Canary Technologies Raises $80M to Solidify Its Position as the Hospitality AI Leader and Accelerate Global Reach
Canary Technologies, the award-winning global leader in hotel guest management technology, announced today it has closed an $80 million Series D round of funding to accelerate the company's global expansion as a leader in hospitality AI. Brighton Park Capital led the round, with participation from existing investors: Insight Partners, F-Prime Capital, Thayer Ventures, Y-Combinator and Commerce Ventures. This latest investment brings Canary's valuation to approximately $600 million dollars.
This fundraise comes on the heels of a $50M Series C raise announced 12 months ago and caps off an impressive year of growth marked by major partnerships with Best Western, Aimbridge Hospitality, Marriott, Wyndham, TUI Hotels & Resorts, and others. Additionally, Canary unveiled the launch of new cutting-edge AI products, including AI Voice and Webchat. As global demand for AI-powered guest engagement solutions continues to rise, Canary will use the funding to accelerate its rapid expansion.
The hospitality industry is entering a new era powered by AI, and we're proud to be at the forefront of that transformation. Through intelligent, enterprise-grade solutions, we're helping hotels run smarter, deliver faster service and create more personalized guest experiences at scale. This latest investment reflects both the extraordinary dedication of the team—whose work is redefining what's possible—and the growing impact Canary is making across the industry. We're energized by the strong demand and excited to expand our partnerships with many of the world's leading hoteliers. Harman Singh Narula, CEO and Co-founder of Canary
The announcement builds on Canary's accelerating growth and influence across the hospitality sector. Today, the company supports more than 20,000 hotels in over 100 countries and serves as the enterprise partner of choice for leading global brands, including Marriott, Wyndham, Best Western and many others. Canary has earned consistent recognition from industry experts—named the #1 Guest Experience Platform in consecutive years by HotelTechReport, and recognized by Deloitte, Fast Company and more.
This milestone reflects our team's continued commitment to building solutions that elevate the industry. Our AI solutions are crafted in close partnership with customers, purpose-built for hospitality, and deeply inspired by hoteliers' day-to-day workflows. When our hotel partners dream of better service, smarter operations, or more delightful guest experiences, our team works hard to turn those dreams into reality with precision, scale and purpose. SJ Sawhney, President and Co-Founder of Canary Technologies
Canary's scale and growth within the travel and hospitality sector are truly unprecedented. We're thrilled to partner with Harman, SJ, and the entire team as they accelerate their momentum and solidify their position as a category leader. Their dedication to delivering enterprise-grade, high-impact solutions for hoteliers positions them for long-term success and sustained global leadership. Kevin Magan, Partner at Brighton Park Capital
About Canary Technologies
Founded in 2018 by lifelong friends and hospitality experts Harman Singh Narula and SJ Sawhney, Canary Technologies was born out of a shared vision: to create intuitive, guest-centric technology that redefines the hospitality experience. Today, Canary serves properties of all sizes—from independent boutiques to global hotel brands—delivering a unified platform that modernizes hotel operations and transforms the guest journey, from pre-booking to checkout. For more information, visit http://canarytechnologies.com.
About Brighton Park Capital
Brighton Park Capital is a New York-based investment firm focused on entrepreneur-led, growth-stage software, healthcare and tech-enabled services companies. The firm invests in companies that provide highly innovative solutions in partnership with great management teams. Brighton Park brings purpose-built, value-add capabilities that match the unique requirements of each of its companies. For more information about Brighton Park Capital, please visit www.bpc.com.
