The lead in Hospitality for all things technology.
Nexplay specializes in providing managed information technology and infrastructure cabling services of exceptional quality to the hospitality industry. Our goal is to be known as a consulting firm that supports the finest hotels and establishments across the U.S. with a deeply instilled ethos of white-glove service and execution. By engineering innovative solutions of enduring quality and satisfying the needs of world-class properties in true 24x7x365 environments, Nexplay is able to confidently meet the technology demands of any organization.
headquarters
other locations
Focus
Portfolio
Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt, TAO Group, Relevant Group, Mani Brothers, Hollywood Roosevelt, Langham, Beverly Hills Hotel, Waldorf Astoria
San Ysidro Ranch Disaster Requires Full Technology Rebuild
On January 9, 2018, massive debris flows crashed through Montecito, destroying nearly everything in its paths resulting in a city-wide state of emergency. Forbes’ five-star San Ysidro Ranch resort was one of the hardest hit in the area, devastated by the deadly avalanche of mud which damaged and destroyed half of the property’s 41 cottages. All technology including cabling, wifi, server room, pc’s and servers were completely swept away.
Working hand in hand with the hotel’s senior operation and construction personnel, Nexplay was engaged to design & build new network infrastructure along with guest room technology in time for an aggressive re-opening launch date.
Mani Brothers Low Voltage Infrastructure & Acquisition Due Dilligence
Mani Brothers was in need of a low voltage & infrastructure technology partner to immediately perform full room renovations for the Malibu Beach Inn and other acquisitions they had purchased on the Pacific Coast Highway, including a property converted to an all-suite extension of the Inn as well as Malibu Surf. The client also required that the property networks be interconnected to be able to function as one unified entity.
In addition, the client desired periodic due diligence to be performed on potential acquisitions across the U.S., and ongoing management of all IT Infrastructure at the properties over the next 4 years.
Hotel del Coronado transitions into Hilton Curio Collection
This historic property required a very high level of onsite IT performance in order to support its 300+ employees, 757 guest rooms, 36 revenue centers, and droves of tourists visiting constantly. Originally employing five internal IT personnel to manage operations, the CFO sought a more innovative and efficient approach to IT in order to maintain peak performance.
Due to Nexplay’s reputation and proven track record in the industry, the hotel’s executive staff chose to outsource all of its IT for the first time in its 130+ year history. Hotel del Coronado banked on the superiority of leveraging an IT Team with specific, proven expertise in hospitality, resulting in another historic transition into one of the most remarkable, sought-after destination hotels in the world.
Dream Hollywood/TAO Group Technology Build-out
This was a ground up technology build-out and was Dream Hotel and Tao Group’s first ever opening on the West Coast. Because of the properties’ portfolio importance, the management group was searching for a premier IT firm with a proven track record of successfully opening high-end venues on time and within budget.
Undergoing a highly competitive vetting process with multiple reputable firms, Nexplay was ultimately chosen to handle every aspect of the hotel’s and Tao venues’ technology build-outs from strategy, design, procurement, engineering, implementation, and launch.
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Managed Services & Enhanced Security System
When the hotel industry was hit with the recession of 2009, Hotels were forced to cut costs to address the steep drop in domestic and international travel. Moving from an internal I.T. Department to an outsourced managed services model was proposed to reduce maintenance & operational costs while increasing ROI. Nexplay was engaged to fully manage the hotel with a full time onsite engineer and remote helpdesk staff to assist with any overflow support needs.
The hotel, located at the heart of Hollywood Boulevard experiences a high volume of constant foot traffic entering and exiting the hotel. With recent reports of vagrancy jumping 12% from 2018, hotel management was keen on implementing additional security measures to scale with potentially increased risks and enhance safety for the property, guests, and employees. Nexplay proposed greater visual coverage and emergency response tools, installing an additional 40 state-of-the art cameras and high-tech panic stations throughout its parking structure.
Reviews
the project
IT Support Services for Hotel Management Company
"We’re really impressed by Nexplay’s knowledge, expertise, quick turnaround time, communication, and project management."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the IT corporate director for Sydell Group, a privately owned hotel management company and luxury brand with several hotels in our portfolio. We have a couple of hotels under development right now and we partner with MGM on specific projects.
What challenge were you trying to address with Nexplay Consulting Inc.?
We partnered with Nexplay to oversee and manage the IT services for one of our hotels.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We have a Master Service Agreement in place. One of our projects is a full audio refresh on Openaire, one of the restaurants at The Line LA. They are tasked with replacing all the audio systems in that restaurant with something more robust to give a really solid and high-quality experience to the diners. Nexplay is also working on revamping the full IT stack in the server room. This involves upgrading all the servers, switches and other components.
