From bottlenecks to breakthroughs: How BAWA Hotels & Leisure took control of operations and unlocked their commercial potential

When Ulises joined BAWA, the group was using a basic, local PMS. While functional, he knew it couldn’t support their ambitious goals, especially in the highly competitive and oversupplied market of the Yucatán Peninsula. “In this crowded market, the main objective of revenue management here is to try to drop rates as little as possible. Considering that most hotels don’t have incremental strategies, they’d rather drop their rates drastically hoping to increase occupancy,” Ulises notes, highlighting the constant pressure from competitors.

The previous system made this nearly impossible. The software was slow, and simple tasks were a struggle. “For me to enter and see an occupancy calendar could take 10 to 15 minutes to load,” he recalls. Changing prices daily was an impractical, time-consuming task.

Ulises’s ambition was clear—to drive strategic, sustainable growth—but he was fighting against technology that couldn’t keep pace.

Recognizing these limitations, Ulises and the CEO agreed on a strategic plan: first, they would optimize and push the existing tool to its absolute limit. Once they hit that ceiling, they would invest in a superior technology. After a year, the data was clear: they had maximized their potential and needed a more powerful partner to grow.

The decision to change was driven 100% by commercial objectives. After evaluating their options, BAWA chose Cloudbeds. A key factor was its integrated revenue management tools, which were powerful yet less complex to implement across the team than a standalone RMS. The unified nature of the platform, combining a robust PMS with sophisticated commercial tools, presented the clearest path forward.

The migration began on February 1st, and the first hotel went live with Cloudbeds on March 1st.

We had projected 7% year-over-year growth for March at our Casa Lucía hotel. In the first month, by just manually following the suggestions from Cloudbeds, we achieved 18% growth. It was a very pleasant surprise.

The new commercial strategy led by Ulises had already started to yield historic results. In November 2023, Casa Lucía Hotel achieved over 1 million Mexican pesos in net income for the first time in its history and aimed to surpass that goal in 2024 — a milestone they then sustained for five consecutive months through March 2025.

Implementing Cloudbeds didn’t just continue this trend; it amplified it dramatically. March, the first month on the new platform, became the month with the highest growth. The hotel’s revenue grew by 18% year-over-year, alongside increases in occupancy (from 78% to 81%), ADR (from $92 to $109), and RevPAR (from $74 to $87). This result immediately validated the investment.

A new era of distribution

Cloudbeds also transformed BAWA’s distribution strategy. The group achieved a healthy and balanced sales mix at Casa Lucía: 40% from OTAs, 30% from agencies and corporate agreements, and 30% from direct bookings. “We don’t see OTAs as a ‘necessary evil,’” Ulises says. “We see them as commercial allies. All of that, added to the possibilities the tool has given us, has been very positive.”

A platform built for people

Beyond the numbers, the partnership with Cloudbeds has excelled on a human level. “The support team has been incredible; they have helped us a lot,” Ulises mentions, particularly with adapting the system to BAWA’s complex administrative structure.

Furthermore, the platform’s ease of use is a major strategic asset. In a region with high staff turnover, having technology that is easy to learn is critical. “An advantage that the Cloudbeds interface has is that it is very intuitive, very simple, and very quick to use,” he confirms. “For the operations side—for receptionists and managers—it’s great.”

With Cloudbeds as its technology foundation, BAWA Hotels & Leisure is positioned for smart, sustainable growth. The group plans for all new properties in its portfolio to run on Cloudbeds, confident they have a partner that can support their vision. By embracing modern technology in a region where many are hesitant, BAWA has secured not just a better system, but a distinct competitive advantage.