Amanda McDowell
Content Marketing Manager
View source
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hospitality Net
4 days ago
- Hospitality Net
Reviewpro Reputation Supercharges Its AI Responses Feature to Boost Hotel Efficiency and Personalization
BARCELONA, Spain – Shiji, the global hospitality technology leader is announcing a significant upgrade to Reviewpro Reputation's AI Responses feature, turning what was once a tedious task into an efficient, consistent experience. With a single click, hoteliers can generate context-aware response drafts aligned with tone preferences, property insights, and guest feedback so they can redirect valuable staff time toward meaningful guest service. The result: faster, more consistent engagement and elevated trust with prospective guests. Just one month into a trial, HM Hotels used AI responses to respond to over 82% of 661 reviews received, with a response time for negative and neutral reviews under 2.7 days, with a 100% response rate on key platforms like Google, and Tripadvisor. Responding to online reviews is a key driver of reputation performance, but operational pressure often leads to delays or inconsistency. Reviewpro Reputation's enhanced AI Responses feature tackles the root challenge: the blank response box. By automatically generating a polished draft, complete with acknowledgment of both praise and critique, hotels maintain a high standard of responsiveness. Clients define their tone (formal, friendly, empathetic, and the new 'Business Casual'), preferred length, and signature template, and the tool seamlessly integrates 'Property Insights' to ensure replies feel aligned with the brand's voice. AI Review Responses is not just about responding fast. It lets hotels to efficiently respond in a brand aligned voice and frees staff to focus on delivering remarkable guest experiences. The new bulk generation option takes efficiency to the next level. It allows teams to generate responses for multiple reviews at once. This helps staff save valuable time and maintain full control over the responses sent. Rafael Patiño, Senior Director of Product Management at Reviewpro Reputation Key upgrades: Tailored Tone & Structure: Users now choose from enhanced tone options—formal, friendly, empathetic, and the versatile 'Business Casual,' which blends professionalism with warmth and ensures proper pronoun use across languages. Users now choose from enhanced tone options—formal, friendly, empathetic, and the versatile 'Business Casual,' which blends professionalism with warmth and ensures proper pronoun use across languages. Workflow Visibility: The new 'AI Response Generated' icon and dedicated filters enable managers to track which reviews are draft‑ready and which are live, eliminating oversight and promoting accountability. The new 'AI Response Generated' icon and dedicated filters enable managers to track which reviews are draft‑ready and which are live, eliminating oversight and promoting accountability. Bulk Replies: One-click bulk response capability enables hoteliers to generate contextual replies for 20+ reviews simultaneously, ideal for busy teams or large properties. One-click bulk response capability enables hoteliers to generate contextual replies for 20+ reviews simultaneously, ideal for busy teams or large properties. Intentional Co‑Pilot Design: Hoteliers retain full editorial control, with every draft reviewable and editable before publishing. These enhancements arrive at a time when guest expectations are higher than ever. As travelers increasingly pay attention to how hotels respond to feedback, consistent and thoughtful replies have become a key differentiator. And since the average response time globally has dropped from 10 days in 2021 to just 3.2 days in 2025, hotels looking to stay competitive need to align with this new standard. To learn more about AI Responses, visit About Shiji Shiji is a global technology company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for the hospitality industry, ensuring seamless operations for hoteliers day and night. Built on the Shiji Platform—the only truly global hotel technology platform—Shiji's cloud -based portfolio includes Property Management System, Point-of-Sale, guest engagement, distribution, payments, and data intelligence solutions for over 91,000 hotels worldwide, including the largest chains. With more than 5,000 employees across the world, Shiji is a trusted partner for the world's leading hoteliers, delivering technology that works as continuously as the industry itself. That's why the best hotels run on Shiji—day and night. While its primary focus is on hospitality, Shiji also serves select customers in food service, retail, and entertainment in certain regions. For more information, visit View source
Hospitality Net
4 days ago
- Hospitality Net
Sasindu Don has been promoted Director of Finance at Sofitel Dubai Downtown
In the ever-evolving symphony of Sofitel Dubai Downtown, a new crescendo has been reached. With quiet determination and a mind sharpened by precision, Sasindu Don has journeyed from Financial Controller to Director of Finance, orchestrating success with the kind of clarity and calm that defines true leadership. Since joining the luxury property in the heart of Downtown Dubai 7 years past, Sasindu has been the silent force behind its financial finesse. Under his stewardship, the hotel has seen record-breaking gross operating profit, a streamlined procurement process that trimmed costs without compromising luxury, and the implementation of a real-time forecasting model that transformed the decision-making landscape across departments. But numbers alone don't capture Sasindu's legacy. A respected collaborator and mentor, he introduced dynamic reporting tools that empowered department heads with greater financial autonomy, building bridges between finance and operations in a way that felt both modern and human. His ability to balance bottom-line focus with top-tier guest experience made him not just a financial steward, but a true custodian of the brand's soul. In his new role, Sasindu will continue to chart the financial future of Sofitel Dubai Downtown, aligning commercial strategy with the hotel's audacious spirit and refined elegance. He will oversee forecasting, budgeting, compliance, and investment strategy, with an eye on long-term growth and resilience. With this new chapter, Sofitel Dubai Downtown reaffirms its belief in cultivating talent from within, honouring those who don't just manage luxury, but who live it.
