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 625 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:
Exely shines when it comes to support and responsiveness — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Referral Reporting.
Yanolja Cloud Solution shines when it comes to integration with pms and channel manager — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Urgency messaging.
Side-by-side ratings based on 625 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $100/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 172 | 453 |
After analyzing 625 verified reviews, Exely users most value its support and responsiveness, booking engine effectiveness, direct booking enhancement, while Yanolja Cloud Solution users highlight integration with pms and channel manager, booking flow and usability, direct bookings and revenue. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Support and Responsiveness
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Integration with PMS and Channel Manager
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Booking Engine Effectiveness
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Booking Flow and Usability
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Direct Booking Enhancement
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Direct Bookings and Revenue
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Channel Manager Synchronization
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Real-time Inventory and Pricing
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Customization and Flexibility
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Advanced Reporting and Analytics
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Integration and Advanced Features
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Mobile Compatibility
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Guest Experience Concerns
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Customization and Branding
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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) ▾ | #15 34 reviews | #2 252 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #11 64 reviews | #7 99 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #22 5 reviews | #13 12 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #8 6 reviews | #29 1 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #15 35 reviews | #5 159 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #15 28 reviews | #5 203 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #16 17 reviews | #7 69 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #16 9 reviews | #13 15 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #24 2 reviews | #5 48 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #25 11 reviews | #28 7 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #4 79 reviews | #3 342 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #2 17 reviews | #6 10 reviews |
Choosing the right booking engine is crucial for your hotel's success in capturing direct reservations, managing availability, and enhancing guest experience. Both Exely Booking Engine and Yanolja Cloud Solution are designed to meet these needs, but they differ significantly in features, user reviews, and global presence. Your decision hinges on your specific hotel type, regional focus, and desired functionalities.
Exely offers a more extensive feature set and higher recent review activity, giving it a notable edge in reliability and user confidence. But does one product truly outperform the other in key areas that matter most to your hotel?
Both products aim to simplify online bookings and reduce reliance on OTAs, but they diverge in their target markets and feature depth. Exely’s focus on customization, detailed reporting, and marketing tools makes it appealing for independent hotels and boutique properties seeking to boost direct bookings. Yanolja, meanwhile, excels in integration, automation, and scalability, particularly appealing for larger resorts and hotel groups expanding their digital footprint.
Exely’s review count (144) and recent reviews (63 in the last six months) give it more recent user feedback, boosting confidence in its ongoing support and feature evolution. Yanolja’s broader regional presence and larger review base (380 reviews) also indicate stability, but its recent review activity is limited, slightly weakening current data reliability.
Do you prioritize detailed marketing and analytics, or is seamless integration across multiple properties more crucial? Both products address these needs differently.
If your hotel primarily needs a flexible, feature-rich booking engine with advanced marketing tools and detailed reporting, go with Exely. Its extensive feature list, including room substitutions, conversion reports, and integrations with multiple payment gateways, makes it suitable for boutique hotels, resorts, and properties focused on direct booking growth.
If your hotel operates across several locations, values automation, and prefers a robust integration ecosystem, Yanolja is the better option. Its strong global presence, many integrations—including Xero, Quickbooks, and RevControl—and ease of use make it suited for larger hotel chains and resorts looking for a scalable, all-in-one platform.
In summary, choose Exely if customization and marketing are your priorities, and Yanolja if operational efficiency and integrations take precedence.
Exely’s UI is rated 4.91/5, with users praising its straightforward dashboard and fast onboarding. Support responsiveness is also highly rated (4.96/5), with reviews citing prompt, friendly assistance that accelerates staff adoption.
Yanolja scores slightly lower at 4.76/5 but still impresses users with its intuitive interface and quick setup. Support ratings are strong at 4.78/5, and reviews highlight its smooth integration and ease of managing reservations across channels.
Edge: Exely — its slightly higher usability score and more recent positive reviews suggest a marginal advantage.
Exely’s 15 exclusive features outpace Yanolja’s 8, including tools like room substitutions, conversion rate reports, customizable add-ons, Facebook conversion tracking, Tripadvisor bookings, and multiple payment options (PayPal, Stripe, PayU). Its feature depth supports complex rate management and marketing efforts.
Yanolja offers unique features like urgency messaging, pooled inventory, loyalty program integration, gift vouchers, and social media bookings, but it lacks the same level of customization and detailed reporting found in Exely.
Overall, Exely’s broader and more advanced feature set provides a decisive edge for hotels seeking comprehensive control.
Edge: Exely — its richer feature catalog enhances versatility and marketing capabilities.
Exely’s reviews consistently rate customer support at 4.96/5, with users emphasizing rapid, friendly, and effective assistance. Comments mention how support teams help troubleshoot issues promptly, boosting confidence in their responsiveness.
Yanolja also scores well at 4.78/5, with users praising its support team and ease of onboarding. Reviewers highlight quick responses and helpful support, though not quite at the same level of enthusiasm as Exely.
Edge: Exely — higher support ratings and more recent reviews favor its responsiveness.
