365daysbooking.com
Complex membership-based platform for hotel management.
365daysbooking.com is a complex membership-based platform for hotel management. Startup founders from London, UK approached us in May 2018 to create a convenient booking web platform connecting tourists and accommodation providers.
The accommodation owner’s control panel needed to be accessible on multiple devices and updated in real time. It would allow hotels to manage their bookings online via a web version, unlike other property management systems that had to be installed on desktops at the time.
Project idea
365daysbooking.com decided to begin with building an MVP version of the control panel just for accommodation providers to secure investment. Further, they plan to add more user roles and expand the functionality. The project involved four user roles:
- Accommodation providers
- Transportation service providers
- Travel agents
- Guides and activities providers
Our task
We needed to develop an admin panel and an accommodation providers control panel with features that enabled them to:
A key aspect was establishing a monetization model that generated revenue from booking transactions. We also aimed to offer landlords flexible payments, allowing them to accept payments online or in cash during check-in. At the end of their stay, customers could leave feedback on the provided services.
A key aspect was establishing a monetization model that generated revenue from booking transactions. We also aimed to offer landlords flexible payments, allowing them to accept payments online or in cash during check-in. At the end of their stay, customers could leave feedback on the provided services.
Challenges
Security
The hotel industry demands stringent security measures. That’s why we needed to adjust to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regulations when developing the hotel management system.
Project size
The project involved numerous systems and features that needed to be integrated seamlessly and function as one unit.
Complexity
Despite the fact that our main task was to develop functionality for property placement and booking, we had to build the product with scalability in mind and accommodate complex business logic proposed by the client.
Integration
Integrating with an automated booking solution Expedia required us to refactor the app's business logic. It included adjusting data models and implementing an onboarding process for accommodation owners.
Challenges
Security
The hotel industry demands stringent security measures. That’s why we needed to adjust to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regulations when developing the hotel management system.
Project size
The project involved numerous systems and features that needed to be integrated seamlessly and function as one unit.
Complexity
Despite the fact that our main task was to develop functionality for property placement and booking, we had to build the product with scalability in mind and accommodate complex business logic proposed by the client.
Integration
Integrating with an automated booking solution Expedia required us to refactor the app's business logic. It included adjusting data models and implementing an onboarding process for accommodation owners.
Features
Accommodation owner’s control panel
Apartment owners can easily list, manage, and market their properties through the system. Key features include:
Onboarding process
Accommodation owners complete their profile details, add their first available accommodation for rent, provide payment information, and input all necessary details.
Onboarding process
Accommodation owners complete their profile details, add their first available accommodation for rent, provide payment information, and input all necessary details.
Sales channel
An accommodation owner receives new bookings automatically from Expedia sales channel and can also add them manually if needed.
Central reservation
Owners can manage bookings they receive, change prices and add discounts.
Property management
After publishing their first accommodation for rent, landlords can edit existing apartments, add and describe new ones, and manage repairs and cleaning.
Staff management
Owners can manage staff assigned to their accommodations. Users have different access levels based on their role. For example, a hotel owner can set and modify roles and access levels for the staff members.
Admin panel
The admin panel allowed a system administrator to manage users and set system parameters.
System management
This feature enables admin to set up access levels for different roles, such as customer support, technical support, and others.
Access management
This feature enables admin to set up access levels for different roles, such as customer support, technical support, and others.
Design
We designed the interface in calm, laconic colors with a light background to keep the user's attention on things that really matter — their successfully functioning hospitality business. Our font choice was Roboto due to its clean design and accessibility.
Additional interfaces
In addition to designing and developing the admin panel and accommodation owner’s control panel, we created designs for travel agencies and hotels profiles.
Our designers proposed three variants of the home page for the travel agencies and hotel profiles in dark, light, and colorful designs.
For the hotel profile page, we designed home, rooms list, room details, about, faq, and contact pages.
UI-kit
Creating a UI-kit is a necessary step in all our design works. This set of pre-made design elements allows designers to create new interfaces faster and maintain a consistent application style when the product expands.
Since 365daysbooking.com were planning to scale up their product in the near future, it was important to have every element ready to let our client launch the next versions quickly.
Key technologies
Tech stack
We developed the frontend with Angular and the backend with Python-based Django. The decision to diverge from our usual PHP-based Laravel backend technology was driven by 365daysbooking.com's desire to grow their in-house development team and work on future updates.
Bookings
Integrating the software with Expedia enabled us to implement automated booking management functionality. Expedia serves as a platform for listing and booking apartments. When accommodation owners add new properties to the control panel they automatically reach Expedia which processes bookings, generating booking records accessible to apartment owners. This allows owners to easily list their properties and receive confirmed reservations without manual intervention.
Payments
To meet the high security standards of the travel industry, we chose Stripe Connect as the primary payment gateway. For payment transactions, we redirect users to the Stripe page. However, since the client plans to scale the app in the future, we built an architecture that allows any developer to integrate other payment systems. Additionally, as there is an option for cash payments, these can be processed manually by managers.
Results
We have designed and developed a control panel that seamlessly integrates with the Expedia platform for convenient booking management and the Stripe payment gateway for secure transactions
The control panel allows hotel managers to oversee bookings in real-time, automate their workflows, and has a scalable foundation for future expansions. Additionally, our software adheres to CCPA security standards, ensuring robust data protection and compliance with local laws.
