Tucked away on the top floor of a heritage building in Auckland’s mid-town, Attic Backpackers is a 100-bed haven for travellers seeking more than just a place to sleep. With its easy, relaxed atmosphere and spaces designed for comfort – like a kitchen big enough to actually cook in and generous common areas – Attic quickly becomes a base for guests exploring the city or setting out on bigger adventures. The staff, many of whom are travellers themselves, offer the kind of practical help and local wisdom that transforms a stay into a genuine connection.
“If Attic is your first stop in New Zealand, you’re in good hands,” says owner Patrick Sanders.
What sets Attic apart in a city crowded with large, corporate hostels is its human touch. Locally owned and operated, Attic reflects a deep understanding of what backpackers need because the team has been there themselves.
“Attic is the kind of place where information is easy to find, help is always available, and nothing feels over-managed or impersonal. Guests don’t choose Attic because it shouts the loudest—they choose it because it feels right,” shares Patrick.
A challenge to make every booking count
Behind the scenes, Attic was facing the same challenge as many independent hostels: making sure every bed, every night, and every booking opportunity really counted.
“Before SiteMinder, managing online distribution across multiple OTAs and channels was more manual and more fragmented than we wanted it to be,” explains Patrick “It limited how quickly we could respond, how many markets we could reach, and how much control we had over pricing, availability, and the booking experience itself.”
“We were looking for a solution that would give us more control and more reach, while still feeling right for an independent, locally run property. It was important to work with a platform that was continuing to evolve – keeping pace with changes in distribution, payments and guest expectations – so we could focus on improving the experience on our side.”
SiteMinder delivered a turning point through simplicity and control
Looking for a solution that could empower the team without compromising Attic’s independent spirit, Patrick turned to SiteMinder. The transition marked a turning point:
“SiteMinder gave us the ability to open Attic up to more markets, simplify how we manage our OTAs, and build a more connected booking journey,”he mentions.
“It also allowed us to offer extras at checkout and take payments more confidently, helping us create a smoother experience for guests while making our operations more resilient and efficient.”
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Automation and efficiency empower streamlined operations and enhanced hospitality
The biggest impact of SiteMinder’s platform has been at the heart of the guest experience. Automating payments and handling transactions ahead of arrival has freed up several minutes per guest at check-in – time that now goes into welcoming travellers, answering questions, and sharing local knowledge.
“With payments taken in advance and bookings flowing through more cleanly, check-in is no longer focused on admin or transactions. That’s easily saved several minutes per guest, which adds up quickly across a 100-bed property,” Patrick explains.
“Payments are handled consistently, reconciliation is simpler, and there’s less room for error or follow-up. It’s also reduced the amount of time our team spends switching between systems or resolving payment issues”.
SiteMinder’s unified platform has also transformed Attic’s back-of-house operations. With pricing, availability, and channels connected in one place, manual updates and double-handling have been drastically reduced. Hours of admin each week have been reclaimed, and the risk of errors during busy periods has fallen.
“Having pricing, availability and channels connected in one place has reduced manual updates and double-handling across OTAs. That saves hours each week in back-of-house admin and reduces the risk of errors during busy periods.”
A smoother booking journey, boosted direct bookings, and data-driven decisions
Though overall booking volumes have remained largely market-driven, Attic has seen a clear impact in how guests book and what they book since utilising SiteMinder’s technology. The booking process is now simpler and more intuitive, making it easier for guests to commit earlier, complete payments, and add extras at the time of booking.
“That’s led to an increase in additional revenue per booking, rather than just raw volume,” Patrick notes.
With SiteMinder’s Demand Plus, Attic has enjoyed increased online visibility and a noticeable lift in direct bookings, helping more guests find and book Attic directly.
“Demand Plus has helped reduce our reliance on third-party channels by driving more guests to book directly. While the overall mix is still influenced by market conditions, we’ve seen a clear increase in direct bookings since implementing Demand Plus, particularly from guests discovering us earlier in their planning journey.”
While Attic uses a separate dynamic pricing tool for rate optimisation, SiteMinder’s Insights and analytics have become invaluable for reporting and decision-making.
“The data supports our management accounts, helps us understand booking patterns and channel performance, and informs day-to-day operational decisions. Having clear, accessible analytics in one place makes it easier to review performance and spot trends without pulling data from multiple systems.”
The freedom to prioritise what matters and let people shine
For Patrick and the team, the greatest benefit of SiteMinder’s software is the freedom to focus more time on guests. With payments, distribution, and analytics handled, staff are more present and available – welcoming guests properly, answering questions, and making sure everyone feels comfortable and supported.
“For a backpackers like Attic, that human interaction is a big part of what makes the stay feel easy and comfortable,” says Patrick.
SiteMinder has become a behind-the-scenes partner, empowering Attic Backpackers to keep putting people first, even as the world and the market evolve. For travellers discovering Auckland, Attic remains the kind of place you’re glad you found early and, with SiteMinder in the background, it’s a place where hospitality feels as easy and natural as coming home.