Yanolja boasts 157 verified partners, including Xero, Quickbooks, and VISIT, making it highly scalable for larger operations. Its extensive integration network supports a wide range of PMS, channel managers, and payment solutions.
Exely has 8 verified partners, including Oracle Hospitality and Booking.com, but its limited integrations may restrict growth for large, multi-system hotels.
For hotels prioritizing broad ecosystem connectivity, Yanolja’s extensive integrations are a clear advantage.
Edge: Yanolja — its broader integration network supports complex, multi-system management.
Exely’s review count (144) and recent activity mean its ratings are based on more current experiences, with a high likelihood to recommend (98%). However, the overall rating is 0/5, indicating possible issues or limited recent feedback in some segments.
Yanolja’s 380 reviews and a 4.63/5 overall rating reflect consistent satisfaction, especially among larger resorts and chain hotels. Recent reviews (none in the last six months) suggest stable performance, but less current feedback may influence perceptions.
For most hoteliers, Exely’s recent reviews and higher recommendation score (98%) make it the more trusted option.
Edge: Exely — more recent reviews and higher likelihood to recommend.
Exely’s base price is $200 per month, with no free tier or trial, representing a premium investment. Yanolja’s base price is $100 per month, also without a free trial, making it more accessible for smaller budgets.
Pricing differences reflect their targeted markets: Exely’s features cater to hotels seeking customization and marketing tools, justifying its higher price.
If budget is a key concern, Yanolja offers a lower-cost option with broad scalability.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
Both products aim to increase direct bookings and improve operational efficiency, but they serve different hotel profiles. Exely’s feature-rich platform and recent user reviews position it as the top choice for hotels seeking control, marketing, and detailed reporting.
Choose Exely if your hotel values customization, advanced marketing tools, and detailed analytics, especially if you are independent or boutique. Its recent review volume and high user ratings make it a trusted solution for hotels looking to boost direct revenue.
Yanolja excels in scalability, integrations, and automated management, making it the better choice for larger hotel groups or resorts with complex operational needs. Its extensive partner network and global reach support multi-property management at a competitive price point.
In conclusion, for most hotels prioritizing recent user feedback and detailed capabilities, Exely takes the lead. Yet, if your hotel needs a broad, scalable platform with extensive integrations, Yanolja remains a strong contender.
Booking Engine pricing is rarely straightforward. Here is what we know from each vendor's public pricing data. Always request a custom quote for your property size.
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| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $100/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Exely Booking Engine and Yanolja Booking Engine share 14 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| ADA Compliant | ||
| Booking abandonment recapture | ||
| Conversion rate reports | ||
| Customizable add-ons | ||
| Flexible dates | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Loyalty program integration | ||
| Pooled inventory | ||
| Price comparison widget | ||
| Rate plan comparisons | ||
| Room substitutions | ||
| Urgency messaging |
Showing top differences. 11 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 3 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"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..."
"We can now manage every property in our franchise from a single dashboard, track performance instantly, and know that our team has 24/7 support whenever it’s needed. It has complet..."
"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..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
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
What hoteliers love
Reviews appreciate the seamless integration of the booking engine with PMS and Channel Manager, making day-to-day operations smooth by providing real-... Reviews appreciate the seamless integration of the booking engine with PMS and Channel Manager, making day-to-day operations smooth by providing real-time updates and eliminating risks of manual error and overbookings. This functionality enhances both front-office and back-end processes, helping hotels to save time and reduce reliance on third-party platforms.
Users find the current booking flow lengthy and fragmented, suggesting a more streamlined process would reduce drop-offs and increase conversions. The... Users find the current booking flow lengthy and fragmented, suggesting a more streamlined process would reduce drop-offs and increase conversions. They recommend a two- or three-step process for smoother booking flows, particularly on mobile, ensuring a better guest experience.
The engine proves effective at increasing direct bookings, reducing commissions paid to OTAs, and thereby preserving hotel revenue. Users highlight it... The engine proves effective at increasing direct bookings, reducing commissions paid to OTAs, and thereby preserving hotel revenue. Users highlight its ability to attract direct traffic to hotel websites due to its user-friendly design.
Where hoteliers push back
While the booking engine provides essential reporting features, users desire more advanced analytical tools and customization options to better track... While the booking engine provides essential reporting features, users desire more advanced analytical tools and customization options to better track performance metrics and support strategic decision-making. Integration with external analytics platforms like Google Analytics is especially noted as a needed improvement.
Despite its advantages, users point out that mobile usability can still be improved especially regarding UI, which is sometimes seen as cramped. A mor... Despite its advantages, users point out that mobile usability can still be improved especially regarding UI, which is sometimes seen as cramped. A more device-responsive design could enhance overall user interactions and capture of mobile-based reservations.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Exely Booking Engine and Yanolja Booking Engine share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Exely Booking Engine offers 8 verified integration partners, while Yanolja Booking Engine offers 157. 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 4.8/5. 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.
Exely Booking Engine: No. Yanolja 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. Exely has an HT Score of 93 and Yanolja Cloud Solution has 92. 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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