GuestReady grows European presence with new acquisition and partnership

London-based GuestReady is expanding its portfolio of European short-term rentals through deals with providers in Portugal and France.

GuestReady - one of PhocusWire’s Hot 25 Startups for 2019 - has acquired Oporto City Flats, a short-term rental operator in Porto, and it will take over management of We Stay in Paris, a French property manager.

The deals add 100 new homes to GuestReady’s portfolio, growing it to more than 1,000 properties in the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

"We built a strong business over the last years but reached a level where technology became the limiting factor to scale further,” says Miguel Martins dos Santos, co-founder and general manager of Oporto City Flats.

“We are impressed by GuestReady's technology that allows the business to scale rapidly while increasing guest ratings and returns for property owners. We look forward to assisting GuestReady in Portugal to guarantee continuity and to bring new properties onboard.”

GuestReady handles listing creation, guest communications, housekeeping, concierge services, key management and price optimization for properties in its system.

Launched in 2016, GuestReady has raised a total of $3.7 million from angel investors and seed stage funds in two rounds.

“We’re in a really exciting stage at GuestReady. These deals in Portugal and France give us the chance to take the high level of service we offer to a greater number of hosts looking to have peace of mind while managing their short-term lets,” says Alexander Limpert, co-founder and CEO of GuestReady.

“From day one, our top priority was to make sure we offered the best Airbnb experience to property owners and travelers. This was only possible through a technology-first approach as tech allows us to streamline and automate processes, enabling us to focus on delivering superior guest experiences and host services.”