BOWO Guest Room Tablets vs. Tapendium:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right in-room hotel tablet solution depends on your hotel’s priorities—whether that’s guest experience, operational efficiency, or cost savings. Both Bowo Guest Room Tablets and Tapendium aim to elevate in-room guest engagement, but their approaches and strengths diverge significantly. Bowo offers a more comprehensive, customizable platform with a stronger market presence, while Tapendium emphasizes simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Which one truly fits your hotel’s needs?

Is Bowo Guest Room Tablets or Tapendium Better for Hotels?

Both Bowo and Tapendium address in-room guest engagement by providing digital platforms that enhance communication, entertainment, and service access. Bowo, founded in 2017 in France, specializes in in-room tablets that support entertainment apps like Netflix, integrated PMS connectivity, and features like dynamic pricing and video concierge. Tapendium, established in 2012 in Australia, offers a low-cost digital compendium focusing on information delivery, surveys, and upsell opportunities.

While Bowo boasts a significantly higher review count (43 reviews vs. Tapendium’s 1), its reviews are more recent, emphasizing its ongoing development and customer satisfaction. Tapendium’s limited review data makes it harder to gauge current performance, but its simplicity appeals to hotels on a tight budget. Is your hotel looking for a feature-rich, customizable platform or a straightforward, budget-friendly solution?

Bowo Guest Room Tablets vs Tapendium: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a robust, customizable platform that supports in-room entertainment, direct upselling, and deep PMS integrations, Bowo is the clear choice. It caters well to luxury, boutique, and branded hotels—especially those seeking to differentiate themselves through technology, with 40% of its users in luxury segments and a 4.75/5 review score.

Conversely, if your hotel prioritizes a simple, low-cost digital information system primarily for guest communication, surveys, and basic upselling, Tapendium fits better. It’s ideal for standard hotels and properties seeking an easy-to-manage, cost-effective solution without extensive customization. Given its fewer reviews, Bowo’s broader feature set and recent positive feedback make it the more reliable option for most hotels.

Is Bowo Guest Room Tablets or Tapendium Easier to Use?

Bowo scores 4.69/5 for ease of use, with reviews praising its intuitive interface and quick content updates, although some mention a non-intuitive back-office system. Hoteliers appreciate its user-friendly guest experience, but staff may need time to adapt to the content management system.

Tapendium, with a perfect 5/5 rating for ease of use, is highlighted as simple to manage and operate, with reviews emphasizing its straightforward setup and minimal training requirements. If your hotel values ease and quick onboarding, Tapendium’s simplicity is appealing; however, Bowo’s more feature-rich platform might require additional staff training.

Edge: Tapendium.

Which Has Better Features: Bowo or Tapendium?

Bowo offers 28 shared features with Tapendium but adds two exclusive functionalities: dynamic pricing and video concierge—both valuable for upselling and guest engagement. Bowo’s features support in-room entertainment, PMS integration, real-time content updates, and flexible customization, making it a comprehensive platform for enhanced guest experiences.

Tapendium provides core features like information delivery, guest surveys, and upselling but lacks the advanced functionalities Bowo offers. If your hotel seeks a tech-enabled experience with multimedia and dynamic content, Bowo holds the advantage. For basic information and communication, Tapendium’s features suffice.

Edge: Bowo.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Bowo or Tapendium?

Bowo’s support scores 4.81/5, with reviews citing highly responsive service and dedicated account management, notably praising the team’s flexibility and quick implementation. Users report that Bowo’s customer support is a key reason for their satisfaction, especially when resolving technical issues like WiFi bugs.

Tapendium also scores a perfect 5/5 for support, but with limited review data, the depth of customer satisfaction isn’t as well documented. Based on available feedback, Bowo’s support network appears more established and responsive, especially for hotels requiring ongoing assistance.

Edge: Bowo.

Which Has More Integrations: Bowo or Tapendium?

Bowo boasts 31 verified partners, including major integrations with Oracle Hospitality, Mews, apaleo, HiJiffy, and Infor. This extensive list makes it easier to connect with existing hotel management systems, POS, and other operational tools, streamlining workflows.

Tapendium features nine verified partners, including notable integrations like Shiji Group and RMS, but fewer overall. Its integrations are suitable for properties with simpler tech stacks or those already aligned with supported partners.

Edge: Bowo.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Bowo or Tapendium?

Bowo’s overall rating is 4.79/5, based on 43 reviews, with a score of 9.3/10 on NPS, indicating high guest and hotel owner satisfaction. Hoteliers in luxury and boutique segments rate it particularly highly (4.75/5), praising its customization and impact on revenue.

Tapendium has a 4/5 rating, but with only one review in the past six months, the data is less current and less representative. Hotels seeking a proven, highly-rated platform should lean toward Bowo, especially given its recent positive feedback.

Edge: Bowo.

How Much Do Bowo and Tapendium Cost?

Bowo’s pricing starts at $1,100, with no freemium or monthly per-room fees, suggesting a straightforward, upfront cost structure. Pricing details for Tapendium aren’t publicly available, implying it may be customized based on hotel size and needs, or potentially more affordable but less transparent.

If budget transparency and fixed costs are priorities, Bowo’s clear pricing gives it an advantage. For more tailored or flexible pricing, contacting Tapendium directly is necessary.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bowo?

• Hotels that want a fully customizable, feature-rich platform supporting in-room entertainment, dynamic pricing, and integrated PMS.
• Properties aiming to increase ancillary revenue through online shops and upselling.
• Hotels seeking to elevate guest satisfaction with multimedia content and personalized experiences.
• Hotels with the infrastructure to support tablets and digital systems, particularly in luxury, boutique, or branded segments.

Not ideal if your property is very budget-conscious, small-scale, or requires only basic communication tools. In these cases, simpler solutions like Tapendium might suffice.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Tapendium?

• Hotels that need an affordable, easy-to-manage digital information system.
• Properties focused on delivering essential guest information, surveys, and minimal upselling.
• Hotels with limited tech infrastructure or staff capacity for complex integrations.
• Small to medium hotels prioritizing simplicity over extensive customization.

Not ideal if you want advanced features, multimedia support, or deep PMS integrations—these are areas where Bowo excels.

Bowo vs Tapendium: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Bowo stands out as the more complete, versatile platform, especially for hotels that value extensive customization, multimedia content, and integration capabilities. Its larger user base, recent reviews, and higher ratings demonstrate its reliability and ongoing development.

If your hotel aims to differentiate itself through technology, increase revenues from in-room services, and support complex integrations, Bowo is the clear choice. It’s especially suitable for luxury, boutique, and branded properties seeking a premium digital experience.

However, if your hotel is budget-sensitive, needs only basic information delivery, and prefers a straightforward management tool, Tapendium offers a simpler, cost-effective alternative. Its ease of use and lower complexity make it ideal for properties with minimal tech needs.

In conclusion, for most hotels prioritizing a comprehensive, well-supported solution with recent positive reviews, Bowo is the superior option. Tapendium may serve niche needs but lacks the breadth of features and recent endorsement that make Bowo the more dependable choice today.