Hospitality Net
5 days ago
- Hospitality Net
What Is a Metasearch Engine? The Ultimate Guide for Hotels
And increasingly, they're doing it on metasearch engines. These platforms have become a crucial battleground for visibility, giving hotels the chance to appear side-by-side with OTAs. If your property isn't showing up – or showing up poorly – you're not just missing clicks. You're missing out on guests. But what are metasearch engines? How do they work and how can you effectively navigate them to benefit from their full potential? What is a metasearch engine? A metasearch engine is a pay-per-click-based platform that aggregates and displays real-time rates and availability from multiple hotel booking sites – such as online travel agencies (OTAs), hotel brand websites and wholesalers – allowing users to compare prices and options in one place. Instead of taking bookings itself, a metasearch engine redirects users to the selected provider to complete their reservation. Popular examples, which we expand on below, include Google Hotel Search (previously known as Google Hotel Ads), Trivago and Tripadvisor. Metasearch engines are widely used by consumers, especially in the early stages of trip planning. They appeal to price-conscious travellers who want to ensure they're getting the best deal, as well as to those looking to understand their accommodation options quickly. Their transparent format, showing multiple prices for the same hotel, gives users a sense of control and confidence. The concept of metasearch dates back to the 1990s, when platforms like Kayak and SideStep emerged to simplify flight and hotel shopping. These tools were created to address growing online choice fatigue, bringing clarity to a fragmented, fast-growing travel market. Metasearch vs traditional search engines A traditional search engine – like Google or Bing – uses a web crawler to index vast chunks of the internet. When a user enters a search query, the engine returns a single list of links to websites it deems relevant, based on a complex algorithm. These platforms are broad in scope, serving up everything from news articles and videos to shopping pages and hotel booking sites. Metasearch engines, on the other hand, are specialized comparison tools. Rather than linking to a wide variety of content, they pull structured data – such as for availability and price comparison purposes – from a defined set of different sources and display them in a unified format. For example, a hotel metasearch engine will show prices for the same room across different booking sites. The main advantage of metasearch is its focus and transparency. Travelers can quickly compare options and make informed decisions based on the most relevant information. However, they don't provide the same breadth of data that a single search engine offers. Crucially, metasearch platforms rely on integrations, so users only see rates from sources that are actively participating. Metasearch vs OTAs OTAs like Expedia and are full-service booking platforms. They list accommodation options, take reservations, process payments and often handle customer service. OTAs earn commission on each booking made through their platform and typically own the entire booking experience from search to confirmation. Metasearch engines, on the other hand, don't process bookings themselves. Instead, they display rates from multiple sources – including OTAs and hotel websites – and redirect users to complete the booking on the chosen site. This makes metasearch a traffic-referral model rather than a transactional one. The advantage of metasearch lies in its price transparency and brand control – you can advertise direct rates alongside OTA listings, encouraging users to book direct on your website. OTAs, however, often offer stronger conversion tools, loyalty programmes and packaged travel options. Some OTAs, like blur the line by operating as both an OTA and a metasearch engine. They may list competing rates (e.g. from sister brands) or aggregate inventory in search results. For you as a hotelier, this dual role creates more competition and highlights the importance of having a strong, visible direct channel presence on metasearch platforms. How do metasearch engines work? Metasearch engines operate through a structured architecture designed to gather, process and display real-time data from multiple sources. At the front end is the user interface (UI), typically a clean, intuitive search bar where users input their destination, dates and preferences. The display layer then shows relevant results in a comparative format, often with filters for price, star rating, distance, user reviews and more. Increasingly, personalization features, such as remembering past searches or tailoring results based on user behavior, enhance relevance and drive engagement. Behind the scenes, metasearch engines rely on data feeds and integrations rather than crawling different search engines on the open web. These data feeds are supplied by OTAs, hotel chains, wholesalers and booking engines. Each time a user searches, the engine pulls in current rates and availability from these partners, ensuring results are accurate and up to date. To determine which listings appear first, metasearch engines each use their own algorithm for ranking. These may factor in bid amount (how much your hotel as a partner is willing to pay per click), price competitiveness, ad relevance, click-through rates and even user preferences. Hotels or OTAs often manage their visibility through bidding platforms, paying more to appear higher in search results. This pay-per-click (PPC) model makes metasearch both a digital marketing and distribution channel. You must therefore balance bid strategies, rate parity and conversion performance to succeed, making participation both high-potential and operationally complex. The top metasearch engines for hotels A few names names dominate this space, each with its own audience, reach and strategic value for hoteliers. Examples of metasearch engines include: Google Hotel Search : Integrated into Google Search and Maps, this is one of the most popular metasearch engines, capturing high-intent traffic at the point of discovery. : Integrated into Google Search and Maps, this is one of the most popular metasearch engines, capturing high-intent traffic at the point of discovery. Trivago : Known for its hotel-focused advertising and global reach, Trivago offers robust tools for