Case Study: The Queens Hotel

The Queens Hotel is a 78-bedroom hotel situated on the banks of the River Ouse in the heart of York City Centre. On Queen’s Staith, just off Skeldergate, it welcomes tourists and business travellers from the UK and across the globe.

Highly regarded for its accommodation and customer service, for years it struggled with one major issue – slow internet speeds – resulting in guests complaining about the lack of connectivity. 

With Wi-Fi that barely worked in their bedrooms, visitors were left unable to use the smart TVs provided, book tickets for local attractions, check in for further travel, or even simply browse the web. Parents were frustrated as children couldn’t stream their favourite shows, and business guests struggled to work online. Even the hotel’s lounge sound system couldn’t stream the radio properly, and its cloud-based booking system struggled too.

As international guests returned to York post pandemic, the problem worsened, with reception staff fielding as many as 30 complaints about the hotel’s internet speeds every single day. With receptionists spending much of their time apologising for something beyond their control, it was taking its toll and affecting not just guests but the team’s morale as well. Worse still, the complaints were being shared online and impacting customer reviews which was affecting bookings.

Despite its best efforts to improve the situation, York’s tricky infrastructure, from cobbled streets to historic buildings, meant the hotel had few sensible options. That’s when the hotel’s IT consultant John, from JCIT Solutions, stepped in. After hearing that a York-based independent broadband company, Fastr, was rolling out ultrafast broadband within York’s city walls, John introduced The Queens Hotel to Fastr’s Director, Pete. As soon as it was available on Skeldergate, the hotel was connected to Fastr’s full fibre network and the transformation was remarkable!

Since switching to Fastr, Queens Hotel hasn’t received a single complaint about its internet speeds. Guests can now enjoy fast and reliable connectivity, and the network comfortably handles the hotel’s data demands. With a team of nearly 50 staff, including 5-6 busy receptionists, the difference has been huge. Guests can now stream content, browse the web, book tickets, and check travel details with ease. The hotel lounge’s music system is back in action, and the cloud-based booking system now runs smoothly. For the hotel’s staff, the change has been life-changing. The hotel team no longer spend their days apologising for connectivity issues, and can focus on providing great service instead – which is attracting great reviews and more bookings for the hotel.

Samantha, the General Manager of The Queens Hotel, said: “Being able to switch to Fastr was nothing short of a miracle”, and she believes that Fastr is changing lives – not just for businesses, but for the many people based in York who now work from home. “Fastr definitely does what it says on the tin, it goes so much faster, which we’re very grateful for! 

But the impact hasn’t stopped there. Samantha has been sharing the hotel’s positive experience with York’s hospitality scene, encouraging other hotels and guest houses to consider Fastr. Not only are the speeds faster, the company provides excellent service and so I am really happy to recommend other city centre hospitality businesses to Fastr! What’s good for business is good for York!”

Speaking about Fastr Broadband, Lindsay Wilkinson, Digital City Executive for York City Council said “York has consistently been at the forefront of digital connectivity, with one missing part – connectivity within our city walls! York’s historic landscape and cobbled streets have always made it difficult to allow for strong networks so we couldn’t be more pleased for Fastr’s investment that has helped to connect over 8000 homes and businesses within York city centre. Reliable and strong connections are essential for York to excel in the digital age.”

For too long, homes and businesses within York’s historic city walls have struggled to with poor connectivity and The Queen’s Hotel proves that this no longer needs to be the case! It’s time to go Fastr!

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