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How Crowne Plaza Seattle Replaced a 15-Year-Old Legacy PBX Without Interrupting Operations

Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown

A Think Simplicity Case Study

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Replacing Critical Infrastructure Is Never Easy

Most hotels don’t replace their communication systems until they have no choice.

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The risks feel too high.

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• Will the PMS integration work?
• Will guest services be disrupted?
• Will the installation create more problems than it solves?

For a 419-room downtown Seattle hotel, those concerns were amplified by the size and complexity of the property.

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Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown relied on a communication environment that had served the hotel for more than 15 years.  

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While the system remained operational, critical components were beginning to show their age. PMS integrations were becoming unreliable, hardware was aging, and multiple standalone systems required ongoing maintenance and coordination.

The hotel knew modernization was necessary.  

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The challenge was making the transition without disrupting daily operations or the guest experience.

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At a Glance

Challenge

Replace a 15-year-old Mitel PBX with aging hardware, failing PMS integrations, and multiple standalone communication servers—without disrupting hotel operations.

Solution

Deploy a unified cloud-based hotel communication platform fully integrated with Oracle Opera PMS.

Result

Completed the migration in three days with minimal guest disruption, consolidated multiple communication systems into a single platform, and restored reliable PMS functionality.

Property Snapshot

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• Property: Crowne Plaza
• ‍Location: Downtown Seattle, Washington
• ‍Property Size: 419 Guest Rooms
• ‍Previous System: 15-Year-Old Mitel PBX
• ‍PMS: Oracle Opera PMS
• Telephone Extensions: 534
• Project Goal: Replace aging infrastructure before failure while maintaining uninterrupted hotel operations
• Installation Window: 3 Days
• Guest Disruption: Minimal to None
• Result: Unified cloud-based hotel communication platform

Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown is a full-service hotel located in the heart of downtown Seattle. As a large, branded property operating around the clock, communication systems play a critical role in supporting both guests and staff.

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The Challenge: Aging Infrastructure and Growing Complexity

The hotel’s legacy Mitel system had been in place for about 15 years.

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Over time, several operational issues began to emerge. The most significant challenge involved PMS integration.

Guest names were no longer appearing on phones. Housekeeping and room status functionality had become unreliable.

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Rebooting systems could temporarily restore functionality, but the underlying issues continued to return.

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Behind the scenes, the communication environment had also become increasingly fragmented.

The hotel was maintaining:

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• A separate phone switch
• A separate voicemail server
• A separate call accounting server
• Multiple interfaces connecting to Opera

Each system introduced additional complexity, maintenance requirements, and points of failure.

The infrastructure was still functioning—but it was becoming harder to justify the risk of relying on aging technology for critical operations.

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“The old system was 15 years old, so it was time.” said the hotel executive.

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The Biggest Concern: Oracle Opera PMS Integration

For the hotel’s leadership team, the biggest concern wasn’t replacing the phone system itself. It was ensuring a successful integration with Oracle Opera PMS.

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Any communication system upgrade that touches a PMS environment introduces risk. A failed integration can impact guest information, room status updates, call handling, and daily operations across the property.

According to the hotel’s executive:

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“Anytime you install a new system that has to interface with Opera, that’s always my greatest fear.”

The team needed confidence that the migration would be completed correctly without disrupting hotel operations.

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The 30-year hospitality executive, who has overseen multiple technology projects at this property expected challenges. Instead, the installation became one of the smoothest upgrades he has experienced.

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Following the migration, the Opera PMS interface functioned as expected with no major post-installation issues.

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By successfully maintaining PMS connectivity throughout the transition, the hotel avoided one of the most common risks associated with communication system upgrades.

Several months after the installation, the executive reported:

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“We haven’t had any issues with the Opera interface. Everything has worked as we expected.”

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Why Think Simplicity Was Selected

The hotel selected Think Simplicity because of its ability to provide:

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• A cloud-based communication platform
• Proven Opera integration
• Consolidated system architecture
• Hotel-specific functionality
• Responsive support
• Minimal operational disruption during deployment

Just as important, Think Simplicity’s team worked closely with the hotel before installation to develop a detailed deployment plan and identify potential challenges before cutover.

