London’s Ampersand Hotel Leads the Charge in Modernising Luxury Hospitality Payments

South Kensington, London – At The Ampersand Hotel, a boutique five-star gem nestled in the heart of South Kensington, luxury isn’t just about thread counts and fine dining — it’s about attention to every detail, even the ones guests never see. 

Until recently, one such detail had been holding the hotel back: how it processed card-not-present payments. 

In a world where expectations for digital simplicity are higher than ever, The Ampersand faced a challenge that’s all too familiar across the hospitality industry — high transaction fees, a growing risk of fraud-related chargebacks, labour-intensive manual processing, and complex PCI DSS compliance requirements. Their payment systems were secure, but they weren’t seamless. 

But instead of accepting the status quo, The Ampersand made a bold move. 

Partnering with Gala Technology and Worldpay, the hotel adopted SOTpay – a cloud-based Pay by Link solution integrated directly with its Opera PMS and Worldpay acquiring services. The results were transformative. 

The Turning Point 

With SOTpay in place, guests now receive a simple, branded payment link via email or SMS, allowing them to pay securely and effortlessly. The payment is then posted automatically to their guest folio in Opera — without hotel staff ever needing to handle sensitive card data. 

Not only has this reduced PCI DSS scope and fraud liability, but it has also eliminated hours of manual admin, freeing up the reservations team to focus on what they do best: delivering exceptional guest experiences. 

More importantly, it’s reinforced the trust guests have in The Ampersand as a brand synonymous with security, ease, and excellence. 

“This was about more than just saving time or money — it was about protecting our guests and our reputation,” said Joseph Delaney, Group Financial Controller at The Ampersand Hotel. 
“SOTpay has given us confidence, clarity, and control over our payments. It’s brought our back office up to the same five-star standard we promise at the front of house.” 

A Partnership Built on Trust and Innovation 

This success story is the result of a tightly aligned partnership between three leading forces in hospitality fintech. 

“The Ampersand understood that payments are no longer just transactional — they’re a vital part of the guest journey,” said Chris Evans, Senior Business Development Manager at Gala Technology. 
“Our mission with SOTpay is to simplify secure payments while reducing risk and overheads. The results speak for themselves.” 

Worldpay, as the acquiring partner, played a crucial role in optimising transaction costs while ensuring seamless integration. 

“We’re proud to support The Ampersand in achieving both operational efficiency and fraud prevention,” said Laura Bayley, Corporate Sales Director at Worldpay. 
“By working together with Gala Technology and the hotel’s leadership, we’ve delivered a future-proofed payment model that meets the expectations of modern travellers.” 

Tangible Results: 

• 100% protection against fraud-related chargebacks 

• Lower transaction fees, improving profitability 

• No manual folio posting, eliminating human error 

• Staff time reallocated to guest service 

• Simplified PCI compliance, reducing operational risk 

For a business built on heritage, elegance, and trust, these results aren’t just numbers — they represent a modern-day commitment to excellence in every sense. 

Looking Ahead 

With the success of this integration, The Ampersand Hotel has set a precedent for how luxury hospitality can embrace digital transformation without compromising on values or service standards. 

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, The Ampersand’s story stands as a powerful example of how the right technology, deployed with the right partners, can elevate every corner of the guest experience — from check-in to check-out, and everything in between.