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 1,706 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:
Cloudbeds shines in reservation and calendar management — especially for boutique properties (4.6/5), with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Revenue management module.
Preno shines in Customer Support — especially for airport and conference properties (4.9/5).
Side-by-side ratings based on 1,706 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $500/mo | From $400/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 1,614 | 92 |
After analyzing 1,706 verified reviews, Cloudbeds users most value its reservation and calendar management, ease of use and onboarding, channel manager and ota synchronization, while Preno users highlight ease of use and staff adoption, customer support and responsiveness, integrations with accounting and other systems. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Reservation and calendar management
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Ease of use and staff adoption
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Ease of use and onboarding
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Customer support and responsiveness
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Channel manager and OTA synchronization
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Integrations with accounting and other systems
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Guest data, CRM, and documents
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Cost savings and value for money
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Support and training
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Customization and product flexibility
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Reporting and analytics
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UI/grid view limitations
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Billing, payments, and pay-by-link
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Payment handling and booking payment rules
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How each product ranks among Hotel Management Software vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #1 793 reviews | #15 50 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #1 249 reviews | #24 6 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #1 55 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #5 5 reviews | — |
By Property Type
| Segment |
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| Boutique ▾ | #1 635 reviews | #18 35 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #3 260 reviews | #16 22 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #2 153 reviews | #17 13 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #2 102 reviews | #13 13 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #2 570 reviews | #21 6 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #4 173 reviews | #14 16 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #3 315 reviews | #19 1 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #4 14 reviews | #13 2 reviews |
Cloudbeds and Preno both address hotel management needs but diverge sharply in scale and complexity. Cloudbeds offers a comprehensive, fully integrated platform with 97 unique hotel-focused features absent in Preno’s system. This breadth serves independents, boutique hotels, hostels, resorts, and growing multi-property groups aiming to consolidate PMS, channel management, booking engine, payments, and guest communications into one unified workflow. Preno targets smaller independent properties, motels, and B&Bs with simpler operations, emphasizing ease of use and native integration with accounting tools like Xero but lacking advanced features and integrations.
Both platforms centralize reservations, billing, housekeeping, and reporting to reduce manual administration and streamline front desk operations. Cloudbeds particularly excels in powering multi-channel distribution and revenue management with embedded AI tools, while Preno’s value lies in cost-effective simplicity and responsive customer support for smaller teams.
If your property is an independent or boutique hotel, hostel, or resort with 20+ rooms and complex distribution needs, choose Cloudbeds. Its 1600 reviews averaging 4.6/5 overall (4.8/5 in the last 6 months) reflect wide adoption across 107 countries and multiple segments, including 19% boutique hotels and 14% hostels. Cloudbeds’ advanced PMS connectivity, channel manager, revenue management, and booking engine automate rate control, reduce overbooking, and support multi-currency operations, critical for hotels pursuing scalable growth and global reach.
If you run a smaller independent property, motel, or B&B with under 20 rooms, particularly in Australia or New Zealand where Preno is established, Preno’s 92 reviews averaging 4.8/5 (4.6/5 recent) highlight excellent ease of use and support. Preno’s strengths include native Xero and Lightspeed integrations and simple housekeeping workflows that reduce admin burden for lean teams. However, Preno lacks multi-channel rate shopping, advanced revenue management, and mobile app capabilities. If your hotel demands those, Cloudbeds is the stronger fit. Preno’s more limited presence in only 19 countries and narrower feature set means it suits smaller, less complex operations best.
Cloudbeds and Preno score closely for ease of use and onboarding: 4.6/5 and 4.8/5 ease of use, 4.5/5 and 4.6/5 onboarding respectively, from 1600 and 92 reviews. Users praise Preno for its straightforward interface and rapid staff adoption, especially for teams transitioning from legacy systems or with minimal IT support. Reviewers note Preno’s simple navigation reduces training time and accelerates daily workflows.
Cloudbeds reviewers also emphasize its intuitive design and clean interface that empower front desk teams to manage complex reservations, housekeeping, and billing with less friction. Some mention Cloudbeds’ learning curve is higher due to its feature depth, but training resources and onboarding are rated highly overall.
