Rose Apartments – Scaling Smart with AdvanceCM

Customer: Grant Rose from Rose & Redwood Apartments, Rotorua, New Zealand
Properties: 13 luxury units (and growing), Rose Apartments, Redwood Apartments
Product: Tokeet (formerly), now using AdvanceCM
Focus: High-end guest experiences, smart automation, operational efficiency

The Challenge

As Rose Apartments grew, Grant had to juggle answering nonstop guest questions with personalized care while managing smart locks and other systems manually. It was time-consuming and prone to mistakes — they needed a smarter, faster way to keep things running smoothly.

The Outcome

Thanks to Tokeet and AdvanceCM, Grant’s operations run smoothly with smart automation and AI-powered guest messaging. Smart lock management is effortless, cutting errors and saving time. Now, Grant can take more holidays, just jumping in here and there to keep things running — all while scaling his portfolio and keeping guests happy.

From One Apartment to Rotorua’s Top-Rated Stay

What started as an experiment with a single Airbnb unit quickly turned into one of Rotorua’s best-rated short-term rental businesses. Eight years ago, Grant and his family transformed a central Rotorua rental into a high-end guest apartment — spa pool included. Within a few years, that one unit grew to six, then to ten, and soon Rose Apartments will manage 13 luxury stays.

With a focus on quality and consistency, Grant didn’t just build more apartments — he built better ones. The newly renovated Redwood Apartments, part of the Rose brand, offer a “home away from home” experience, complete with full kitchens, tiled bathrooms, washer/dryers, and elegant design touches that set them apart from Rotorua’s typical accommodation. It’s no surprise the apartments are among the highest-rated properties on Booking.com, with over 400 glowing reviews.

Automating the Complex, Saving Time Daily

One of the biggest wins for Grant? Automation — especially around smart locks. In the past, setting and removing TT Lock codes manually across 10+ units was time-consuming and error-prone.

“It was easy to make a mistake. I had someone doing it for me and we’d still get things wrong occasionally.”

Now, with AdvanceCM, Grant is working toward full control of smart lock automation directly in the PMS:

“We’re sorting out the last step, but I can already tell that AdvanceCM will be much better. I’ll be able to customize emails, manage codes with a click, and fix things myself if a lock breaks.”

How AI Changed the Game for Guest Communication

One of the biggest surprises for Grant was the AI assistant within AdvanceCM.

“I get these little guest messages all day, even just a ‘thank you,’ and I still have to respond to it to count on Booking.com. I gave AI a try — and it blew me away.”

Instead of rushed one-liners, guests now receive warm, empathetic, and perfectly worded replies. The AI even tailors messages based on context — like when guests mention attending a funeral or traveling with bikes.

“Now they get a really nicely written reply, with proper grammar and tone. It’s so creative. Honestly, amazing.”

The Role of Tech in the Growth Journey

From the beginning, Tokeet was central to Rose Apartments’ operations. The ability to sync across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and Agoda gave Grant the control he needed as bookings increased. “We started with Tokeet from day one,” he recalls. “It was great to have that central system to sync with all the OTAs.”

As the business grew in complexity, so did the need for smarter tools. That’s where AdvanceCM, Tokeet’s next-generation platform, came in.

“I like the new features of AdvanceCM. The AI is really good — I think it’s amazing. And I really like that I can now see pricing easily in the calendar.”

What’s Next for Rose Apartments?

As the team at Rose Apartments finishes construction on three more luxury units, they’re also refining their tech stack to make every part of the guest experience seamless — from check-in to check-out.

For Grant, it’s all about giving guests the best — and making the backend easier for his team to manage.

“The more I can handle myself, the better — AdvanceCM gives me the control and flexibility to manage things quickly and easily.”

Why This Story Matters

Grant’s journey shows how thoughtful upgrades in both property design and operational tools can create a standout short-term rental business. With AdvanceCM, Rose Apartments isn’t just managing more bookings — they’re delivering a premium guest experience and scaling with confidence.