LuxuryRes: The Independent Hotelier’s Secret Weapon

When Michelle and David Settles founded LuxuryRes in the 1980s, they weren’t just starting another tech company. They were trying to solve a very specific problem: hotel systems were broken. Not in the way where things simply didn’t work—but in the way where systems didn’t talk to each other, where data sat in silos, where managing a hotel meant juggling five different logins and twenty different headaches. LuxuryRes was built to fix that. They weren’t tech people trying to break into hospitality. They were hospitality people trying to bring sanity to hotel tech. That distinction matters. It’s why, even decades later, their company is still seen by many in the industry as the gold standard for hotel tech done right.

Fast forward to today, and LuxuryRes has become a powerhouse in the independent hotel scene. At its core, it remains a company built on hospitality roots. But now, with their daughter Annaliese Settles helping lead the charge—armed with a hospitality degree from Conrad N. Hilton College and years of experience at brands like Hilton and Four Seasons—LuxuryRes has evolved into something more than just a tech vendor. It’s become a partner.

One Platform. All the Tools.

Here’s the thing about running a hotel: it’s complex. There’s inventory to manage, rates to update, guests to delight, and reputations to maintain—often across dozens of platforms. LuxuryRes doesn’t just understand this complexity; it eliminates it.

At the heart of the company is its fully integrated suite of tools: a Property Management System (PMS), Global Distribution System (GDS), channel manager, online booking engine, and dynamic packaging tools—all designed to work together, not against each other.

The PMS is the command center. It manages everything from check-ins to special guest requests and does so with a user interface designed for speed, clarity, and real-time access across devices. It’s tablet-ready, smartphone-friendly, and incredibly intuitive—exactly what overworked front desk teams need.

The GDS integration gives hotels access to a staggering 750,000 travel agencies across the globe, in 27 languages. For small and midsize properties that don’t have the marketing muscle of a Marriott or IHG, this kind of reach is a game changer.

And the channel manager? It connects hotels to more than 2000+ online travel agents (OTAs) and metasearch sites in one dashboard. No more logging into different extranets or worrying if rates and availability are out of sync. Everything updates in real time, automatically.

The Booking Engine That Does More

Let’s talk about the booking engine, because this is where things start to get really interesting.

Most hotel booking engines look and feel like plug-ins. They’re functional, but bland. What LuxuryRes has built is the opposite. Their booking engine is fully customizable—down to the fonts, and even the ability to add drone footage of the property. Hoteliers can create packages that cater to different audiences, highlight special amenities, and even serve personalized offers based on time, day, or user behavior.

And because it’s so tightly integrated with the rest of the system, there’s no lag, no friction, no room for error. That means more direct bookings, higher conversions, and a guest experience that starts strong before the traveler even walks through the front door.

Profit over Revenue. Always.

One of the biggest challenges hoteliers face is tracking profitability—not just revenue. Most systems can tell you how much you made. Very few can tell you how much you actually kept. The latest version of LuxuryRes’s PMS and booking engine changes that. It’s built with AI-driven analytics tools that allow hoteliers to track profit margins on a per-booking basis. You can see which guests bring in the most revenue over time, which packages deliver the highest margins, and which distribution channels are worth your time.

The system even tracks guest preferences and behaviors. If someone likes room 302, always orders the red curry, and travels with their kids every spring break, the platform remembers. That means you can offer them an upgrade next time—or a personalized deal that speaks directly to them. It’s smart hospitality, powered by real-time data.

Dynamic Packaging: Where Revenue Meets Experience

Another standout feature is dynamic packaging. This allows hoteliers to bundle services—room upgrades, spa treatments, excursions, dining packages—based on guest preferences. It’s not just a revenue booster. It’s a way to make guests feel seen and catered to.

This kind of personalization is what drives loyalty. It turns a one-time booking into a repeat guest. And because LuxuryRes automates the packaging and pricing of these offers, it doesn’t add extra work to the hotel team’s plate.

Hygiene That Builds Trust

In the post-COVID world, cleanliness is no longer a given—it’s a differentiator. LuxuryRes’s Hygiene Monitored (HM) program, developed with the SGS Group, allows hotels to showcase real-time cleanliness data and protocols. For guests, this offers peace of mind. For hotels, it’s another layer of trust that builds credibility in a highly competitive space.

Service That Doesn’t Disappear After the Sale

One of the biggest complaints hoteliers have about tech vendors is this: once the contract is signed, the help dries up. LuxuryRes takes a different approach. Michelle and David come from a world where relationships matter, and that ethos still runs through every interaction.

Support is personalized, human, and accessible. No endless ticket queues. No call centers in distant time zones. Just people who know the system and know the hospitality industry, available when hoteliers need them most.

A Company Built by Hoteliers, for Hoteliers

The real story here is not just about software. It’s about solving problems that real hoteliers face every day.

Michelle and David Settles knew the industry inside and out when they started LuxuryRes. Their daughter Annaliese brings a modern sensibility and frontline experience from some of the world’s best hotels. Together, they’ve built a company that respects the traditions of hospitality while pushing its technology forward.

LuxuryRes has won awards. It’s earned recognition. But what really matters is that it works. Hotels that use it get more bookings. They spend less time managing systems. And they get to focus more on what they actually love doing: taking care of guests.

The Soul of LuxuryRes: Team, Culture, and Partnership
LuxuryRes’s story is ultimately about people: a family’s vision realized through teamwork, innovation, and a commitment to the independent hotelier’s journey.

Michelle and David Settles have guided the company through decades of disrupted trends, economic uncertainty, and technological leaps. Their daughter Annaliese embodies the next generation, blending tradition with trailblazing ideas and broadening the company’s outlook.

Yet, the founders are quick to share credit. “Our hotel partners and our incredible team are the true heart of LuxuryRes,” David insists. “From the pioneers who joined us at the beginning to every new teammate bringing fresh perspectives, it’s this spirit of collaboration and curiosity that drives us forward.”

What’s Next?

This year marks a major leap forward for the company. The new PMS and Booking Engine aren’t just iterations. They’re reinventions. With advanced AI tools, profit analytics, and guest recognition systems that rival those of five-star chains, LuxuryRes is arming independent hoteliers with tools they once only dreamed of.

This isn’t technology for the sake of technology. It’s strategy. Insight. Control.

Hotels that adopt the platform are stepping into a future where data doesn’t just sit in reports—it drives decisions. Where guests feel like VIPs before they even arrive. And where every part of the operation flows in sync.

Final Word

LuxuryRes didn’t become a hospitality tech leader by chasing trends. It got here by solving real problems with elegance and empathy. It’s a company with a pulse on the industry’s heartbeat—one that understands both the pressure and the potential of running an independent hotel today.

In a space crowded with flashy platforms and overpromises, LuxuryRes stands out for one reason: it delivers. And for the hoteliers who’ve built their reputations on delivering unforgettable experiences, that’s all that really matters.