“I think we manage to compete with big hotels because of the service we offer… and because we're something a little more special for our guests. You find big hotels everywhere. You arrive, they check you in, and when you leave they give you a bill, check you out, and that's all the service you get. We, on the other hand, try to make you feel at home.”
The Origin
Imma's grandparents started out selling bread from village to village in the Catalan Pyrenees. It was hard work, but the money wasn't enough. Until one day, her grandmother put an end to the situation with a single sentence: "Enough! Let's open a hotel and restaurant."
This is how Hotel Bruna was born in Esterri d'Àneu, Lleida. And the Bruna family has maintained this philosophy for decades: family warmth, friendly service, and the desire for every guest to feel at home.
Why did Imma choose to run the hotel?
When her mother reached a breaking point, Imma made a decision that many children of hotel owners know well: "Before going to work for someone else, it's better to take over the family business and build a life for ourselves in the village."
But taking over the hotel also meant taking on its biggest problem: everything, absolutely everything, was done with pen and paper. Bills were issued at 2 a.m. Police reports were filled out by hand, every afternoon.
"For me, the biggest challenge in managing an independent hotel is the availability you need: we work incredibly long hours to keep this hotel going. That means putting many things aside, like our children. We start at 7 a.m. and finish at midnight. I felt overwhelmed. This had to be computerized somehow."
The market wasn't made for her.
When Imma went to the market looking for hotel management software, she encountered the same reality faced by thousands of independent hoteliers: everything was designed for large chains.
"Why do I need to learn to use such a large software program when I'm only really going to use 10% of it?"
He left it parked. Until he discovered Amenitiz.
Why Amenitiz?
The first thing that convinced him was its simplicity.
"Amenitiz is very easy to use. If I'm ever unavailable, I can show my uncle how to use it, or anyone else who's starting a job."
Today, Imma's daily routine revolves around three tools: planning, inventory, and pricing plans. From these, she manages reservations, check-ins, check-outs, pricing, and sales channels, all from a single platform.
But there was one thing I didn't expect:
"It was the only software that offered to create a website for me. Others offered to add a button to your site, but none offered to create it for you. A website costs a lot of money."
Time recovered and real control
The biggest change wasn't technological. It was temporary.
"I used to waste entire afternoons writing police reports. Now they're done automatically."
And the quarterly management of invoices, formerly a paperwork chaos, is now a matter of ten minutes: one click, one report, one email to the manager.
But perhaps the number that says it all the most is this: 70% of Hotel Bruna's bookings are direct.
"I would prefer not to have to go through Booking.com to fill my hotel."
And month by month, Imma gets closer to that goal.
Continuity and growth
"Without Amenitiz I wouldn't have made it. With just a phone and email I wouldn't have made it."
Hotel Bruna remains a family hotel, with all that entails: early mornings, long nights, and the conviction that there is something that large hotels simply cannot replicate.
"You arrive at a big hotel, they check you in, and when you leave they check you out. We try to make you feel at home."
Imma doesn't want to compete with the big chains in size. She wants to beat them in the only thing that really matters to travelers: the service.
If you also want to simplify the management of your property, click here to get a free demo with Amenitiz experts.
