Bowo - Guest App vs. STAY Guest App:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Bowo - Guest App and STAY Guest App hinges on your hotel’s specific needs, existing infrastructure, and growth ambitions. Both solutions aim to elevate guest experiences and streamline operations, but they differ significantly in features, scale, and user feedback. Your decision should reflect which platform aligns better with your priorities—be it personalization, automation, or integration.

While Bowo has a smaller review base and fewer recent reviews, its higher overall ratings suggest a strong current user satisfaction. Conversely, STAY, with nearly double the reviews and more recent feedback, demonstrates broader market confidence. Which one will serve your property better?

Is Bowo or STAY Better for Hotels?

Both Bowo and STAY serve as comprehensive guest engagement tools, but they approach this goal differently. Bowo emphasizes highly personalized support, digital upselling, and a centralized app experience, aiming to create memorable guest journeys. STAY, on the other hand, focuses on operational efficiency, reducing queues, and digitizing services across large hotel chains, making it suitable for properties seeking scalable solutions.

Where they diverge is their feature focus: Bowo offers mobile check-in and payments, while STAY provides chatbot, automated replies, and message routing. Both platforms integrate with PMS systems, but Bowo’s larger partner network suggests broader compatibility. Do you prioritize guest personalization or operational speed?

Bowo vs STAY: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs to deliver a highly personalized guest experience with upselling and a digital directory, Bowo is your best choice. It’s ideal for boutique, luxury, or branded hotels that want to elevate guest engagement through tailored content and direct communication.

If your goal is to streamline operations, reduce front desk queues, and increase revenue through service automation, STAY is the better fit. It suits large hotel groups, resorts, or properties looking to digitize multiple services and improve internal workflows efficiently.

For small properties prioritizing guest experience, Bowo’s high customization might be better. Large chains seeking operational consistency and automation will benefit more from STAY.

Is Bowo or STAY Easier to Use?

Bowo scores a 4.87/5 for ease of use, thanks to its modern interface, customizable options, and straightforward onboarding process. Reviewers praise its intuitive design, with comments like, “The platform is fast and convenient to find consumption centers,” though some suggest larger fonts for better accessibility.

STAY also boasts high ease-of-use ratings at 4.78/5, with a user-friendly CMS and simple content management. Its onboarding is described as smooth, but some reviews mention that language options could be expanded for better international adoption.

Edge: Bowo.

Which Has Better Features: Bowo or STAY?

Bowo features 11 unique features, including mobile check-in and payments, making it more versatile for guest engagement. Its comprehensive digital directory and upsell tools are highly valued by hoteliers.

STAY offers five exclusive features such as chatbot, automated replies, message routing, and app download, emphasizing automation and internal communication. It also provides a robust analytics module and integration capabilities.

While Bowo’s feature set caters to personalized guest interactions, STAY’s automation tools are more suited for large-scale, operational efficiency. Which feature set aligns better with your hotel’s strategic goals?

Edge: Bowo.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Bowo or STAY?

Both platforms are highly rated for customer support, with Bowo at 4.85/5 and STAY at 4.83/5. Bowo’s reviews highlight proactive, personalized assistance, with comments like “fully personalized support from A to Z,” reflecting a high level of dedicated service.

STAY benefits from a reputation for responsive support, though some reviews note the absence of phone support and limited regional availability. Both companies have strong customer satisfaction, but Bowo’s more recent reviews show a slight edge in support responsiveness.

Edge: Bowo.

Which Has More Integrations: Bowo or STAY?

Bowo boasts 31 verified partners, including integrations with HiJiffy, Quinta, RoomChecking, and Lightspeed, offering broad compatibility with PMS, CRM, and other hotel systems. Its extensive partner network supports complex, multi-system environments.

STAY has 20 verified partners, including industry leaders like SiteMinder, Amadeus, and Vingcard. Its integrations are robust but slightly fewer than Bowo’s, which may matter for hotels with specific technology ecosystems.

Edge: Bowo.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Bowo or STAY?

Bowo’s review count (99) and recent zero reviews suggest limited but current positive sentiment, with an overall rating of 0/5, which appears to be an anomaly. Its high NPS score (9.69/10) indicates strong satisfaction among existing users.

STAY, with 206 reviews and a 3/5 overall rating, demonstrates broader, more recent feedback, especially from large hotel chains. Its user base includes top brands like NH Hotels and Riu, and reviews consistently mention operational improvements and guest satisfaction.

Edge: STAY.

How Much Do Bowo and STAY Cost?

Bowo’s pricing starts at $600 monthly, with no free tier, trial, or implementation fees, indicating a premium positioning. STAY charges $300 monthly, also without trial or setup costs, making it more accessible for smaller properties or groups.

Both platforms operate on a subscription basis, but Bowo’s higher price reflects its extensive feature set and personalized support.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bowo?

• Hotels that prioritize personalized guest interactions and upselling.
• Boutique, luxury, or branded hotels seeking to elevate guest engagement.
• Properties wanting detailed digital directories and customizable apps.
• Teams aiming to centralize communication and automate pre/post stay messages.

Not ideal if:

• You need a simple, low-cost solution.
• Your property has limited digital infrastructure.
• You prefer a focus solely on operational automation.

What Type of Hotel Should Use STAY?

• Large hotel chains and resorts seeking operational efficiency.
• Properties with complex service offerings needing automation.
• Hotels aiming for quick digital transformation across multiple locations.
• Teams interested in detailed analytics and internal process optimization.

Not ideal if:

• You require extensive personalization beyond automation.
• Your hotel has minimal internal tech infrastructure.
• You prefer a more customizable, boutique-focused experience.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Bowo and STAY are tailored to different hotel operator needs. Bowo excels in personalized guest experience, upselling, and customization, supported by high satisfaction ratings and a global presence, especially in Europe and North America. Its higher price point and feature richness suit boutique and branded hotels that focus on brand experience.

STAY, with its higher review count and recent feedback, offers efficient service automation, operational insights, and broad integration. Its simplicity and scalability make it ideal for large hotel groups and resorts aiming to digitize services quickly and cost-effectively.

Choosing the right platform depends on whether your hotel values guest personalization or operational automation. Both are reputable; the best fit aligns with your strategic priorities and technological readiness.