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 172 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:
DOWHAT shines .
Exely shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Post-stay emails.
Side-by-side ratings based on 172 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $200/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 172 |
After analyzing 172 verified reviews, DOWHAT users most value its , while Exely users highlight support and responsiveness, booking engine effectiveness, direct booking enhancement. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Support and Responsiveness
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Booking Engine Effectiveness
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Direct Booking Enhancement
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Channel Manager Synchronization
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Customization and Flexibility
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Integration and Advanced Features
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Guest Experience Concerns
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How each product ranks among Booking Engine vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #45 0 reviews | #15 34 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #45 0 reviews | #11 64 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #39 0 reviews | #22 5 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #30 0 reviews | #8 6 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #46 0 reviews | #15 35 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #42 0 reviews | #15 28 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #42 0 reviews | #16 17 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #36 0 reviews | #16 9 reviews |
By Region
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| North America | #42 0 reviews | #24 2 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | — | #25 11 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #32 0 reviews | #4 79 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | — | #2 17 reviews |
Choosing the right booking engine is essential for your hotel's online success. Both DOWHAT's Booking Engine and Exely aim to streamline reservations, but they differ significantly in reviews, features, and market presence. Your decision should hinge on your hotel’s specific needs—whether you prioritize recent user feedback, feature sets, or global reach.
DOWHAT offers no recent reviews or ratings, making its effectiveness uncertain, while Exely boasts over 140 reviews with a high customer satisfaction score. Which platform aligns best with your operational goals and growth plans?
DOWHAT’s Booking Engine appears to be a nascent product with no reviews or ratings, indicating limited market feedback. Conversely, Exely’s platform has accumulated 144 reviews, with 63 in the last six months alone, showing active engagement and recent validation from users.
Exely’s reviews highlight ease of use, support, and robust features, while DOWHAT’s lack of reviews makes evaluating its performance impossible. Do you want a proven, actively reviewed solution, or are you willing to take a chance on an untested product?
If your hotel needs a feature-rich, reliable booking platform with proven customer satisfaction, go with Exely. Its high review count, recent positive feedback, and 4.91/5 ease-of-use rating support this choice.
If your hotel requires a simple, minimal solution and you’re comfortable with an unreviewed product, DOWHAT might be worth exploring. However, considering the lack of reviews and recent data, Exely clearly offers a safer and more validated path for hotels seeking growth.
Exely’s platform scores 4.91/5 for ease of use and has a user-friendly, responsive interface praised in reviews. Support and onboarding are rated 4.96/5, with users describing the platform as intuitive and easy to manage, even for staff with limited technical experience.
DOWHAT’s ease-of-use is rated 0/5, with no available reviews or user feedback to gauge its interface or onboarding process. Without recent user data, DOWHAT’s usability remains unknown.
Edge: Exely.
Exely offers 29 features, including multi-lingual support, multi-currency options, automated emails, rate plan comparisons, booking abandonment recovery, and GDPR compliance—many of which DOWHAT lacks entirely.
DOWHAT’s platform has no features listed or available, making it impossible to compare capabilities. Therefore, Exely’s extensive feature set provides a clear advantage for hotels seeking versatility and marketing tools.
Edge: Exely.
Exely’s customer support is rated 4.96/5, with reviews praising rapid responses and friendly, helpful service. Support team members are described as proactive and solution-oriented, enhancing overall user satisfaction.
DOWHAT has no reviews or ratings for support, leaving its responsiveness and quality unverified. Given the recent positive feedback for Exely, it remains the superior support choice.
Edge: Exely.
Exely currently integrates with 8 verified partners, including Hotellab, IDeaS, Booking.com, and Google Hotel Ads. DOWHAT only lists 2 partners, with limited integration options.
The broader integration ecosystem with Exely enables easier synchronization across channels and systems, reducing manual work and errors. For comprehensive connectivity, Exely clearly leads.
Edge: Exely.
