Hillcrest Hotels
Executive summary
LCR Connect and local Merseyside partner MRD Technologies have enabled Hillcrest Hotels to harness the power of connectivity – enhancing guest experience, streamlining operations, and preparing for future digital growth.
As Hillcrest expanded its portfolio, its existing connectivity package couldn’t keep pace. Guests were experiencing poor Wi-Fi, staff were up against sluggish systems, and IT teams were stretched thin managing connectivity issues. When Hillcrest approached MRD Technologies – selecting LCR Connect was a “no brainer” due a long-standing history of successful projects across the Liverpool City Region.
By deploying high-speed fibre across seven sites, MRD Technologies, powered by the LCR Connect network, delivered a scalable, resilient solution that now provides 99.9% uptime, faster speeds, and a smoother guest experience across all locations.
Poor connectivity was holding back growth
Prior to installation, Hillcrest Hotels struggled with slow, unreliable connectivity across their seven sites, which posed challenges as they scaled both their physical premises and headcount.
Not only did this present significant issues for operating Customer Relationship Management systems, but hotel guests experienced poor Wi-Fi. Slow Electronic Point of Sale systems significantly disrupted the guest check-in and checkout experience, so Hillcrest sought a full fibre solution to overcome serious connectivity issues.
With large-scale expansion plans for multiple sites on the horizon, Hillcrest needed a reliable, enterprise-grade connectivity solution that was both deployed quickly and offered consistent performance.
Standardised fibre deployment across seven sites
Following consultation, MRD Technologies worked with LCR Connect to implement a standardised, future-ready solution across all seven Hillcrest locations.
The deployment included:
- Enterprise-grade connectivity, even in previously hard-to-reach sites without existing fibre availability.
- Specialist wayleave support and dedicated liaison teams to manage civils and access across each site.
LCR Connect’s footprint, cost-effectiveness, and speed of delivery made it possible to provide consistent enterprise-level connectivity – something that traditional providers could not achieve within the required timeframe.
The ongoing impact
The results were immediate and measurable:
- Uptime above 99.9%, ensuring reliable operations.
- Significantly faster speeds across staff and guest networks.
- Reduction in Wi-Fi support calls, freeing IT teams to focus on longer-term strategy.
- Improved guest satisfaction, with smoother check-ins and positive feedback from front-of-house teams.
- Reduction in back-log and latency on point-of-sale systems across all hotel operations.
Staff describe the difference as “transformational”, with front-of-house teams no longer needing to apologise for poor Wi-Fi – a subtle but powerful improvement in the overall guest journey.
Empowering the future of hospitality
Reliable connectivity is now as critical to hotels as electricity or running water. From bookings and point-of-sale systems to streaming and smart guest services, every element of hospitality relies on robust digital infrastructure.
With MRD Technologies’ expertise and the strength of the LCR Connect network, Hillcrest is not only meeting today’s needs but is setting the stage for the guest experiences of tomorrow- from connected devices and AI-driven services to fully integrated management systems.
Partner perspective
“Reliable connectivity is fundamental to delivering modern hospitality. By working with LCR Connect, we were able to give Hillcrest a scalable, future-ready solution that solved immediate issues and prepared them for the next wave of digital transformation. The flexibility and resilience of the network made it the perfect fit for this project.”
Derek Shannon, Company Owner at MRD Technologies
