The project dashboard is a free tool that is only available to verified hoteliers to make adopting new technology easier by streamlining their research and simplifying their communication workflow.
TLDR
We analyzed 83 verified hotelier reviews, compared feature sets, pricing, and real-world case studies to break down where each platform delivers. The right choice depends on your property type and priorities:
Chico shines .
straiv shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like Mobile Checkin and Mobile Checkout.
Side-by-side ratings based on 83 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Value for Money |
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 83 |
After analyzing 83 verified reviews, Chico users most value its , while straiv users highlight digital check-in and check-out, guest communication and customization, ease of implementation and use. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
| Chico |
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| Pros | |
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Digital check-in and check-out
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Guest communication and customization
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Ease of implementation and use
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Continuous improvement and updates
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Payment process issues
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How each product ranks among Contactless Check-in vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment | Chico |
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|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #3 27 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #3 41 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | — | #5 8 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | — | #5 5 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment | Chico |
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|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | — | #3 28 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #9 8 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #3 19 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #4 18 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | Chico |
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|---|---|---|
| North America | — | #16 2 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | — | #2 79 reviews |
Choosing between Chicostay by Chico and straiv by straiv hinges on your hotel’s specific needs and operational goals. Both platforms serve the contactless check-in market, but their approach, features, and market presence differ substantially. Chicostay aims to streamline vacation rental management, while straiv offers a broad suite of contactless services tailored for diverse hotel types. Your decision should reflect your hotel's size, tech readiness, and the guest experience you want to deliver.
While Chicostay’s limited review data suggests a niche focus, straiv’s more extensive recent reviews and higher ratings point to its stronger position in the market. Are you ready to invest in a proven, well-supported system, or do you prefer a more specialized platform?
Chicostay, primarily designed for short-term vacation rentals and similar accommodations, offers automation tools focused on simplifying booking, messaging, and operations. Straiv, on the other hand, targets a wide array of hotel types, from boutique hotels to serviced apartments, with a comprehensive contactless platform that extends beyond basic check-in.
Straiv’s recent reviews—81 in the past six months—highlight its high satisfaction rate (95% likelihood to recommend) and a robust 4.81/5 overall rating, supported by a broad feature set. Chicostay’s zero reviews undermine its credibility and market presence, making straiv the more reliable choice for hotels seeking proven solutions.
Do you need a specialized system for vacation rentals, or a versatile platform that adapts to multiple hotel segments?
If your hotel requires a flexible, feature-rich contactless platform that integrates with multiple PMS systems and offers capabilities like guest messaging, digital concierge, upselling, and device-agnostic check-in, straiv is the clear winner. Its extensive feature count (19 unique features) and verified integrations with systems like Oracle, Mews, and Protel make it suitable for mid-sized and larger hotels pursuing operational efficiency.
Conversely, if your hotel is a niche property with minimal need for advanced features or integrations, and cost is a primary concern, Chicostay’s lack of detailed pricing and small or nonexistent review footprint make it less competitive. However, given straiv’s dominant market presence and user satisfaction, it’s advisable to select straiv if your hotel aims for broad, reliable contactless guest services.
Are you seeking a scalable, well-supported platform, or a minimal solution for a specific property type?
Straiv boasts a high ease of use rating (4.69/5 from 81 recent reviews), with users praising its intuitive interface, straightforward onboarding, and quick implementation. Reviewers mention that staff and guests find it simple to navigate, with no significant training hurdles. Support is also rated highly (4.72/5), with feedback emphasizing prompt assistance.
Chicostay’s low or non-existent ratings and review count make it impossible to assess its usability or support quality. As a result, the proven user-friendliness of straiv, combined with its ongoing development and support, favors straiv as the easier system for your team to adopt and operate.
Edge: straiv.
Straiv dramatically outperforms Chicostay in features, offering 19 distinct functionalities such as mobile check-in, mobile checkout, guest messaging, digital concierge, room service ordering, PMS integration, ID verification, and device agnostic access. Chicostay offers no specific features or integrations, indicating a narrow or undeveloped product.
This extensive feature set makes straiv more adaptable to varied hotel operations, enabling your team to customize guest interactions and streamline processes effectively. For a comprehensive contactless experience, straiv’s features clearly surpass the limited scope of Chicostay.
Edge: straiv.
Although Chicostay provides no data on support or onboarding, straiv’s support team is highly rated at 4.72/5, with reviews praising quick responses and helpful assistance. Users note the team’s proactive updates and willingness to develop features based on feedback, which enhances overall satisfaction.
In contrast, Chicostay’s support rating is unavailable, making it impossible to evaluate. Given straiv’s demonstrated support quality and recent positive reviews, it’s the more dependable choice for ongoing assistance.
Edge: straiv.
Straiv offers 36 verified integrations, including major PMS systems like Oracle, Mews, and Protel, along with solutions such as SALTO Systems and hotelkit. Its ability to connect with a wide ecosystem of tools enhances operational efficiency and guest service capabilities.
Chicostay has no verified integrations, limiting its scalability and functionality. If seamless connectivity is essential for your hotel’s operations, straiv’s extensive integration options provide a clear advantage.
Edge: straiv.
With 81 recent reviews, straiv’s hotelier ratings are notably high at 4.81/5, with a 95% likelihood to recommend. Hotels across various segments—particularly boutique, city center, and serviced apartments—appreciate straiv’s ease of use, reliability, and support.