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A Three-Day Installation with Minimal Guest Impact

The installation was completed during a planned three-day deployment window.

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Because the property operates 24 hours a day, minimizing guest disruption was a top priority.

The project included:

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• Network and VLAN configuration
• Phone deployment
• Opera PMS integration
• System testing
• Staff onboarding
• Final cutover

The communication system was brought online during early morning hours to reduce operational impact. Guest interruption was minimal, if any.

The Opera interface, the hotel’s biggest concern, was successfully implemented as planned.

After overseeing multiple phone and technology deployments throughout his career, the hotel executive described the project simply:  

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“This one was way smoother.”

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From Multiple Systems to One Unified Platform

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Before the upgrade, the hotel’s communication environment relied on multiple separate systems working together:

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• Phone switch
• Voicemail server
• Call accounting server
• Multiple PMS interfaces

Each component required maintenance and created additional points of failure.

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After the upgrade, the new communication platform consolidated these functions into a single cloud-based environment. With one Opera PMS integration instead of multiple standalone interfaces.

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This simplified system management, reduced complexity, and created a more modern communication architecture for the property.  

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Operational Improvements After the Upgrade

Following installation, the hotel immediately benefited from a more streamlined communication environment.  

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Instead of managing multiple servers and interfaces, the property now operates from a consolidated cloud-based platform.

Key improvements included:

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Stable PMS Integration

Guest information and communication workflows now operate reliably through a single integrated environment.

Improved Front Desk Operations

Incoming calls can ring directly across front desk extensions, improving flexibility and responsiveness. Front desk staff can also transfer calls to reservations with a single button, making guest call routing faster and more efficient.

Voicemail-to-Email

Managers and staff can receive voicemail messages directly through email, improving accessibility and reducing missed communications.

Simplified System Architecture

Multiple legacy servers and interfaces were consolidated into a single unified platform.

Responsive Support

Because the system is remotely managed, post-installation adjustments, configuration changes, and support requests are handled quickly without requiring onsite visits, helping minimize disruption and costs to hotel operations.

Key Results

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• Replaced a 15-year-old Mitel PBX
• Maintained Oracle Opera PMS integration
• Completed installation in three days
• Minimal guest disruption
• Consolidated multiple communication systems into one platform
• Improved front desk call handling
• Added voicemail-to-email functionality
• Simplified ongoing system management

Modernizing Hotel Communications Without Operational Disruption

Large-scale technology upgrades are often associated with downtime, disruption, and unexpected complications.

For Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown, the experience was different.

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The hotel successfully replaced a 15-year-old communication environment, maintained Opera integration, modernized infrastructure, and completed deployment with virtually no guest disruption.

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The hotel executive credits the installation team’s preparation and expertise:

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“Everybody I worked with knew what they were doing.”

Reflecting on the overall deployment experience, the hotel executive said:

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“Overall, it was seamless and smooth.”

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One Thing They Would Do Differently

Looking back, the hotel executive’s biggest takeaway was simple:

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“Had I known it was going to be this smooth, I probably would have pushed a little harder to do it sooner.”

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Like many hotels, the property waited until aging infrastructure made replacement unavoidable.

The experience demonstrated that communication modernization does not have to be disruptive, risky, or complicated when the right plan and the right partner are in place.

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For hotels still operating on a legacy PBX, replacing aging infrastructure before failure occurs can significantly reduce operational risk and simplify future technology management.

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Final Takeaway

For larger hotels operating on aging communication infrastructure, the biggest challenge often isn’t replacing the system.

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It’s managing the risk of change.

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Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown’s experience shows that with proper planning, experienced installers, and reliable PMS integration, even a large-scale communication upgrade can be completed smoothly, efficiently, and with virtually no impact on guests.

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Beyond the successful installation, the hotel’s communication environment is now easier to maintain, with ongoing updates and support handled remotely.

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Ready to Explore What’s Possible?

👉 See What It Would Look Like for Your Property

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