Castle Resorts & Hotels is rolling out a new wave of digital tools across its properties in Hawaii and New Zealand, following a fresh partnership with Canary Technologies announced on January 22, 2026.

The collaboration brings Canary’s AI-powered, mobile-first platform into 19 Castle-managed hotels, resorts, condominium complexes and vacation rentals, positioning the group at the forefront of a rapidly evolving hospitality landscape in two of the Pacific’s most in-demand destinations.

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A Strategic Tech Shift for Island Hospitality

The decision by Castle Resorts & Hotels to adopt Canary’s digital solutions reflects intensifying pressure on resort operators to modernize every touchpoint of the guest journey. From Honolulu to the Big Island and across to New Zealand’s coastal and adventure hubs, travelers are increasingly seeking the same frictionless, on-demand service they experience with airlines, rideshare platforms and food-delivery apps.

Castle, founded in 1993 and long known for its locally rooted service model, is aligning that heritage with a more data-driven, digitally integrated approach. Canary’s tools are being introduced portfolio-wide, not as a pilot, signaling a decisive move from incremental tech upgrades to a comprehensive digital strategy. For travelers, that means a more connected experience that follows them from pre-arrival planning through post-stay communication, all accessible via their mobile devices without the need to download an app.

The roll-out also underscores how resort operators in Hawaii and New Zealand are responding to renewed demand following the pandemic period. With visitor numbers rebounding and staffing remaining a challenge in many markets, Castle’s investment in automation and AI-enabled guest engagement aims to maintain high service standards while easing pressure on on-site teams.

AI Guest Messaging Redefines the Conversation

At the heart of the deployment is Canary’s AI Guest Messaging system, designed to give Castle’s front desk and concierge teams a real-time communication channel with guests before, during and after their stay. Guests can interact through familiar channels such as SMS and WhatsApp, asking about everything from early check-in to local restaurant recommendations.

For international travelers heading to Hawaii’s resort corridors or New Zealand’s coastal towns, one of the most significant capabilities is real-time translation in more than 100 languages. That opens up more natural, conversational exchanges for visitors from Japan, Korea, Europe and Latin America, historically important source markets for both destinations. Guests can message in their preferred language and receive timely, accurate replies, reducing misunderstandings and eliminating the need to navigate phone-based language menus or wait in lobby lines.

Behind the scenes, Canary’s AI routes routine questions to automated responses and flags more complex requests for human staff, helping teams prioritize and respond faster. For Castle properties managing peak-period surges, from Hawaii’s festive season to New Zealand’s summer holidays, this hybrid approach is expected to improve response times while preserving the personal touches that define resort hospitality.

Digital Compendium Brings the Resort to the Guest’s Phone

Another pillar of the partnership is Canary’s Digital Compendium, which replaces static in-room binders and printed brochures with a mobile-first information hub. Guests can access property details, amenity hours, pool rules, spa menus, transportation options and curated local tips directly on their devices, whether they are on the lanai, at the beach or off exploring nearby attractions.

For Hawaii, where Castle manages a mix of hotels and condominium-style accommodations, the compendium helps unify the experience across different property types. Condo guests, who may have fewer daily touchpoints with staff than traditional hotel guests, gain an always-available reference for services like housekeeping schedules, parking, and nearby grocery or dining options. In New Zealand, where many Castle properties serve as bases for outdoor excursions, the compendium can be tailored with weather-aware suggestions, safety notices and activity recommendations.

The shift also has operational and sustainability implications. Replacing printed collateral reduces paper use and allows Castle to update information instantly when policies, restaurant menus or activity partners change. For travelers, that means fewer outdated instructions and a clearer, continuously refreshed picture of what is available on property and in the surrounding destination.

Dynamic Upsells Turn Stays into Curated Experiences

Castle’s adoption of Canary’s Dynamic Upsells solution is set to change how add-ons and experiences are presented to guests. Rather than relying solely on check-in desk conversations or in-room flyers, properties can now offer room upgrades, late checkout, parking packages, cabana rentals or local tours digitally at strategic moments in the guest journey.

Because the platform is AI-driven, offers can be personalized based on stay dates, booking channel, length of stay, and previous behavior. A family arriving for a week in Waikiki might receive a targeted message about discounted breakfast packages or beach gear rentals, while a couple in New Zealand could be offered a winery tour or late checkout aligned with their evening flight time.