Nexplay oversees the full management operations from the IT side of things for The Line Hotel in Los Angeles. The hotel is located on Wilshire Boulevard and has 386 rooms plus three full-service restaurants. They are not the provider for most of the IT services, but Nexplay is our first go-to for any support needed by the hotel operation team.
They have a help desk and POS support services, and they do low voltage cabling along with fully manned AV services. They are also pretty hands-on when it comes to the daily operation of our CCTVs, surveillance system, and guest and admin WIFI.
What is the team composition?
Nexplay has a dedicated team of six people to The Line Hotel. Steven (President & Managing Partner) and Koa (IT Director) have been our main points of contact. Steven oversees the entire team, while Koa manages the help desk along with the Tier 1 and Tier 2 support.
Along with the help desk people, they have a low voltage team and an AV team. They also have a few great engineers on board who have great expertise in OPERA and most of the Oracle products.
How did you come to work with Nexplay Consulting Inc.?
Our CFO had previously worked with Nexplay, which is how we initially got in contact with them. We did our due diligence and assessment, looking into the great feedback from other hotels for whom Nexplay provided support. One thing led to another and we hired them.
How much have you invested with them?
The audio project is about $20,000 and the server revamp is another $50,000–$60,000. These projects easily average over $100,000.
There are also ongoing costs for Nexplay’s support services, but they get funded depending on the scope of work and the size of the project. Their monthly retainer fee is in the range of $3,000–$4,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We partnered with Nexplay in January 2020, before COVID-19. It is an ongoing partnership, close to two years now, and we are hoping to use their services for our other hotels.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Before they came on, we were facing a lot of challenges. The speakers were turning off sporadically and we couldn’t provide great quality music to enhance the experience of our guests. However, Nexplay has done a really amazing job of refreshing Openaire’s AV. They’ve selected amazing quality speakers and amplifiers and have done well to cable, restructure, and rezone our 3,000-square-foot restaurant.
They’ve also put together solid documentation on how everything can be controlled so that restaurant managers and directors could easily play or change the music in different zones, lower the volume, or adjust the frequency without needing help from IT. Nexplay has delivered a really great product.
How did Nexplay Consulting Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
Steven has been great. He is very hands-on and available anytime we have a problem on-site. Their office is within walking distance to the hotel, so we typically don’t have any downtime at all. If there is something critical needed, they could easily come over within a 5–10 minutes’ notice. They have a really dedicated team of resources for The Line Hotel and we are really impressed. As soon as we log a ticket, we immediately hear from them.
They are very organized and consistent. Everytime a project gets approved, it almost instantly goes to the responsible resource. They let us review everything that has been completed before doing a final sign-off — something that I’ve rarely seen other support companies do, especially for our hotel.
I communicate daily with the team through Microsoft Teams. We would also schedule weekly or bi-weekly Zoom calls joined in by stakeholders and team members from my side.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’re really impressed by Nexplay’s knowledge, expertise, quick turnaround time, communication, and project management; they are really good at all of these things. They stay consistent because they have a great team of people. I am really hoping we can do more business together.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There’s none that I can think of.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
I can’t speak for other industries, but for hotels specifically, Nexplay is what you get for your buck. You won’t feel like they are a third-party support company. There is that personal touch, specifically from Steven and Koa, which makes you feel like you literally have an in-house team. They are ready to provide support anytime and anywhere, which will make your life easier at the end of the day.
the project
IT Services Management for Hotel
"Their team makes sure our guests are as satisfied with our service as we are with the services Nexplay provides us."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the senior staff accountant at SIXTY Hotels Beverly Hills. It’s a hotel hospitality business.
What challenge were you trying to address with Nexplay Consulting Inc.?
Nexplay helps us in our day-to-day operations, such as the copier, internet connectivity, guests' concerns, and any technical aspects.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Nexplay makes sure all our systems are up and running, including the internet connectivity for our guests, and the firewall and financial integrity security for our company, such as ensuring we’re fine in terms of cybercrime, hackers, and more. They handle all those crucial parts.
What is the team composition?
I work with Koa (IT Director), Fadi (Infrastructure Manager), Steven (President & Managing Partner), Kyla (IT Help Desk Manager), and Alex (System Engineer). We have a quality support group for our hotel.
How did you come to work with Nexplay Consulting Inc.?
Nexplay handles the IT department of the Hollywood Lutherville Hotel, which is one of our sister companies — we manage that hotel. When the contracts of our previous IT company expired, our general manager and financial controller decided to hire Nexplay. It made sense to have both companies working with the same contractor.
How much have you invested with them?