Chicostay’s review count is zero, making it impossible to determine user satisfaction. The current data strongly favors straiv as the preferred solution among hoteliers.
Edge: straiv.
Chicostay’s pricing model is not publicly available, making direct comparisons difficult. Straiv charges a base fee of $500 per month, with no free tier or trial, which might be a consideration for smaller properties.
Given the lack of transparent pricing for Chicostay, evaluating value is challenging. However, straiv’s established reputation and feature set justify its cost for hotels seeking a full-service contactless platform.
Not ideal if your hotel requires advanced features, integrations, or scalable support, as Chicostay’s limited data and review footprint make it less suitable for growing or complex operations.
Not ideal if your hotel has a very tight budget or operates a very small property with minimal tech needs, given straiv’s higher cost and feature complexity.
The core difference is that straiv offers a broad, feature-rich contactless solution supported by a proven support team, while Chicostay’s limited data suggests a focus on niche vacation rentals without a clear market presence.
If your hotel needs a scalable, well-supported platform with extensive integrations and features, straiv is the better choice. Its high user ratings, recent reviews, and market presence make it the more reliable and effective option.
Choose straiv if you want a proven, full-featured contactless solution that can grow with your property.
Opt for Chicostay only if your needs are minimal, your budget is tight, and you operate a very specific property type with no plans for expansion.
In conclusion, for most hotels serious about contactless check-in and operational efficiency, straiv offers a clearer, more reliable path to modern guest service. Its recent reviews confirm it’s a preferred choice among hoteliers seeking a dependable, well-supported platform.
According to HTR's product database, Chicostay and straiv share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | Chico |
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| Hotel Directory | ||
| Local Recommendations | ||
| Mobile Checkin | ||
| Mobile Checkout | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Web-app |
Showing top differences. 7 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
Digital check-in and check-out are praised for significantly reducing waiting times for guests and administrative burdens for staff. Reviews emphasize... Digital check-in and check-out are praised for significantly reducing waiting times for guests and administrative burdens for staff. Reviews emphasize the benefits of contactless processes, especially during the COVID-19 era, providing guests with seamless and flexible arrivals and departures, while ensuring compliance with health safety protocols.
Users appreciate the ability to communicate directly with guests through journey mailing and other customizable modules. This facilitates timely infor... Users appreciate the ability to communicate directly with guests through journey mailing and other customizable modules. This facilitates timely information exchange, promotional offers, and enhances overall guest satisfaction. Reviews laud the flexibility in designing guest interactions based on individual hotel needs.
Straiv receives high marks for the ease with which its system can be implemented, requiring no advanced IT skills. Reviews consistently mention the to... Straiv receives high marks for the ease with which its system can be implemented, requiring no advanced IT skills. Reviews consistently mention the tool's intuitive user interface, making it easy for both staff and guests to interact with the system.
Where hoteliers push back
Some users report issues with the payment processing feature, such as delays and incomplete data transfers. Improvements in integrating multiple payme... Some users report issues with the payment processing feature, such as delays and incomplete data transfers. Improvements in integrating multiple payment gateways are suggested to enhance efficiency and reliability.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Chicostay and straiv share many core Contactless Check-in features, but each has unique capabilities. Chicostay offers 0 verified integration partners, while straiv offers 37. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. straiv leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 vs 0.0/5. Look for transparent pricing and a trial or demo option. Filter reviews on each product page by property size to hear from hotels like yours.
Chicostay: No. straiv: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Contactless Check-in vendors offer demos or trials — request one from each to evaluate before committing.
The HT Score is a composite ranking that considers 4 criteria groups and over a dozen variables to help hoteliers objectively compare hotel technology products. Chico has an HT Score of 0 and straiv has 73. Here is how the score is calculated.
| Criteria Group | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Ratings & Reviews |
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How highly do users recommend this product? Ratings Score, Review Volume, Share of Voice, Review Depth, Review Recency, Success Stories ▾ The most heavily weighted factor. Analyzes average satisfaction ratings (likelihood to recommend, ease of use, support, ROI), total review count relative to category peers, review recency (at least 20 reviews in the trailing 6 months), and share of voice across unique hotel clients to detect selection bias. |
| Partner Ecosystem |
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How highly do tech partners recommend this company? Partner Recommendations, Integration Quantity, Integration Quality ▾ Evaluates partner recommendations as expert votes of confidence, the number of verified integrations, and ecosystem quality — the average HT Scores of integration partners. Products with higher-quality integration ecosystems are more likely to deliver a connected tech stack. |
| Customer Centricity |
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How customer-centric is this organization? Certified Support, Review Consistency, Profile Completeness ▾ Assesses whether the company has earned HTR Customer Support Certification, maintains consistent review collection over time (an indicator of feedback-driven culture), and keeps product profiles complete with capabilities, screenshots, pricing, and features. |
| Reach, Staying Power & Resources |
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How extensive is this company's reach and resourcing? Geographic Reach, Staying Power, Company Resources, Trending Score ▾ Measures global presence (countries and regions served), years in business as a stability proxy, team headcount as a resource proxy, and a trending score based on trailing-twelve-month buyer inquiries, reviews, partner recommendations, and press activity. |
Customer ratings and reviews are by far the most important factor in the HT Score algorithm. HTR does not accept payment for higher rankings. All reviews are verified — only hotel industry practitioners with confirmed affiliations can submit ratings. View full HT Score methodology →
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