Seekom gives Kauri Court owners time to provide ‘Kiwi hospitality as it should be’
Owners: Neil and Amber Aitkenhead
Palmerston North has no shortage of places to stay. With dozens of accommodation providers competing for guests across the city, standing out takes more than a comfortable bed.
For Neil and Amber Aitkenhead, who invested in Kauri Court Motel & Apartments in 2024, the answer is straightforward: people matter, so be genuinely good to people and make sure the business’ systems run smoothly enough behind the scenes to let you do exactly that.
“Hospitality as it used to be, accommodation as it should be, that's Kauri Court’s tagline,” Neil says.
“We’re family run and operated and great hospitality is what we're all about."
Providing great service needs time and presence to deliver, so Neil and Amber are hands-on owner-managers; greeting guests, keeping standards high, and making sure people feel genuinely looked after rather than just checked in.
Neil says they pride themselves on taking extra time to ‘check in’ with people before they arrive, making sure they have what they need to ensure their stay is a positive experience.
None of that would be possible, though, if the operational side of running the motel was eating up the day.
The Seekom advantage
When Neil and Amber took ownership, Kauri Court Motel & Apartments was spread across three separate systems. They made an early call to switch to Seekom property management software – a decision made easy, thanks to the knowledge some members of Amber's family who own holiday parks around New Zealand and have long relied on Seekom to run them.
"Amber's family has a few holiday parks around New Zealand and they all use Seekom, so she knew how good it was," Neil says.
Now, bookings made through the motel's own website feed directly into Seekom, which updates room availability in real time across every listing channel Kauri Court uses – including overseas travel agents (OTAs). Double bookings can be a problem for operators on systems, Neil says, but with Seekom they simply don’t happen. SeekomPay takes care of payments. The admin that once required juggling multiple platforms now runs seamlessly.
"When I talk to other accommodation providers about the alternative systems they use, I'm both mystified and surprised at all the steps they have to go through. Seekom just makes it easy for us."
With the friction of accommodation management removed, Neil and Amber can give their attention to guests and the welcome that has earned Kauri Court Motel & Apartments such great guest reviews.
The motel offers something relatively rare in Palmerston North: genuine variety under one roof. Its 16 rooms span 12 executive studios and four multi-room modern apartments with inter-connecting options, making it well suited to visitors in town for events or special occasions, large family groups, sports teams, and business travellers alike.
The motel sits five minutes’ walk from the Esplanade and Manawatū River and 15 minutes’ walk from the CBD, including George Street and Broadway, two of Palmerston North's most popular dining and café strips – places Neil and Amber are happy to make personalised recommendations on.
In a city with as many accommodation choices as Palmerston North, Kauri Court's combination of personal service and room variety gives it a strong foundation. The right systems quietly reinforce that – handling the bookings, the payments, and the channel management so Neil and Amber can stay focused on what they enjoy most.
"We're people people. It fills our bucket to see returning guests to Manawatū, Seekom is key to our success".
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AI and the Future of Accommodation: The Shift That Will Redefine the Industry
Artificial intelligence isn’t approaching the accommodation industry, it has already arrived. And just like the introduction of online bookings two decades ago, AI represents a structural shift that will change how providers operate, how guests choose where to stay, and how leading businesses differentiate themselves.
What makes this moment unique is that most providers are already using AI every day without realising it. It feels futuristic until you notice it’s been quietly improving your life for years
You’re already using AI when you…
- Unlock your phone with Face ID - that’s AI recognising your face.
- Use Google Maps or Waze - AI predicts traffic flows and offers the fastest route.
- Accept suggested replies in Gmail - “Sure, sounds good!” is AI‑generated.
- Use fraud protection on your bank account - AI monitors spending patterns to keep you safe.
- Search online - Google now uses AI to rank, summarise and understand results.
- Let your phone sort photos (e.g., “show me pictures of dogs”).
- Rely on Netflix/Spotify recommendations - AI learns your tastes.
- Use translation tools - instant language translation is powered by AI.
None of this feels complicated. It simply feels helpful. That’s how AI will continue to develop within accommodation: simple, intuitive and quietly powerful.
AI: The New Discovery Layer for Travel
The biggest shift unfolding in the industry is the way travellers search for and choose accommodation. AI‑driven travel assistants, ranging from mobile search tools to conversational trip planners, are already shaping booking decisions by interpreting preferences, comparing options and suggesting tailored places to stay.
Over the next few years, these assistants are likely to become the first stop for many travellers. Properties that appear clearly in AI‑powered search environments will gain a visibility advantage long before a guest reaches a website. This makes it essential for your digital presence to be structured in a way that AI tools can understand, assess and present to travellers.
Where the Biggest Operational Gains Will Be
While the future of AI driven search is transformative, the most immediate value of AI sits behind the scenes, removing friction from the tasks that take up staff time.
Forward‑thinking providers are already exploring AI for:
- Faster, intuitive reporting
- Pricing that adapts to real‑time demand
- Predictive occupancy and revenue insights
- Automated handling of common guest questions
- Streamlined administrative workflows
- Fewer manual errors
Staff aren’t being replaced here. What’s disappearing is the repetitive work that slows everything down. Tasks that once meant jumping between screens or manually checking data can now be done in seconds with simple prompts. The result is more time for genuine guest interaction and far less time lost to admin.
Why Small Providers Stand to Gain the Most
Contrary to common belief, AI isn’t a tool built solely for large hotel chains. Smaller providers stand to benefit even more because AI helps them:
- Reduce administrative burden
- Do more with fewer people
- Compete against larger brands
- Make data‑driven decisions without specialist staff
- Improve guest response times and service quality
- Make better use of their systems, even if they’re not technically confident
AI becomes the great equaliser, giving independents the capability once reserved for big operators.
The Mindset Shift Leaders Need
Three shifts define the accommodation providers who will stay competitive:
- Viewing AI as core operational infrastructure, not a “nice to have
.” Just as online booking engines became fundamental, AI will underpin pricing, reporting, communication and demand forecasting.
- Designing for AI‑driven travel search. Your digital content must serve both human guests and the AI tools shaping their decisions.
- Moving staff focus from task execution to guest experience. AI handles repetition; humans elevate hospitality.
What the Next Three Years Will Look Like
Expect to see:
- Natural‑language reporting becoming standard, making it faster for teams to access the insights they need
- AI‑guided pricing used across most properties, leading to sharper and more responsive revenue decisions
- 24/7 AI guest assistants managing routine queries, improving response times without increasing staffing
- Booking engines optimised for AI search algorithms so properties surface more effectively in AI‑driven discovery tools
- Smaller providers operating with large‑hotel efficiency through automation and predictive insights
- Staff roles shifting from admin to experience delivery, strengthening guest satisfaction and on‑site service quality
AI’s Power to Restore True Hospitality
Hospitality is fundamentally human. But rising admin demands have pushed providers away from guests and deeper into screens. AI offers a path back by reducing the noise, clearing the clutter and bringing people closer to the work they do best.
AI isn’t the end of hospitality. It marks the start of a new era where providers gain the time, clarity and tools to deliver exceptional guest experiences without giving up operational efficiency.
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Contact Us
4/234 Wakefield Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
Connect With Us
Copyright 2025 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)