Bookinglayer vs. ThinkReservations PMS:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right property management system (PMS) can dramatically influence your hotel's efficiency, revenue, and guest satisfaction. Bookinglayer and ThinkReservations both aim to streamline operations, but they serve different hotel types and operational needs. Your choice depends on your specific requirements—what features matter most and how each platform integrates into your current workflow. Which one aligns better with your hotel’s goals?

Is Bookinglayer or ThinkReservations Better for Hotels?

Bookinglayer and ThinkReservations both address reservation management, but they target different segments and operational styles. Bookinglayer specializes in combining activities and accommodation, making it ideal for adventure travel, wellness retreats, or enterprises offering customizable packages. ThinkReservations, however, is designed to serve primarily small to medium-sized hotels, B&Bs, and inns with a focus on intuitive reservation workflows and robust OTA integrations.

The key divergence is their user base and feature focus. Bookinglayer emphasizes selling fixed-date trips and packages, with features like custom add-ons and activity management, whereas ThinkReservations concentrates on simplifying day-to-day hotel operations, including guest messaging, automated night audits, and direct channel integrations. Do you need an all-in-one booking solution for activities and stays, or a straightforward hotel PMS with strong OTA connectivity?

Bookinglayer vs ThinkReservations: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel offers bundled experiences, activities, or customized packages—such as adventure tours, wellness retreats, or surf camps—Bookinglayer is the better fit. Its platform supports selling trip packages with add-ons, managing multiple activity types, and reducing admin overhead.

Conversely, if your focus is on a user-friendly PMS that enhances operational efficiency for inns, B&Bs, or boutique hotels, ThinkReservations is the ideal choice. Its features like automated night audits, guest messaging, and direct integrations with OTAs like Expedia and Airbnb help streamline reservations and boost revenue. For small to mid-sized properties seeking simplicity and reliability, ThinkReservations excels.

Is Bookinglayer or ThinkReservations Easier to Use?

ThinkReservations earns a near-perfect ease of use score (4.82/5) from over 350 recent reviews, with hotel teams praising its intuitive interface, quick onboarding, and helpful support. Users frequently mention how straightforward it is to learn and adopt, with reviews highlighting its "easy to navigate" design and minimal training time. Support staff are described as accessible and knowledgeable, further easing implementation.

Bookinglayer, on the other hand, has a rating of 0/5, indicating no recent or verified reviews for usability. Its complexity, especially for hotels without experience in activity-based bookings, may present a steeper learning curve. The absence of recent review data also makes it harder to evaluate its current user experience.

Edge: ThinkReservations.

Which Has Better Features: Bookinglayer or ThinkReservations?

ThinkReservations offers 20 features exclusive to its platform, including EPoS, group booking functionalities, real-time reports, mobile app access, and native email marketing—covering operational, marketing, and revenue management needs. Its extensive feature set supports dynamic pricing, guest profiles, shift planning, and integrated payment solutions.

Bookinglayer provides only one unique feature—payment requests—focusing primarily on activity booking and trip management. Its other functionalities are shared with ThinkReservations, but it lacks the breadth of operational tools that many small hotels depend on.

Edge: ThinkReservations.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Bookinglayer or ThinkReservations?

ThinkReservations maintains a strong reputation for support, with an average rating of 4.82/5 from over 350 reviews, many praising its quick, helpful, and accessible customer service. Users describe their support team as knowledgeable and responsive, often citing support as a key reason for their satisfaction.

Bookinglayer, with no recent reviews, offers no current data on support quality. The lack of recent feedback makes it difficult to assess whether it provides comparable assistance, leaving ThinkReservations as the clearer leader in support.

Edge: ThinkReservations.

Which Has More Integrations: Bookinglayer or ThinkReservations?

ThinkReservations boasts 16 verified integrations, including major OTAs such as Airbnb, Expedia, Tripadvisor, and channel managers like Sojern and TrustYou. This extensive connectivity helps streamline distribution and guest communication.

Bookinglayer has only one verified partner—Cloudbeds—limiting its integration options significantly. Without broader OTA and third-party channel support, it may limit your ability to expand reach or automate workflows.

Edge: ThinkReservations.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Bookinglayer or ThinkReservations?

With 356 recent reviews, ThinkReservations has a stellar overall rating of 4.88/5, with tiny segments like luxury hotels and inns giving consistently high marks. Hotels frequently mention how the platform simplifies their operations and increases revenue, with guest satisfaction ratings reflecting its effectiveness.

Bookinglayer, with no recent reviews or ratings, cannot be compared directly. The lack of current feedback indicates less confidence in its usability or support, making ThinkReservations the preferred choice based on recent user experiences.

Edge: ThinkReservations.

How Much Do Bookinglayer and ThinkReservations Cost?

Bookinglayer charges a flat fee of $600 monthly without any trial or freemium options, making its pricing straightforward but potentially costly for small hotels. ThinkReservations costs $500 per month, slightly less, with no trial or implementation fees, offering a competitive rate for its comprehensive features.

Neither platform offers a free tier, but ThinkReservations’ price point and feature set provide strong value, especially given its positive reviews and support.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bookinglayer?

• Hotels that actively sell activity packages, adventure trips, or excursions alongside accommodations.
• Businesses that require customizable trip and activity booking experiences.
• Enterprises looking to minimize admin time on complex packages.
• Hotels with staff comfortable managing more complex booking scenarios and integrations.

Not ideal if your hotel prefers a straightforward property management tool without activity-based features or if you need extensive OTA integrations.

What Type of Hotel Should Use ThinkReservations?

• Small to medium-sized hotels, inns, B&Bs, and boutique hotels prioritizing ease of use.
• Properties seeking to automate night audits, guest messaging, and revenue reports.
• Hotels wanting strong OTA integrations, especially with Airbnb, Expedia, and Tripadvisor.
• Teams that value dedicated customer support and extensive operational features.

Not ideal if your hotel operates primarily as a vacation rental or needs a platform focused on activity and experience management.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Bookinglayer is a niche-focused platform designed for businesses that combine activities and accommodation, offering unique trip management features. It excels if your hotel or enterprise regularly sells customized packages, but its lack of recent reviews and support data makes it hard to recommend confidently.

ThinkReservations stands out as the more established, highly-rated, and well-supported PMS for small to mid-sized hotels. With more recent reviews, a broader feature set, and extensive integrations, it’s better suited to hoteliers looking for an operational upgrade that boosts revenue and guest satisfaction.

If your hotel needs a straightforward, highly-rated PMS with strong OTA and guest communication features, go with ThinkReservations.

If your business is about adventure, activity packages, or custom experiences, and you’re prepared to navigate its complexity, Bookinglayer could fit your needs better.