Edge: Even.
Cloudbeds leads decisively in feature count, offering 97 unique hotel-specific features beyond the 29 shared with Preno. These include advanced PMS connectivity, a comprehensive analytics dashboard, real-time 2-way integrations, multi-currency and multi-lingual support, unlimited channels at no extra cost, channel self-mapping, integrated revenue management and CRS, a native booking engine, automated night audit, group functionality, guest communication tools (SMS, email marketing, urgency messaging), housekeeping mobile app, digital registration, mobile app, tablet/kiosk check-in, rules-based room assignments, and PCI compliance.
These features transform hotel operations by enabling centralized inventory and rate control across OTAs, automating billing and payments, supporting personalized guest communications, and streamlining housekeeping and front desk workflows. For example, the integrated booking engine and payment processing reduce friction in direct bookings and checkout, improving revenue capture and guest satisfaction.
Preno offers no unique features beyond the shared core functionalities. It focuses on simplicity and essential tasks like reservations, billing, housekeeping, and reporting but lacks advanced modules and automation.
Edge: Cloudbeds HMS by Cloudbeds.
Preno has a higher customer support rating (4.8/5 from 92 reviews) versus Cloudbeds at 4.4/5 from 1600 reviews. Preno users frequently commend its prompt, helpful, and personalized support, often noting real people answer the phone and respond quickly to issues. For example, multiple reviewers highlight Preno’s support as “second to none” and “very responsive,” which is critical for smaller teams without dedicated IT resources.
Cloudbeds users appreciate its support and onboarding but report occasional delays, reliance on chatbots, and outsourced help that can frustrate users seeking immediate resolution. Some negative reviews cite slow or inadequate issue follow-up, especially when addressing complex integration or reporting problems.
Edge: Preno HMS by Preno.
Cloudbeds vastly outnumbers Preno with 208 verified partners compared to Preno’s 17, sharing 13 common integrations like GuestTraction, TrustYou, HelloShift, SiteMinder, Cendyn, Lightspeed, and Revinate. Cloudbeds supports specialized integrations such as AdsHotel, Trevo, FLEXIPASS Keyless Mobile Access, ManCloud, 4SUITES, HOTELTIME, Sirvoy, Umi Digital, and HiJiffy, enabling hotels to tailor their tech stack extensively.
Preno’s integrations primarily focus on accounting (Xero), messaging (Zingle), guest engagement (MyStay), and its own platform tools, reflecting its focus on smaller properties with straightforward needs.
Hotels requiring wide distribution, advanced revenue management, CRM, and guest experience tools will benefit from Cloudbeds’ extensive ecosystem. Preno’s integration set suits smaller hotels prioritizing simple accounting and billing workflows.
Edge: Cloudbeds HMS by Cloudbeds.
Overall ratings are close: Cloudbeds averages 4.6/5 from 1600 reviews, Preno 4.8/5 from 92 reviews. However, Cloudbeds’ last 6 months’ rating is slightly higher at 4.8/5 (188 reviews) while Preno’s recent rating is 4.6/5 (11 reviews), indicating Cloudbeds’ current product is rated slightly better by a larger sample.
By segment, Cloudbeds dominates larger hotel types and multi-property groups, including boutique hotels (4.6/5, 652 reviews), hostels (4.6/5, 306), resorts (4.6/5, 450), and luxury hotels (4.6/5, 260). Preno’s ratings are strong for smaller segments like motels (4.8/5, 27 reviews), bed & breakfasts (4.8/5, 38), and boutique hotels (4.7/5, 35), reflecting its niche.
Cloudbeds’ review volume and global presence across 107 countries provide more confidence in broader applicability. Preno’s smaller, mostly Australasian user base and fewer reviews limit the weight of its ratings.
Edge: Even.
Cloudbeds lists a base price of $500 without implementation fees or published per-room pricing. Preno’s base price is $400, also with no implementation fees and includes a 30-day trial.