The previous year, we spent around $45,000. This year, on average, we’ve spent $55,000. Nexplay doesn’t charge a lot because of inflation.
What is the status of this engagement?
We’ve been working with Nexplay since September 2015, and the partnership is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
As a whole organization, if we have to rate Nexplay, we give them 8.5–9. We’re very satisfied with their services. They are fast to respond, and they always go above and beyond the problem at hand. Nexplay does extra work to give us a solution before a problem arises and make sure that it will never happen again.
How did Nexplay Consulting Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
We aren't very tech-savvy, so if there’s any concern or problem with operating, Nexplay is a phone call away. They’re on top of their game because they respond right away every time we call them, whether it’s a guest’s concern for the internet service or other things. Their team is always available.
What did you find most impressive about them?
This review is a way to thank Nexplay for the great job they’re doing for our company. Their team makes sure our guests are as satisfied with our service as we are with the services Nexplay provides us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, there’s nothing Nexplay could improve. In terms of our hotel needs, they’ve gone above and beyond what we’ve asked for.
Any advice for potential customers?
The only piece of advice I can give is to be upfront and honest with Nexplay on what you want to see in your IT services and systems. It has worked for us. We’ve always been honest and straightforward with them on what we want, can, and can’t do.
the project
Helpdesk Support for Hotel Chain
"What we’ve done with Nexplay so far has worked out really well and has changed the way our issues are responded to."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
Shore Hotel is a family-owned hotel that has three locations that I manage. I am the director of IT.
What challenge were you trying to address with Nexplay Consulting Inc.?
We brought on Nexplay to support all three of our locations, especially since I had previously let go of one of my IT staff.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Nexplay is basically assisting us on the Helpdesk side of things. With my direction, they also cover basic troubleshooting needs, basic calculations, and how to respond to certain situations. I informed them on how I wanted certain things to be run and how, in general, we can work in tandem on different processes. I’ve also discussed with them what I want to get some more action on since there’s been little changes in the technology.
Prior to bringing Nexplay in for the Helpdesk service, I had actually worked with them on a domain upgrade from scratch for two of our properties. When I wanted a new system and process, they conducted on-site surveys to discover what we needed to accommodate and be responsive to our clients.
What is the team composition?
We communicate with Steven (President & Managing Partner) a lot regarding different projects and needs. I’ve also met with his managers and his staff.
How did you come to work with Nexplay Consulting Inc.?
We know them from a hospitality industry network. We asked around and Nexplay came up, providing more information about what they do. We went ahead and brought them on board for the first project and then for the Helpdesk.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve invested anywhere from $50,000–$100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
I first brought them in somewhere in October 2020 for the Helpdesk support. We’re still working with the team.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
I’ve gotten good feedback from our food and beverage, front desk, engineering, and security departments from all three properties. Nexplay has been able to help our staff fix their phones and set up their logins and emails for Office 365. They’ve also been able to provide support for our various in-house systems without my involvement unless absolutely necessary.
Before I brought them on board, I had a specific target on how I wanted things to be done and we’ve been able to accommodate that. We have our procedures and guidelines in terms of how they are supposed to respond, and it’s been working out great.
How did Nexplay Consulting Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
We have a ticketing system, but anything related to big projects comes through email. For regular, Helpdesk-related matters, we just create a PDF for our staff to follow which is relayed either through email or by phoning the Helpdesk.
If Nexplay can’t immediately assist us, requiring further access and permissions, I’ll get copied into the ticket so that I could intervene and respond. Other times, they can simply communicate with my staff and fix things right away.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their response times distinguish them from other providers. There’s a lot of vendors who do half-hearted, sloppy work just get in and get out. That’s where Nexplay comes in. Since we have a mutual agreement on how their staff is going to work with me, it’s just a matter of who will lead it. What we’ve done with Nexplay so far has worked out really well and has changed the way our issues are responded to.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything right now, but I’m sure there’s always something they can improve on. Anytime there’s a job in the hospitality industry, there’s a lot of changes in personnel and with that comes the need for stability and a template to go off of. Otherwise, it just becomes all over the place. As long as Nexplay continues to follow the guidelines that have been provided to them, then I think we will be fine.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Always pay attention to details, especially the step-by-step processes, and incorporate that with your own knowledge. If there is something you don’t know, ask questions or do your own research. Run some trial-and-error test to exhaust all your different options and find what works for you and what doesn’t.
Nexplay Consulting Inc. has successfully revamped the client's audio system, allowing for a better dining experience for guests. The team responds quickly to support requests and ensures the accuracy of the work before signing it off. They're highly organized and hands-on, which the client appreciates.