This approach responds to a broader shift in traveler behavior, where guests are increasingly comfortable transacting from their phone and expect offers to be relevant rather than generic. For Castle, it opens new revenue streams without creating additional friction for guests. Staff can spend less time on manual upselling and more time delivering on the experiences guests choose to book.

From Check-In Lines to Seamless Journeys

While the Castle partnership focuses initially on guest messaging, digital compendiums and upselling, it plugs into the same AI-powered platform that has fueled Canary’s broader growth in areas such as mobile check-in and checkout. Across the hospitality industry, these tools have been used to reduce lobby congestion, cut down paperwork and decrease payment fraud by digitizing ID and card verification.

Castle’s move aligns with a global pattern among hotel and resort groups adopting unified guest management systems instead of disconnected, single-purpose apps. Over the past two years, Canary has secured a series of deals with major international brands, reinforcing operator confidence in AI-based, guest-facing technology. That momentum, combined with recent funding and award recognition, has helped position its platform as a comprehensive layer that sits on top of existing property management systems.

For travelers to Hawaii and New Zealand, the practical effect is a more predictable journey across different brands and destinations. Guests accustomed to digital-first experiences at large international chains will increasingly find similar capabilities at Castle’s island and resort properties, from pre-arrival communications to automated confirmations and targeted in-stay updates.

Implications for Travelers in Hawaii and New Zealand

The timing of Castle’s digital transformation is significant for both Hawaii and New Zealand, two markets where tourism plays an outsized economic role and visitor expectations are evolving quickly. Long-haul travelers, in particular, often arrive after extended flights and appreciate the ability to handle details like room preferences, amenity bookings or housekeeping requests before they even step onto the property.

In Hawaii, where staffing shortages have challenged many operators in recent years, digital tools can help maintain service levels while reducing pressure on frontline teams. AI messaging can handle routine inquiries about Wi-Fi, pool hours or parking, freeing staff to focus on complex requests and in-person guest interactions. For guests, shorter wait times and faster solutions can translate into a smoother, less stressful start to their vacation.

In New Zealand, where visitors often combine urban stays with self-drive road trips and adventure activities, real-time messaging and digital compendiums give properties more opportunities to support guests on the move. Resorts can proactively share safety advisories, weather shifts, or last-minute availability for experiences such as boat tours or scenic flights, adding value beyond the property’s physical footprint.

Raising the Competitive Bar Across the Pacific

Castle’s partnership with Canary also highlights the growing role of technology as a differentiator in leisure-heavy markets. Hawaii’s resort corridors and New Zealand’s coastal regions have seen a steady increase in globally branded hotels, independent boutiques and vacation rentals, all vying for travelers who are more digitally attuned than ever.

By standardizing on a modern guest management platform, Castle aims to compete not only on location and price, but also on the quality and convenience of its digital experience. The move places the group alongside some of the world’s largest brands that have already adopted similar tools, closing a gap that historically favored big global chains over regional specialists.

For owners whose properties are managed by Castle, the technology investment offers a data-rich window into guest preferences and behavior. Insights drawn from messaging patterns, upsell performance and compendium engagement can inform everything from staffing levels and amenity investments to marketing campaigns targeted at specific segments, such as repeat visitors from the U.S. mainland or Asia-Pacific.

What This Signals for the Future of Resort Stays

The Castle and Canary collaboration is part of a broader redefinition of what a resort stay looks like in 2026 and beyond. The traditional model, centered on in-person interactions at fixed touchpoints such as the front desk or concierge desk, is giving way to a more fluid experience where guests choose how and when to engage.

For some travelers, that will mean handling most requests via messaging, interacting with staff only when they want local insight or a personal recommendation. For others, mobile tools will simply reduce small frustrations, such as waiting on hold or filling out paper forms, leaving more time to enjoy the beach, the trails and the surrounding culture.

In Hawaii and New Zealand, destinations that trade heavily on their natural beauty and sense of escape, the success of these digital initiatives will hinge on how well technology can fade into the background. Castle’s stated aim is to pair Canary’s AI-driven capabilities with the distinctive personalities of its properties, ensuring that automation enhances rather than replaces the human connection that has long been central to island and resort hospitality.