Revamping the Hospitality App Experience
Designing a seamless end-to-end guest journey across booking, check-in, and in-stay experiences.
PROJECT TYPE
Discover & Implementation
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
TIMELINE
Sep 2024 - Present
TEAM
3 designers →
1 designer & a cross-functional team
I helped redesign the Ascott Star Rewards app into a unified guest experience across booking, check-in, and in-stay services. Working from discovery through implementation, we created an experience that balanced exploratory and goal-driven booking while continuing to evolve after launch.
01 approach
A quick discovery to set the foundation for delivery
The engagement began with a short discovery phase to understand the existing experience and align stakeholders around a shared direction. Rather than treating discovery and implementation as separate phases, we used our research to shape a product that could continue evolving after launch.
02 Discovery & Prioritization
Designing for both exploration and efficiency
One insight shaped the direction of the project: travellers didn't all approach booking the same way.
Some travellers arrived knowing exactly where they wanted to stay and expected to book as quickly as possible. Others preferred to explore destinations, compare options, and customize their stay before making a decision.
The challenge was designing an experience that supported both behaviours without adding unnecessary complexity.
To validate this insight, we audited the existing app, benchmarked competitors, and synthesized findings from research and workshops. Those findings informed future-state journeys, feature concepts, and a prioritized roadmap.
We mapped future-state journeys across discovery, booking, check-in, and in-stay, bringing together 29 features and 20 concepts across business and leisure journeys.
To align priorities, we facilitated workshops with stakeholders across business, product, and brand teams. Together, we prioritized concepts based on customer impact, business value, and implementation readiness.
03 experience design
Making complex booking feel simple
Rather than creating separate experiences for different traveller types, we designed a booking flow that adapted to different levels of user intent. Travellers who already knew what they wanted could book quickly, while those who preferred to explore could compare room options and customize their stay without slowing down the overall experience.
We translated these principles into user flows, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs across booking, check-in, and in-stay. Throughout the process, we refined layouts, information hierarchy, and interactions to balance flexibility with simplicity, supporting everything from straightforward reservations to complex multi-room bookings.
Before implementation, we validated the experience through usability testing and refined the designs based on participant feedback.
04 What we built
A connected experience from booking to stay.
Guided Discovery
Helping travellers discover destinations, compare properties, and find the right stay, whether they were exploring or booking with a specific destination in mind.
Flexible Booking
Supporting everything from simple reservations to complex multi-room bookings without adding unnecessary complexity.
Digital Check-in
Allowing guests to complete check-in before arrival, reducing wait times and creating a smoother start to their stay.
Mobile Key
Giving guests secure access to their room directly from the app, extending the digital experience beyond check-in.
05 Delivery
Designing the product was only part of the job.
As development progressed, my role shifted from contributing designs to ensuring those designs successfully made it into the product.
Alongside designing new features, I established ways of working with the team, including backlog grooming, design reviews, and QA sessions to maintain implementation quality and ensure the experience reflected the intended design throughout development.
06 outcomes
What we delivered…
Creating measurable impacts across the guest journey
The redesign contributed to a 37% increase in in-app booking revenue, 85% growth in monthly active users, and a Gold Winner at the CX Asia Excellence Awards.
Faster booking
Reduced the booking journey from 16 to 11 steps, helping guests complete reservations more quickly while supporting complex multi-room bookings.
A smoother arrival
Introduced digital check-in and mobile key, allowing guests to check in before arrival and head directly to their room.
A connected stay
Added service requests and new touchpoints that supported cross-selling, upselling, and a more connected guest journey.
Industry recognition
Recognized with a Gold Winner for Best Digital Experience at the CX Asia Excellence Awards.
07 reflection
What stayed with me...
Learning how to adapt
This was my first project outside of Thailand and my first time working with a new client. More than learning a new culture, I learned how to adapt. Instead of starting from scratch, I learned to understand the context, build on the skills I already had, and apply them in new ways.That mindset has stayed with me throughout every project and country I've worked in since.
Getting the details right
While earlier projects taught me speed, ownership, and delivery, this project taught me to care deeply about the details. I was challenged to perfect every pixel and advocate for that quality throughout development. It was the project that helped me grow from a designer who could deliver work into one who could consistently improve and refine it.