Madrid Notes: What We Learned at GuestyVal 2026
Last month, our team traveled to Madrid for GuestyVal 2026, the annual conference hosted by Guesty, the platform behind our reservations, guest messaging, and owner reporting. More than 500 property managers, operators, and technology partners gathered for 25+ sessions, opening with a welcome reception at Soto de Viñuelas, an 18th-century castle outside the city.
What We Brought Home:
- Airbnb, behind the algorithm: A session on how Airbnb’s search ranking decides which homes guests see first. It reinforced what our team already focuses on: guest ratings and reviews, listing quality, responsiveness, booking conversion, and the overall guest experience carry as much weight as nightly rates and promotions. We came away with fresh ideas for sharpening each of these across our homes.
- Guesty’s product roadmap: GuestyPay will soon accept Apple Pay and Google Pay, making checkout faster for guests. Guesty’s AI copilot will also analyze cancellation policies for each booking channel and optimize them per listing, all within the platform we already use.
- AI levels the playing field: Wil Reynolds of Seer Interactive presented “Wil vs. Goliath: How AI Can Be Your Super Power to Punch Above Your Weight.” A boutique team with the right tools can match the analytics of national firms while keeping the local, hands-on care they can’t offer.
What this means for our owners: We attend these events so you don’t have to. Every conversation in Madrid came back to one question: What will make our homes perform better and our guests happier? The technology keeps changing. Our job is to know which parts are worth using, and to keep the human judgment that matters most.
Harvest 2026: Early, Light & Promising
Sonoma County’s 2026 vintage is one for the record books:
- Record early start: The earliest harvest in 30 to 40 years, with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir picked in mid-July
- Smaller crop: Yields are expected to run 35 to 50% lighter than normal, with smaller clusters delivering concentrated flavor
- Quality outlook: Growers expect an excellent vintage
- For our guests: October is one of the best months to taste. Every stay includes complimentary tastings at our partner wineries, over $1,600 in value
Source: Sonoma County Winegrowers
