Hotel management software helps hoteliers manage front desk tasks and day-to-day operations, from room bookings and guest services to sales and marketing. These specialized property management solutions may be sold as desktop or cloud applications, with the latter providing more flexibility for staff to engage with guests and maintain greater control over the property. While the full features of hotel management products vary, users can at least expect reservation and room management, guest CRM, staff workflow management, and email communication features. Some products may offer functionalities of restaurant POS systems for on-premise dining, native or integrated vendor management, and marketing and loyalty program capabilities. Basic financial reporting and accounting features usually exist as well; however, integration with dedicated accounting software may be necessary.
For larger hotels and chains, a good hotel management software is necessary to provide guests with a smooth check-in and check-out process, improve staff productivity, and optimize revenue. Products in this category go beyond managing reservation systems to cover the entire guest journey and keep daily operations running. In contrast, products in G2’s hotel reservations software category are point solutions for smaller hotel and lodging businesses that need a booking engine. For this reason, products in these two categories are mutually exclusive.
To qualify for inclusion in the Hotel Management category, a product must:
- Track and monitor hotel administration activities such as housekeeping or maintenance
- Manage availability and rates for rooms, conference venues, or other facilities, and support check-in and check-out processes
- Provide guest communication and/or sales marketing tools
- Provide OTA/GDS integration either through built-in or third-party channel managers
