Guide

How to choose hotel software: 10 questions to ask

Demos all look good. These ten questions show how a system will actually work in your hotel — and what it will really cost — before you sign.

1. Does it include a channel manager, or is that extra?

If you sell on Booking.com, Expedia or Airbnb, the channel connection is the most important part. Ask which OTAs are supported, how often availability is pushed, and what happens to a reservation that fails to import.

2. Is there a booking website, and who edits it?

Direct bookings avoid 15–20% OTA commission. Ask whether the website and booking engine are included, whether they read live rates from the PMS, and whether you can edit rooms, photos and prices yourself.

3. Can it sell what you sell?

Boutique hotels earn on tours, transfers, park tickets and meal plans. Ask whether extras can be created by you, sold on the website at checkout, added to a reservation, and priced per person, per night or by distance.

4. Where do the monthly numbers come from?

If the accounting lives in a spreadsheet, someone re-types the month. Ask whether the system produces a monthly report from the bookings, matches card closings to bank deposits and handles cash and payroll.

5. How much runs by itself?

Confirmations, reminders, guest portal links, OTA sync, night audit and backups should be automatic. Ask for the list of what runs without a click.

6. Does it work on a phone?

Small-hotel staff move around. Ask to see today's arrivals, a reservation and the extras schedule on a phone, not just a tablet.

7. How do guests reach you?

If your guests write on WhatsApp, the messages should sit on the reservation they belong to, with templates for confirmations.

8. Can it grow with you?

Ask what happens when you need something the software doesn't do. Will the vendor add it, or wait for "the roadmap"? Can it run a second property from the same login?

9. Who owns the data?

You should be able to export your guests, bookings and accounts at any time, and backups should be automatic.

10. What will it cost over five years?

Add the monthly fee, every add-on (website, channel manager, payments, messaging) and the commissions you would save with direct bookings. A $170–$200+ monthly subscription is $10,000–$12,000 over five years before add-ons. Read our guide to hotel software costs.