DOWHAT has no reviews or ratings to assess, making hoteliers’ opinions unavailable. Exely, on the other hand, has a high NPS score of 9.73/10 based on recent reviews, indicating strong satisfaction.
In particular, properties in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific have rated Exely highly for operational efficiency and revenue impact. The lack of data on DOWHAT suggests it’s not yet trusted by users.
Edge: Exely.
DOWHAT does not disclose pricing details; it appears to be a free or undisclosed product. Exely costs $200 per month, with no free trial offered, making it transparent but a fixed investment.
Considering the features and support quality, Exely’s pricing aligns with its proven value, while DOWHAT’s free or undisclosed model offers no clarity on cost-benefit.
Not ideal if your hotel requires proven reliability, extensive features, or international support, given the lack of reviews.
Not ideal if your hotel operates in a niche market with very specific needs that Exely does not address, or if you prefer a free, unreviewed platform.
DOWHAT’s Booking Engine is a new entrant with no reviews, no ratings, and no clear feature set, making its effectiveness uncertain. Exely, by contrast, has a proven track record with over 140 recent reviews, high satisfaction scores, and an extensive feature list.
If you need a dependable, well-supported platform that’s actively used and reviewed, Exely is the clear choice. It’s suitable for hotels of all sizes seeking to boost direct bookings and operational efficiency.
Choose DOWHAT only if your hotel is experimenting with no-cost solutions or willing to accept unverified performance in exchange for potential future features. For most hotels prioritizing reliability and proven success, Exely offers the better investment.
According to HTR's product database, Booking Engine by DOWHAT and Exely Booking Engine share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Conversion rate reports | ||
| Flexible dates | ||
| Mobile optimized/responsive | ||
| Multi-lingual | ||
| Multi-room bookings | ||
| Room substitutions |
Showing top differences. 17 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 2 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
No published case study for this goal yet.
"We took a proactive approach and collaborated with Exely, implementing various strategies, such as a loyalty program. The outcome has been outstanding — not only have we been able..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Once we switched to Exely, we immediately noticed a significant increase in reservations from online travel agencies. We discovered that our previous system had blocked some availa..."
What hoteliers love
Exely's support is lauded for its rapid response times and solution-oriented approach, contributing to an improved user experience. This is seen as a... Exely's support is lauded for its rapid response times and solution-oriented approach, contributing to an improved user experience. This is seen as a considerable strength of the product.
Exely's booking engine is frequently praised for its user-friendliness, fast operation, and ability to enhance direct bookings significantly, thus con... Exely's booking engine is frequently praised for its user-friendliness, fast operation, and ability to enhance direct bookings significantly, thus contributing to revenue growth. It is deemed to have a powerful positive impact on the guest experience and conversion rates.
The software is commended for increasing direct bookings and lowering reliance on OTAs. This positively impacts hotel revenue by lowering third-party... The software is commended for increasing direct bookings and lowering reliance on OTAs. This positively impacts hotel revenue by lowering third-party fees and providing a return on investment through efficient booking management.
Where hoteliers push back
A recurring critical point among users is the limited customization options available, particularly in reporting and website design. Users seek more f... A recurring critical point among users is the limited customization options available, particularly in reporting and website design. Users seek more flexibility to adapt templates and reports to their needs.
Users would like to see improvements in integration capabilities with other hotel management systems. Current integration limitations are seen as a do... Users would like to see improvements in integration capabilities with other hotel management systems. Current integration limitations are seen as a downside restricting the platform's full potential.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Booking Engine by DOWHAT and Exely Booking Engine share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Booking Engine by DOWHAT offers 2 verified integration partners, while Exely Booking Engine offers 8. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Exely Booking Engine leads in ease of use at 4.9/5 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.
Booking Engine by DOWHAT: No. Exely Booking Engine: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Booking Engine 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. DOWHAT has an HT Score of 0 and Exely has 93. 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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