Neither offers a freemium or monthly flat rate; pricing likely scales by property size or features but is not transparent. Preno’s slightly lower base price may appeal to smaller properties seeking lower entry costs. Cloudbeds’ pricing reflects its broader functionality and global support infrastructure.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
Cloudbeds and Preno serve distinct hotel segments with limited overlap. Cloudbeds is a comprehensive, global, feature-rich hotel management system designed for independent hotels, hostels, and resorts with 20 or more rooms that need integrated PMS, channel management, booking engine, payments, and guest experience tools in one platform. It excels in automation, distribution control, and revenue optimization across multiple currencies and languages.
Choose Cloudbeds if you want a single platform with advanced functionality: it offers unlimited channels at no extra cost, real-time OTA integrations, integrated revenue management, and a rich ecosystem of 208 verified partners. Its scalability and API access support customization and multi-property operations, backed by 1600 reviews averaging 4.6/5 globally.
Preno is built specifically for smaller independents, motels, and B&Bs with simpler operational needs and fewer rooms. It focuses on ease of use, native Xero and Lightspeed integrations, and responsive customer support rated 4.8/5. Preno’s streamlined workflows help small teams reduce admin and accelerate staff onboarding but lack advanced PMS features, mobile apps, and broad distribution capabilities.
Choose Preno if you run a small property under 20 rooms with straightforward workflows, require excellent accounting integration, and value responsive support over complex features. Its 92 reviews averaging 4.8/5 reflect niche strength in Australasia and similar markets.
In summary, Cloudbeds fits hotels seeking a scalable, all-in-one system for complex operations and growth, while Preno suits smaller, simpler properties prioritizing ease and cost efficiency. Both deliver core PMS functionality well but differ sharply in scope and market focus.
These are the features each vendor has configured, organized by feature group — the same data shown in the vendor dashboard. Expand a group to compare features side by side.
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Accounting & Finance
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| Multi-currency | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Direct billing | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Automated night audit | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
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Marketing & Ecommerce
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| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Group Booking Engine | ||
| Website Development | ||
| Booking Engine | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Guest Communication (SMS Messaging) | ||
| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Guest CRM | ||
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Administration & Configuration
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| Multi-lingual | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Centralized user & role management | ||
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Customer Management
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| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Centralized Messaging | ||
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Front Office
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Housekeeping module | ||
| Property Management System | ||
| Automated night audit | ||
| Mobile Device Notes & Tasks (Voice-to-Text) | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Calendar view | ||
| Task Management | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Tablet/Kiosk Check-in | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
| Centralized Messaging | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
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Groups Management
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| Group functionality | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
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Guest Experience
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Integrated ID & Passport Scanner | ||
| Digital Registration | ||
| Guest App | ||
| Online Check-in | ||
| Online Checkout | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Tablet/Kiosk Check-in | ||
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Housekeeping
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| Housekeeping module | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
| Housekeeping Mobile App | ||
| Real-Time Status Updates | ||
| Automated Assignments | ||
| Real Time Reporting | ||
| Shift Planning | ||
| Employee Messaging | ||
| Online Checkout | ||
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Payments
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| Multi-currency | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
| Direct billing | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Integrated Payment Terminal & Card Reader | ||
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Reservations Management
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| Rate Shopping Module | ||
| Property Management System | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Integrated CRS | ||
| Drag-n-Drop Tapechart | ||
| Rate Management | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
| Automated Assignments | ||
| Rules Based Room Assignments | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
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Revenue Management
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| Rate Shopping Module | ||
| Revenue Management Module | ||
| Pricing Intelligence | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Custom rates | ||
| Ancillary revenue tracking | ||
| Base Pricing | ||
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Taxes & Compliance
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| PCI Compliant | ||
| GDPR Compliant | ||
| SOC2 Complaint | ||
| Tax Configuration | ||
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Support & Training
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| Online 24/7 support | ||
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Food & Beverage
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| Point of Sale |
We analyzed 8 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"I have not worked with a company that has such good customer service as Cloudbeds has. It's miles ahead."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"The biggest benefit of Cloudbeds' platform is its flexibility. I can access reporting online from anywhere. Everything is smoother with Cloudbeds."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Cloudbeds is like if Apple made a property management system. The ease of use is super simple and straightforward for guests and our staff. It’s very intuitive and just makes sense..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
What hoteliers love
Users consistently say Cloudbeds makes daily reservation work easier by putting bookings, room status, and occupancy into one visual calendar. Reviewe... Users consistently say Cloudbeds makes daily reservation work easier by putting bookings, room status, and occupancy into one visual calendar. Reviewers highlight quick check-in/out, drag-and-drop room moves, split reservations, and clear room overviews as major time savers for front desk teams.
