Bay Lakes Information Systems vs. Counter:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right property management system (PMS) can significantly impact your hotel’s operations and guest experience. Bay Lakes Information Systems, a veteran in the industry since 1984, offers a traditional, comprehensive PMS but with limited recent reviews and a lack of current user feedback. Conversely, Counter, a newer platform launched in 2019, boasts a vibrant user base, more recent reviews, and a broad feature set tailored for hostels and small hotels. If you’re looking for a modern, well-supported solution, Counter’s more recent activity makes it the stronger choice.

Both products aim to streamline reservations, check-ins, and operations, but they diverge sharply in maturity, features, and market presence. Are you prioritizing a long-standing solution with proven stability or a fresh platform with rapid innovation? Your decision hinges on your hotel’s specific needs—what is more critical: extensive features and stability or agility and recent support?

Is Bay Lakes Information Systems or Counter Better for Hotels?

Bay Lakes Information Systems (Bay Lakes) is a traditional property management solution built with input from property managers since 1984. Its core advantage lies in its long history and established presence, especially among independent and small hotels, although it has no recent reviews or active user feedback. Counter, on the other hand, has accumulated 54 reviews in the past six months, with an overall rating of 4.73/5, indicating a highly engaged user base and ongoing product development.

While Bay Lakes offers basic management functionalities, it lacks the modern integrations, automation, and advanced features seen in Counter. Counter excels in user experience, with a 4.6/5 ease of use rating, and offers features like channel management, booking engine, and integrated payments. If your hotel values a proven legacy system, Bay Lakes could be considered, but for current support and feature richness, Counter is clearly more active. Do you prefer stability or innovation?

Counter vs Bay Lakes: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel primarily operates as a hostel or small inn needing an intuitive, mobile-friendly PMS with automation, Counter is the better fit. Its prominent features—channel management, booking engine, online support, and integrated payments—are absent from Bay Lakes, which offers no active integrations or recent updates. Counter’s user reviews consistently highlight ease of onboarding, quick support, and ongoing improvements, especially valuable for hostels managing high turnover.

However, if your hotel values a system with a decades-long track record and minimal change, Bay Lakes might appeal, though its lack of recent reviews diminishes confidence. Given the rapid adoption and positive recent feedback, Counter’s broad feature set and support infrastructure make it the more reliable choice for today’s hospitality landscape. Do you want a software built for the present or one rooted in the past?

Is Bay Lakes Information Systems or Counter Easier to Use?

Counter’s user rating of 4.6/5 for ease of use reflects its intuitive, mobile-first interface, designed for quick onboarding and minimal training. Its clean, simple layout and automation features reduce manual work, as confirmed by user reviews praising quick setup and straightforward operation. Bay Lakes, however, has no recent ratings or reviews, making it impossible to assess its current usability—its last known data is from a time when it was considered a traditional, less modern system.

The absence of recent feedback for Bay Lakes raises questions about ongoing support and updates, whereas Counter’s active user base and frequent reviews suggest continuous refinement. For your team, ease of use is critical to adoption and productivity. Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Bay Lakes Information Systems or Counter?

Counter offers 19 unique features including channel management, payment processing, booking engine, automated night audit, guest CRM, multi-currency, multi-lingual support, and ancillary revenue tracking—features Bay Lakes does not provide. These capabilities enable better revenue management, guest engagement, and operational automation. Bay Lakes focuses mainly on reservation and property management without these modern integrations or advanced modules.

Counter’s feature-rich platform is especially suited for small hotels and hostels seeking automation and multi-channel connectivity, whereas Bay Lakes appears to provide a more traditional, less integrated solution lacking these innovations. For comprehensive functionality, Counter clearly has the advantage. Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Bay Lakes Information Systems or Counter?

Counter’s support and onboarding ratings are outstanding at 4.96/5, with reviews praising quick, helpful responses and a responsive team, notably Evelyn and Max. Users appreciate ongoing improvements, even when bugs are present. Bay Lakes, unfortunately, has no recent reviews or ratings, making it impossible to gauge current support quality. Historically, the company’s support was part of its longstanding reputation, but recent feedback is unavailable.

Given the importance of support in resolving issues quickly, Counter’s active engagement makes it the safer choice. Your team benefits from rapid assistance and ongoing updates, essential for smooth operations. Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Bay Lakes Information Systems or Counter?

Counter integrates with 7 verified partners including Stripe, Cloudbeds, SiteMinder, and Goki, offering a variety of payment, channel management, and booking platform integrations. Bay Lakes provides no verified integrations, which limits its connectivity in a modern digital environment. The ability to connect with third-party tools enables your hotel to streamline operations and expand distribution channels.

Counter’s active partnership network supports diverse operational needs, whereas Bay Lakes’ limited integration options could hinder growth or operational flexibility. If integrations are critical, Counter’s extensive partner list is a clear advantage. Edge: Counter.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Bay Lakes Information Systems or Counter?

Counter’s recent reviews and high overall rating of 4.73/5 reflect a satisfied user base, particularly among hostels and small hotels. Its review volume of 54 in the past six months indicates current, active engagement. Bay Lakes, with no recent reviews and a zero in overall rating, provides no current user feedback, making it impossible to assess satisfaction levels.

Counter’s positive feedback on ease of use, automation, and support underscores its popularity. If your hotel values user satisfaction and recent validation, Counter leads decisively. Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Bay Lakes Information Systems and Counter Cost?

Bay Lakes does not provide publicly available pricing details, implying a possibly customized or enterprise-only model. Counter offers a free, no-cost platform tailored for hostels, with additional paid options for expanded features and integrations, but specific pricing tiers are not detailed.

While Bay Lakes’ unclear cost structure makes direct comparison difficult, Counter’s free core offering makes it accessible for small operations, with optional paid upgrades. For budget-conscious hotels or hostels, Counter’s model is more transparent and affordable. Edge: Counter.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bay Lakes Information Systems?

• Hotels that value longstanding stability and a traditional PMS built over decades.
• Properties that prefer a system with minimal modern integrations but proven reservation management.
• Small independent hotels with simple operational needs and limited technical support.
• Hotels in regions where local vendors dominate and support continuity is essential.

Not ideal if your hotel needs modern automation, extensive integrations, or rapid updates. Bay Lakes may be suitable for legacy environments but falls short for hotels seeking innovation.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hostels and small hotels wanting an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly PMS.
• Properties seeking automation, integrations, and online booking features.
• Hotels prioritizing quick onboarding, support, and continuous updates.
• Businesses looking for a scalable platform with multiple integrations for payments, channel management, and guest management.

Not ideal if your hotel requires a highly customized or enterprise-level system with extensive compliance features. Counter is best for small to medium properties craving agility and modern tools.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Bay Lakes offers an established, reservation-focused PMS with decades of experience, but it suffers from a lack of recent updates and active user feedback. Counter, by contrast, is a rapidly growing platform with a vibrant user community, frequent updates, and a broad feature set tailored for small hotels and hostels.

If your hotel values stability and has simple needs, Bay Lakes might still be relevant—though its outdated support and limited features are concerning. For most modern hotels seeking ease of use, automation, and ongoing support, Counter is the clear winner, especially given its active reviews and recent product development.

In summary, choose Bay Lakes if you need a legacy system and stability over innovation. Opt for Counter if you want a current, feature-rich platform with recent positive reviews, active support, and a flexible, modern interface. Your decision should reflect your operational complexity and future growth plans.