Managing 140 Guests Without the Chaos

“Before using PriceLabs and Avirato, everything revolved around spreadsheets. Prices were updated only twice a year, and reacting to market demand simply wasn’t possible.”

Running a handful of vacation rentals manually is challenging enough. Running accommodation for 140 guests across 33 tourist apartments and a historic guesthouse is an entirely different story.

For GicTour, one of the leading property management companies in Alcalá de Henares, growth wasn’t the problem—it was keeping operations efficient while ensuring every apartment was priced competitively every single day.

The business had already earned a strong reputation for delivering exceptional guest experiences through El Sueño del Quijote, its beautifully restored 12-room guesthouse in the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage city. As demand for private accommodation accelerated after the pandemic, GicTour expanded into managing tourist apartments, creating a portfolio that now combines apartments, hospitality, and full-service property management for local owners.

But with growth came complexity.

Manual pricing, Excel spreadsheets, reservations, guest communication, payments, and operational tasks all competed for the team’s attention. Every hour spent updating rates was an hour that couldn’t be spent improving the guest experience or growing the business.

The turning point came when GicTour combined Avirato, an all-in-one property management system, with PriceLabs, transforming the way the company approaches pricing, operations, and revenue management.

Today, the business has increased its Average Daily Rate from €71.18 to €85.20, occupancy from 60% to 74.5%, and average stay length from 2.65 nights to 4.20 nights—while managing a much larger portfolio far more efficiently.

A Business Built Around Hospitality

Unlike many vacation rental companies that begin with dozens of apartments, GicTour started with just one accommodation business.

More than ten years ago, the company began managing El Sueño del Quijote, a charming guesthouse located in a renovated 1920s manor house in the historic centre of Alcalá de Henares.

As guest preferences evolved—particularly after COVID-19—travellers increasingly sought the privacy and flexibility of self-contained apartments.

Rather than watching that trend from the sidelines, GicTour adapted.

The company expanded into tourist apartments while also developing a comprehensive property management service for homeowners looking to maximise the performance of their vacation rentals.

Today, GicTour offers far more than accommodation. Through its integrated hospitality model, it provides:

• Professional vacation rental management for property owners.
• Tourist apartments throughout Alcalá de Henares’ historic centre.
• The historic El Sueño del Quijote guesthouse.
• Local experiences and guest services that help visitors discover the city.

That combination has positioned GicTour as one of the city’s most recognised accommodation providers.

When Growth Outpaces Manual Processes

As the portfolio expanded, the revenue strategy remained surprisingly traditional.

Pricing was managed manually using Excel.

Rates changed only twice each year.

Competitive analysis meant checking market prices manually.

Adjusting to demand often happened after opportunities had already passed.

“Before using PriceLabs and Avirato, our management was largely manual and based on Excel spreadsheets. It was a complex and time-consuming process.”

For a business managing dozens of properties, this approach simply wasn’t sustainable.

Every manual update increased the workload.

Every market shift represented potential revenue left behind.

The team realised they needed technology capable of reacting to demand far faster than any spreadsheet ever could.

Avirato Simplified Operations

The first major transformation came through Avirato.

Reservations, payments, automated guest messaging, and day-to-day operations were consolidated into one platform.

Instead of switching between multiple systems, staff could manage almost every operational process from a single dashboard.

“Avirato is essential for managing the entire reservation process, from the moment a booking is received through to payment collection.”

Automated communication also became a major advantage.

Guests now receive timely information before arrival, throughout their stay, and after departure without increasing the administrative burden on the team.

For a business accommodating 140 guests, that efficiency quickly became invaluable.

PriceLabs Changed the Way GicTour Thinks About Pricing

Around six months later, GicTour introduced PriceLabs.

The integration with Avirato was straightforward.

Within days, the team moved away from static seasonal pricing and began using live market intelligence to guide every pricing decision.

“The process was extremely simple and quick, and since then we have had a much more agile and efficient management system.”

Instead of relying on assumptions, PriceLabs continuously analyses:

• Local demand.
• Competitor pricing.
• Booking pace.
• Market trends.
• Occupancy patterns.
• Seasonal events.

This allows GicTour to remain competitive throughout the year while maximising profitability during periods of high demand.

The team particularly values the transparency behind every pricing recommendation.

“The amount of market data available is extremely valuable because it helps us make informed decisions based on demand.”

Rather than wondering why rates increase or decrease, they can understand exactly what’s driving the market.

That insight has fundamentally changed the way pricing decisions are made.

Better Together

While PriceLabs focuses on revenue optimisation, Avirato ensures everything else runs smoothly.

Together they create one connected workflow.

PriceLabs automatically determines optimal pricing.

Avirato manages reservations, payments, guest messaging, and operational workflows.

Instead of juggling disconnected systems, GicTour benefits from one seamless technology stack.

As the team puts it:

“Managing 140 accommodation spaces without these two tools would simply not be feasible.”

That single sentence perhaps says more than any statistic could.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Technology should create measurable business value.

For GicTour, the improvements have been immediate.

Since implementing PriceLabs and Avirato:

• Average Daily Rate increased from €71.18 to €85.20.
• Occupancy increased from 60% to 74.5%.
• Average stay length increased from 2.65 nights to 4.20 nights.

Those gains have enabled the team to improve profitability while continuing to scale without proportionally increasing operational complexity.

Instead of constantly reacting to the market, GicTour now stays one step ahead.

Advice for Other Property Managers

Technology alone doesn’t guarantee success.

Having a clear revenue strategy remains just as important.

GicTour encourages property managers to combine great tools with thoughtful planning and data-driven decision making.

“PriceLabs and Avirato allow you to work more efficiently, make decisions based on real data, improve pricing strategies, and maximise profitability. They are indispensable tools for anyone looking to scale their accommodation business while maintaining control over operations and guest communication.”

For businesses ready to move beyond spreadsheets, GicTour’s experience demonstrates what’s possible when operational excellence and intelligent pricing work together.