Chata Roklinka: Modernising and automating the reservation system

The main problem wasn't only the technology — it was how reservations were handled. The system existed, but the processes were manual and every reservation meant extra work. The owners had to:

Instead of saving time, the system created more admin. At the same time, the outdated Next.js version, optimisation and security all needed addressing.

The app ran on an outdated version of Next.js and related tooling, which complicated both deployment and further work. So instead of adding features, I first refactored the key parts:

Security was part of it too — auditing dependencies and removing risks from outdated versions. The aim wasn't just to fix the current issues, but to create a stable base free of unnecessary technical debt.

After stabilisation came the biggest business problem — manual reservation management. The goal was a system that runs on its own and doesn't need daily intervention. I gradually implemented automations that provided:

At this stage I kept the mail layer as it was and only folded it into the newly automated processes — new features could be added quickly without rebuilding the infrastructure. The result was a marked drop in admin work.

I integrated a payment gateway into the reservation process, letting visitors complete a booking comfortably online without further communication with the operator.

The project also included user-interface and experience improvements:

These changes made it easier for visitors to complete a booking and improved the overall usability of the app.

After the main work, the collaboration continues as technical support and ongoing maintenance. Thanks to the modernised stack, automated reservations and improved stability, the client now has a solution that genuinely helps run the accommodation instead of creating more work.

The project also shows that custom development doesn't always mean building a new system from scratch. In many cases the greatest value comes from taking over an existing project, modernising it and removing the processes that needlessly slow a business down.

The most recent phase tackled what had until then been handled over the phone — cancelling bookings and returning money. The goal was for the guest to see up front how much they get back, and for the operator to never recalculate anything by hand.

The phase also brought a security fix to the endpoint that cancels via an emailed link, and a clean-up of the mail layer: the transport that in practice delivered nothing was removed, so all mail now travels one verified path. The operator additionally gained an overview of sold half-days in the admin, range deletion in two clicks, and a safeguard that stops the calendar from ever overwriting an already paid slot.