized app
Segment communications based on season, culture, and language preferences

If you really want to take guest experience and convenience to the next level, Duve is the perfect platform for it. Guests don’t want to waste time at check-in after a long trip, they want to start their vacation. Duve gives our guests that time back, and it frees our staff to focus on delivering true hospitality.

Marcus Bauder

CEO, Hakuba Hospitality Group

Results achieved with Duve:

Operational Efficiency and Arrival Flow Improvements: Thanks to Duve’s online check-in and automated messaging, HHG has eliminated the need for in-person check-in for most properties. Guests now receive arrival details and room access codes automatically, allowing them to go straight to their room or chalet. This shift has saved staff dozens of hours per month and dramatically improved first impressions. As CEO Marcus Bauder puts it, “Today, time is the ultimate luxury. If I can cut check-in time for guests, that’s a real luxury.”

Higher Guest Engagement and Seamless Communication: Duve’s Communication Hub centralizes all guest communication, helping HHG’s team manage interactions across WhatsApp, Booking.com, Airbnb, SMS, and email. Additionally the team uses Duve’s Scheduled Messages to easily communicate key information at different points in the guest journey. For example, they share details about free shuttle services in pre-arrival emails, or share access code and WiFi details across multiple channels upon arrival. QR codes placed in guest rooms link directly to the Guest App, which sees an average of 7.3 sessions per stay during peak season, helping guests access property details, request support, or explore local tips with ease.

Personalized and Localized Content Delivery: Using Duve’s dynamic content capabilities, HHG adjusts app content and communications depending on the season. In the winter, foreign guests receive messages in English and Chinese; in the summer, local Japanese guests see content tailored to hiking, biking, and lakeside stays. HHG can independently update guest app content, communications, and upsell offerings without the need to rely on external teams, empowering teams to move quickly and adapt to events, seasons, or guest segments in real time.

Conclusion

Duve has become an indispensable part of Hakuba Hospitality Group’s guest operations. By automating manual processes, enabling dynamic content personalization, and enhancing two-way communication, HHG now delivers a consistent, premium experience across all properties, regardless of season, location, or guest profile. The group continues to explore new Duve features like mobile keys and AI-driven communication flows to further enhance both guest convenience and team efficiency.