gardehospitality

Garde Hospitality Group is the talented bunch behind some of Fremantle’s favourite foodie hotspots, bringing flavour, flair, and just the right amount of fun to the heart of WA’s port city.  

First up is Emily Taylor, the bustling courtyard gem where bold Asian inspired dishes, legendary dumplings, and cheeky cocktails keep the good times rolling from lunch to late night. Just a few steps away, Sailing for Oranges brings a splash of the Mediterranean to Freo with sunny share plates, fresh seafood, and a cocktail list that practically demands a long, lazy afternoon.  

And now, the newest star on the horizon, Anglesea, is about to drop anchor. Set to open soon, it’s a modern Australian restaurant with bold Japanese and Korean twists, paying homage to the Marquis of Anglesea, a ship tied to Fremantle’s colonial past.  

With this trio of standout venues, Garde Hospitality has firmly established itself as a major player in Fremantle’s dining scene. We caught up with Group Director of Hospitality, Tim Buckton, to hear how Now Book It has helped streamline their operations, enhance the guest experience, and cut down on admin time – giving their team more room to focus on delivering top tier hospitality. 

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Emily Taylor | Image credit: Garde Hospitality Group

High volume, high complexity bookings

With high demand venues like Emily Taylor and Sailing for Oranges, managing bookings isn’t just about filling seats, it’s about navigating a maze of offers, timings, and guest expectations.  

With signature offerings like Emily Taylor’s Voyager Feast, a seven dish shared dining experience, and Rosa’s Long Lunch at Sailing for Oranges, featuring a two course meal and two hours of bottomless drinks – each booking comes with its own set of specific rules, time limits, and operational requirements. Multiply that by the 3,000+ bookings Emily Taylor receives each month, and the pressure quickly becomes intense.  

Managing these layers of complexity manually was becoming a serious challenge for the team. Front of house staff were spending hours each week fielding questions, tracking offer conditions, and trying to avoid errors, all while maintaining high service standards on the floor. 

“The admin was starting to overwhelm us, we were constantly chasing our tails trying to keep up with all the moving parts, it was exhausting.” 

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Sailing for Oranges | Image credit: Garde Hospitality Group

Turning the mayhem into seamless management

To finally bring some calm to the booking madness, Garde Hospitality jumped on board with Now Book It. The system handles all the tricky bits, such as group bookings, pre orders, and special dietary requests, all seamlessly managed through each venue’s booking widget on their website.  

No more frantic phone calls chasing credit card details, no more double checking who wanted the wagyu upgrade or which table booked a set menu. Guests can easily select their menu options, submit special requests, and secure their booking all in one go. The platform also automates booking confirmations and sends reminders, which means fewer no shows and less last minute scrambling for the team.  

“Now Book It has worked perfectly for our business needs, especially handling group bookings and pre orders all in one spot, it’s taken a huge load off our shoulders and made life so much easier, we seriously can’t recommend it enough.” 

Thanks to these smart features, and the ability to easily pull daily summary reports, the crew at all venues can keep up with thousands of bookings each month without breaking a sweat – ensuring every feast, long lunch, and casual catch up runs smoothly.  

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Anglesea | Image credit: Garde Hospitality Group

One system, three venues, endless benefits

Having all of Garde Hospitality’s venues operating on Now Book It has made life infinitely easier for both staff and guests. With a single, unified booking system, the team can move seamlessly between venues without needing to learn different platforms or processes. It means smoother shifts, easier cross venue training, and less time spent on admin.   

For guests, the experience is just as seamless. Thanks to Now Book It’s group availability widget, if a diner tries to book at Emily Taylor and it’s full, they’ll automatically be offered a table at Sailing for Oranges, without having to leave the booking page. It keeps the process hassle free for the guest while ensuring valuable revenue stays within the group.  

 “It’s not just about convenience, it’s about creating a joined up experience where the team is empowered and the guest feels looked after,” 

With the venues just steps apart, this level of flexibility is a win win for everyone. 

Driving real revenue with Now Book It gift cards

Garde Hospitality isn’t just using Now Book It for reservations, they’re also tapping into the online gift card feature, and the results speak for themselves. In just one month, the group brought in over $19,000 in additional revenue through digital gift card sales alone. It’s not just money sitting in the bank either, studies show diners tend to spend around 20% more per visit when paying with a gift card, making it a no brainer for the group.  

 “The gift card integration has been an unexpected but incredible revenue stream for us, It’s easy for guests to purchase, even easier for us to manage, and it keeps people coming back through our doors.” 

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Emily Taylor | Image credit: Garde Hospitality Group

Whether it’s a last minute present or a thoughtful foodie gift, Now Book It’s seamless gift card feature is helping turn new customers into loyal regulars. 

With soon to be three bustling venues, thousands of bookings each month, gift cards, and a menu of unique dining experiences on offer, Garde Hospitality relies on Now Book It to simplify operations and lighten the load for their team. As the group expands, they’re confident they’ve got the right platform to support their growth, making it easier to scale, deliver great service, and keep admin to a minimum. 

Book a table at one of Garde Hospitality Group's venues

Now Book It tip: Always put down in the booking notes if you’re celebrating a special occasion, the team at each venue are known to go the extra mile!

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