Why We Broke Up With Our Old PMS… and Eloped With Inn Style

By Stephen Maritz – Qambathi Mountain Lodge Onwer & Head of Growth, Inn Style South Africa

Running a lodge in the Drakensberg is many things: magical, unpredictable, wildly beautiful — and absolutely relentless.

There’s no such thing as a “typical” day. One minute you’re welcoming honeymooners with bubbles and smiles, the next you’re chasing a duiker out of the garden, managing a last-minute dietary requirement, fixing a geyser, and wondering if the rain knocked out your WiFi again. (Spoiler: it did.)

So when your property management system (PMS) becomes one more thing you have to fight with, it’s time for a rethink.

The System That Broke Us

For years, we used a well-known local PMS. It did the job. Sort of. But as Qambathi evolved, we started feeling like we were dragging our tech behind us.

It was expensive (like, really expensive). The customer support was basically an emotionless chatbot. And every time we needed something simple like adding a new user — we were told it would cost extra.

The experience? High price, low love, zero flexibility.

And we’re in the hospitality business, people. If there’s no love or flexibility… what’s even the point?

A Chance Encounter (Cue Romantic Music)

Enter: the World Travel Market in Cape Town. I was there, minding my own business, dodging brochures and awkward networking, when I met Anna from Inn Style.

Her pitch was simple:"We’re a PMS that’s powerful, easy to use, and built for boutique properties like yours. No BS. Real people in support. And it just works."

Naturally, I was sceptical. I’ve been burned before... and it sounded way to cheap to do what the same as our current system does... But I agreed to a demo.

And 30 minutes later, I hold Nadia about it.

“look at this thing called Inn Style. And I think I want to marry it.”

Why Inn Style Just Works

Here’s why we made the move — and never looked back:

• Super intuitive interface. You don’t need a PhD in tech to use it.

• Real human support. Like… actual people. That respond. That care. That don’t copy-paste from a script.

• One transparent price. No add-ons. No bolt-ons. No “premium for basic” nonsense. Insane value for money!!!

• Built-in payments, guest messaging, OTA syncing, mobile-friendly booking engine — all included.

• Cloud-based and seamless. From anywhere. Even with our dodgy Drakensberg signal.

• It saves us time, money, and headaches. Like, a lot of all three.

  
  

From Lodge Owner to Growth Manager

We fell so hard for Inn Style that I’ve now joined the company as Head of Growth for South Africa.

Why?

Because I believe South Africa’s hospitality industry deserves better.

So many incredible small hotels, guesthouses, game lodges, and retreats are stuck using overpriced, clunky, outdated systems — not because they want to, but because they don’t know there’s another option.

Well, now there is.

Inn Style is made for South Africa:

• We’re a nation of independent gems — from coastal hideaways to mountain escapes — and Inn Style gives those businesses the tech muscle to compete (without burning their budget).

• It’s perfect for busy owners who wear 14 hats and need systems that help, not hinder.

• And the local team we’re building? We get it. We live it. And we’re here for you.

  
  

Ready for a Demo?

If you’re even remotely curious, drop me a message. I’ll show you how Inn Style works — in under 20 minutes — no pressure, no jargon.

And who knows… you might just fall in love too.

Visit www.innstyle.co.za Or email me directly at stephen@innstyle.co.za Let’s bring beautiful booking tech to South Africa, one awesome property at a time.