---
title: "What Top-Earning Guesthouses Have in Common (According to an Expert)"
description: "We sat down with Hyeseon Bang from ONDA's Pension Plus team — who works directly with guesthouse owners to boost revenue — to hear what separates high performers from the rest."
published: 2023-03-27T00:00:00+00:00
author: "ONDA 편집팀"
category: "Insights"
image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/6423a927a3ed9248446bac3f_15.jpg"
canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=interview-2303-9
locale: en
---
# What Top-Earning Guesthouses Have in Common (According to an Expert)

Hello from ONDA — the digital infrastructure company for Korea's hospitality industry.

We're lucky to work with some of the smartest people in lodging. Today, we're sharing a conversation with Hyeseon Bang, who leads our Pension Plus team — the folks who sit side-by-side with guesthouse owners and figure out how to drive more bookings.

> **Hi Hyeseon! Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into hospitality.**

Hi, I'm Hyeseon Bang, team lead for ONDA's Pension Plus.

I loved traveling, so I majored in tourism management. That naturally got me interested in the travel industry as a whole.

A friend introduced me to a sales role at a guesthouse company, and I've been in lodging ever since.

It's been nine years now.

> **There are lots of segments in hospitality. Why guesthouses specifically?**

Most guesthouse owners are in their 50s or 60s.

They're not always comfortable with computers, so getting buy-in isn't easy. But **when sales start coming in and they thank me — that feels incredible.**

I've spent years building relationships with these owners. It's a different vibe than hotels. Knowing I can make a real difference keeps me here.

![](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/6423a938fa8baa64a2f8f937_11.jpg)

> **What's the most rewarding part of your job?**

Every winter, our office gets flooded with tangerines.

Owners in Jeju send boxes to the company. They'll be totally gruff on the phone, but then a surprise box shows up — no note, nothing. It's the sweetest thing.

When I call to say thanks, they get embarrassed and hang up right away.

There are so many owners who care about ONDA like that. It's why I love this work.

> **What do the top-performing properties have in common?**

**First: pricing.**

If your rates match your room quality, amenities, and service level, bookings take care of themselves.

**Second: cleanliness.**

This sounds obvious, but clean rooms = good reviews = repeat guests and organic traffic.

Third, **niche positioning**. A few years ago, spa guesthouses and pool villas dominated. Now it's pet-friendly stays, family-oriented properties, design-focused escapes, glamping setups. **Properties built for a specific audience get more exposure and land more promotional placements — which means higher revenue.**

![](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/6423a941295a86a54501f4fe_13.jpg)

> **You mentioned guest satisfaction matters. What do owners overlook?**

A lot of properties still take bookings manually — phone calls, texts, handwritten notes.

The reason you should use a distribution channel ties back to **"clean rooms."**

**Outsource reservations to a platform like Pension Plus. Free up your time for operations instead of admin.**

Reviews are everywhere now. One comment like "photos looked great, but the room was dirty" can tank your booking rate.

If cleanliness is your bottleneck, get a booking system.

> **What's the biggest challenge owners face right now? And what's your advice?**

**Bookings.**

With COVID restrictions lifted, more Koreans are traveling abroad. Owners worry domestic demand will drop.

But flip side: **international travelers are coming back**.

**To attract overseas guests, you need to be on global channels.**

The problem? Many international OTAs have high barriers to entry.

**Pension Plus connects you to both domestic and global channels — fast and easy.**

![](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/6423a9489e974d70d7ca63f1_14.jpg)

> **Any final words for property owners?**

Worried about double bookings?

Struggling to manage reservations across multiple channels?

**Pension Plus solves both.** From reservation management to multi-channel distribution, we've got you covered.

That's a wrap on our conversation with Hyeseon Bang — someone who truly cares about guesthouse owners.

#### Over 40,000 properties already use Pension Plus
If booking management and channel distribution are slowing you down, try Pension Plus for free.

[Get in touch](https://www.onda.me/apply-form?utm_source=home&utm_medium=trend&utm_campaign=interview&utm_content=2303_9_cta)