hoteliers to promote direct rates and manage PPC campaigns. : Known for its hotel-focused advertising and global reach, Trivago offers robust tools for hoteliers to promote direct rates and manage PPC campaigns. Tripadvisor : Originally a review platform, Tripadvisor also acts as a metasearch engine by displaying booking options from OTAs and hotels alongside user-generated content. : Originally a review platform, Tripadvisor also acts as a metasearch engine by displaying booking options from OTAs and hotels alongside user-generated content. Kayak : Popular for flight and hotel comparisons, Kayak is part of the Booking Holdings group and shares inventory across sister sites like and Priceline. : Popular for flight and hotel comparisons, Kayak is part of the Booking Holdings group and shares inventory across sister sites like and Priceline. Skyscanner: Though best known for flights, Skyscanner also compares hotel rates and appeals to price-sensitive, mobile-first travellers. These platforms can drive significant direct bookings when used strategically in your hotel's distribution mix. How to improve performance on metasearch engines Ranking high on metasearch engines is critical for your property because would-be guests typically click on the top few results, just like in a Google search. A top position can significantly increase visibility, click-through rates and ultimately direct bookings. With a pay-per-click model, however, visibility alone isn't enough; your hotel must ensure that it's converting that traffic effectively. To strengthen performance, you should focus on several key areas: Rate parity : Ensure that the direct rate listed on metasearch platforms is equal to or better than OTA rates. Competitive pricing encourages users to book direct and improves ad relevance. : Ensure that the direct rate listed on metasearch platforms is equal to or better than OTA rates. Competitive pricing encourages users to book direct and improves ad relevance. Bidding strategy : Since most metasearch engines operate on a PPC basis, increasing your bid can raise your placement. Use smart bidding tools to target high-converting traffic without overspending. : Since most metasearch engines operate on a PPC basis, increasing your bid can raise your placement. Use smart bidding tools to target high-converting traffic without overspending. Website experience : Once a user clicks through, your hotel's booking site must load quickly, be mobile-optimized and offer a seamless user journey. Poor user experience leads to high bounce rates and wasted spend. : Once a user clicks through, your hotel's booking site must load quickly, be mobile-optimized and offer a seamless user journey. Poor user experience leads to high bounce rates and wasted spend. Conversion optimization : Clear calls-to-action, trust signals (like reviews and secure payment badges), and streamlined booking flows increase the likelihood of turning clicks into confirmed bookings. : Clear calls-to-action, trust signals (like reviews and secure payment badges), and streamlined booking flows increase the likelihood of turning clicks into confirmed bookings. Strong content and visuals : High-quality images, detailed descriptions and updated amenities help listings stand out in a competitive field. : High-quality images, detailed descriptions and updated amenities help listings stand out in a competitive field. Search engine optimization (SEO) : Tying in with the above, optimize your booking engine, hotel web pages and social media output with relevant keywords, structured data and fast load times to improve quality scores and organic visibility, which can support your paid performance on metasearch. : Tying in with the above, optimize your booking engine, hotel web pages and social media output with relevant keywords, structured data and fast load times to improve quality scores and organic visibility, which can support your paid performance on metasearch. Analytics and A/B testing: Regularly review campaign data to identify what's working, test landing pages and refine targeting strategies for ongoing performance improvement. Together, these efforts will ensure your hotel not only shows up but wins bookings. Metasearch is only one piece of a strong distribution strategy While metasearch engines are a powerful search tool for driving visibility and direct bookings, they represent just one part of a hotel's broader distribution strategy. Relying solely on metasearch can leave you exposed to fluctuations in ad performance, bidding costs or changes in consumer behavior. Metasearch should be seen as a complementary channel, working alongside OTAs, direct website bookings, Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and even offline sales as part of an overall channel strategy. It plays a critical role in increasing price transparency, attracting high-intent users and giving you a chance to compete directly with OTAs for bookings. However, its success depends on having competitive rates, strong brand presence and a seamless booking journey. To manage this complexity, hotels often use channel management tools, which help distribute inventory and rates consistently across all platforms in real time. These tools reduce the risk of overbookings, ensure rate parity and make it easier to adjust pricing strategies across different channels from one central dashboard. By integrating metasearch into a well-balanced, tech-enabled distribution strategy, you can maximize reach, maintain control and drive more profitable bookings across the board. Improve hotel visibility and drive bookings with Channel Manager As part of our platform for small and independent hotels, Lighthouse has brought Channel Manager to the world of hotel revenue and distribution management. Designed to support independent hoteliers by simplifying distribution and maximizing visibility across channels, Channel Manager helps you: Increase bookings by connecting to over 200 channels Save time with automated distribution and centralized channel management Boost your profit with AI-driven pricing distributed to booking channels. Would you like to maximize revenue with minimal effort? See how Channel Manager can help. About Lighthouse Lighthouse is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways. Trusted by over 70,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners—their success is our success. For more information about Lighthouse, please visit: View source