Users repeatedly describe Cloudbeds as intuitive, easy to learn, and practical for training new staff quickly. The onboarding experience is usually se... Users repeatedly describe Cloudbeds as intuitive, easy to learn, and practical for training new staff quickly. The onboarding experience is usually seen as smooth or helpful, though some reviewers note setup can still be slow or that more guided training would help teams unlock the system faster.
Many reviews emphasize that Cloudbeds reduces overbooking and saves time by syncing availability and rates across OTAs from one place. Users also valu... Many reviews emphasize that Cloudbeds reduces overbooking and saves time by syncing availability and rates across OTAs from one place. Users also value being able to control allotments and disconnect channels quickly, though some mention occasional sync delays or limited visibility when updates are pending.
Where hoteliers push back
Support is often described as responsive, helpful, and knowledgeable, especially during onboarding or when teams need issue resolution quickly. Still,... Support is often described as responsive, helpful, and knowledgeable, especially during onboarding or when teams need issue resolution quickly. Still, many reviews ask for direct phone support, faster responses, or less reliance on chatbots, and some want better product guidance or property-specific training.
Reporting is one of Cloudbeds’ most valued capabilities, especially for reviewing KPIs, revenue, occupancy, and property performance without manual sp... Reporting is one of Cloudbeds’ most valued capabilities, especially for reviewing KPIs, revenue, occupancy, and property performance without manual spreadsheet work. At the same time, many users say custom filters, dashboards, and export speed need improvement, and some reports feel hard to find or not tailored enough to hotel-specific needs.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Users consistently say Preno is simple to learn and easy for frontline staff to navigate, which helps new teams adopt it quickly. Reviewers link that... Users consistently say Preno is simple to learn and easy for frontline staff to navigate, which helps new teams adopt it quickly. Reviewers link that simplicity to faster daily operations and less training burden.
Support quality is a recurring theme, with several users praising Preno for prompt, helpful, and highly responsive service. One concern is that weeken... Support quality is a recurring theme, with several users praising Preno for prompt, helpful, and highly responsive service. One concern is that weekend and bank-holiday coverage is still limited, which can leave hotels stuck outside weekday hours.
Preno’s integration with Xero, Lightspeed, invoicing tools, and other key systems is a major reason users adopt it. Reviews say these connections help... Preno’s integration with Xero, Lightspeed, invoicing tools, and other key systems is a major reason users adopt it. Reviews say these connections help keep workflows connected and costs low, but some users want more flexible data mapping and smoother transfer of booking details into invoices.
Where hoteliers push back
Reviewers like that Preno is reliable, but some want more ability to tailor screens, fields, colors, buttons, and invoice data. The theme is that core... Reviewers like that Preno is reliable, but some want more ability to tailor screens, fields, colors, buttons, and invoice data. The theme is that core workflows work well, but power users want more control to match their property’s processes.
The grid-style interface is a frequent criticism, with users saying it can hurt productivity or feel less intuitive than alternatives. While some user... The grid-style interface is a frequent criticism, with users saying it can hurt productivity or feel less intuitive than alternatives. While some users find it helpful for simplicity, others view it as a major area needing improvement.
Ranks higher for
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Cloudbeds HMS and Preno HMS share many core Hotel Management Software features, but each has unique capabilities. Cloudbeds HMS offers 208 verified integration partners, while Preno HMS offers 17. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Preno HMS leads in ease of use at 4.8/5 vs 4.6/5. 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.
Cloudbeds HMS: No. Preno HMS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel Management Software 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. Cloudbeds has an HT Score of 100 and Preno has 81. Here is how the score is calculated.
| Criteria Group | Weight | What It Measures |
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| 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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