Aven Hospitality Booking Engine vs. Safara:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

As a hotelier evaluating booking engines, your primary concern is which platform best drives bookings, simplifies operations, and offers reliable support. Both Aven Hospitality and Safara aim to improve your online reservation process, but they differ significantly in scope, features, and market presence. Understanding these differences will help you choose the platform that aligns with your hotel’s needs.

Aven Hospitality’s platform is well-established with a broad global reach, while Safara is a newer entrant focused on seamless guest experiences and direct booking growth. Which one will better serve your hotel’s unique demands?

Is Aven Hospitality or Safara Better for Hotels?

Both products target hotel booking optimization, but they approach this goal differently. Aven Hospitality emphasizes integrations, advanced reporting, and a comprehensive feature set, making it suitable for hotels that need robust revenue management tools. Safara, on the other hand, prioritizes ease of use, guest engagement, and direct booking conversions, appealing to properties seeking simplicity and high guest satisfaction.

Where Aven Hospitality has more reviews and recent activity—77 reviews with recent feedback from 2023—Safara’s smaller, less recent review base (24 reviews, none in the last 6 months) means that Safara’s data is less current and less comprehensive. Does your hotel prefer a platform with proven track record and extensive support or a newer, agile solution with a focus on guest experience?

Aven Hospitality vs Safara: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a highly customizable, feature-rich platform with extensive integration options, go with Aven Hospitality. Its broad partner network (80 verified integrations) and detailed reporting tools suit larger hotels or those with complex distribution channels. Conversely, if your priority is a straightforward, user-friendly booking engine with high guest satisfaction and simple setup, Safara is the better choice, especially since it boasts a higher recent NPS score (9.96 vs 8.27).

For hotels that value global reach, advanced revenue tools, and more proven stability, Aven Hospitality fits best. If ease of use, guest experience, and rapid onboarding matter most, Safara should be on your radar.

Is Aven Hospitality or Safara Easier to Use?

Aven Hospitality scores 4.38/5 for ease of use, with reviewers praising its straightforward interface and user-friendliness, but some note a steep learning curve initially. Its onboarding process is rated 4.25/5, indicating a generally smooth start, though some users mention challenges with certain integrations.

Safara surpasses this, with a 4.92/5 ease of use rating and a 4.83/5 onboarding score. Users emphasize its intuitive design, fast implementation, and responsiveness, making it ideal for teams that want quick results without extensive training. Edge: Safara.

Which Has Better Features: Aven Hospitality or Safara?

Aven Hospitality offers 27 shared features plus 6 unique ones: PayPal, multi-room bookings, Tripadvisor Bookings, post-stay and pre-stay emails, and Stripe integration. These support complex rate management, channel distribution, and revenue strategies, especially beneficial for larger or multi-property hotels.

Safara provides 27 shared features plus 9 exclusives such as flexible dates, booking abandonment recapture, pooled inventory, room substitutions, meal plans, social media and website integrations, customizable exit modals, and loyalty program integration. These features focus on enhancing guest engagement and marketing flexibility.

While Safara has more exclusive features, Aven Hospitality’s broader feature set and deeper integrations make it more suitable for hotels seeking extensive control and distribution. Edge: Aven Hospitality.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Aven Hospitality or Safara?

Aven Hospitality’s support scores 3.82/5, with some reviews praising its stability but others citing delays and slow responses, especially on complex issues like channel connectivity. Recent reviews indicate support can occasionally hinder quick problem resolution, impacting operations.

Safara’s support is rated a perfect 5/5, with reviews highlighting responsiveness, proactive communication, and helpfulness. Hoteliers report that Safara’s dedicated team ensures onboarding success and ongoing assistance, making it ideal for hotels valuing immediate and reliable support. Edge: Safara.

Which Has More Integrations: Aven Hospitality or Safara?

Aven Hospitality boasts 80 verified partners, including major PMS, revenue, and channel management systems like Visual Matrix PMS, Profitroom, and WebRezPro. Its extensive network supports complex distribution strategies, reducing manual work and overbooking issues.

Safara has only 6 verified integrations, including key partners like The Hotels Network and common channels such as Triptease and Stayntouch. Its limited integrations may restrict hotels with complex tech stacks but simplify setup for smaller properties.

For extensive connectivity, Aven Hospitality leads. For streamlined, straightforward integrations, Safara is sufficient. Edge: Aven Hospitality.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Aven Hospitality or Safara?

Aven Hospitality has an overall rating of 3.68/5 with 77 reviews, but only one review in the last 6 months, indicating less recent data. Hotels in the independent and branded segments generally rate it around 2.88-3.44/5, with some praising its reliability but citing connectivity issues.

Safara’s overall rating is 0/5 from just 24 reviews, with no recent reviews. Despite the current low rating, recent feedback emphasizes high guest satisfaction and user-friendliness, especially in boutique hotel segments. Given the recentness and fewer reviews, Safara’s data is less reliable but indicates positive sentiment.

Edge: Aven Hospitality, due to more reviews and recent activity.

How Much Do Aven Hospitality and Safara Cost?

Aven Hospitality’s pricing starts at $600/month, with no free tier or trial options available. Its pricing model is straightforward, but the cost may be higher for smaller hotels seeking simplicity.

Safara charges $800/month, also with no trial or free plan. Its slightly higher price reflects its newer technology and focus on ease of use but may be a barrier for budget-conscious hotels.

Both platforms lack transparent trial periods or flexible pricing tiers, so consider your budget and needs carefully.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Aven Hospitality?

• Hotels that need extensive integrations with PMS, CRS, RMS, and channel managers.
• Larger hotels or chains with complex distribution channels.
• Hotels requiring detailed reporting and revenue management features.
• Properties targeting global markets with multi-language or multi-currency needs.
• Hotels seeking established, globally recognized booking technology.

Not ideal if your hotel is small, with limited tech infrastructure, or prefers a simple, quick-to-implement solution.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Safara?

• Boutique hotels and smaller properties focusing on guest experience.
• Hotels seeking a straightforward, easy-to-implement booking engine.
• Properties prioritizing high online conversion and mobile responsiveness.
• Hotels wanting to market non-room services and promotions directly.
• Hotels with limited existing tech infrastructure, seeking quick onboarding.

Not ideal if your hotel requires complex integrations, advanced revenue management tools, or extensive reporting capabilities.

Aven Hospitality vs Safara: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference lies in scope: Aven Hospitality provides a comprehensive, feature-rich platform with extensive integrations suited for larger or more complex hotels, while Safara emphasizes simplicity, guest engagement, and high satisfaction scores for boutique or smaller properties.

Choose Aven Hospitality if your hotel needs advanced connectivity, detailed analytics, and a proven global presence. Its broad feature set and larger user base support sophisticated distribution and revenue strategies.

Opt for Safara if your hotel values ease of use, rapid onboarding, and high guest satisfaction, particularly if you operate a boutique property or have limited tech resources. Its focus on direct booking growth and guest experience makes it ideal for properties aiming to boost conversions without complexity.

In conclusion, Aven Hospitality is the better choice for hotels with complex needs, global reach, and a focus on detailed revenue management. Safara excels in delivering a user-friendly experience with high support quality—perfect for boutique hotels and properties prioritizing guest engagement.