Explara vs. MeetingPackage (Venue & Sales Management):
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right hotel sales software for meetings and events is crucial for streamlining operations, increasing bookings, and improving guest experiences. Explara by Explara and MeetingPackage by MeetingPackage both aim to automate and optimize meeting sales processes, but they diverge significantly in their focus and maturity. Explara, primarily an event management platform, offers a broad suite of tools for event organizers, while MeetingPackage specializes in hotel meeting and conference sales management. Which one aligns better with your hotel's needs?

Both products aim to enhance your team’s ability to sell meeting spaces efficiently, but Explara's focus on events and memberships contrasts with MeetingPackage's targeted hotel-centric solutions. Are you looking for a comprehensive event platform or a dedicated hotel sales tool? Let’s explore their differences more closely.

Is Explara or MeetingPackage Better for Hotels?

Explara is a comprehensive event management platform designed for organizers managing large conferences, exhibitions, and memberships, with extensive features for pre-, during, and post-event activities. MeetingPackage, by contrast, concentrates solely on simplifying hotel meeting and event bookings through real-time availability, dynamic pricing, and instant online booking.

Explara boasts a broad feature set that includes ticketing, registration, merchandise sales, and post-event engagement, making it ideal if your hotel runs large or multi-event operations. MeetingPackage’s strength lies in its seamless integration with property management systems and automation capabilities perfect for hotels focusing on meeting room sales and corporate bookings.

While Explara is more suited to organizations managing multiple event types, MeetingPackage’s specialized hotel features deliver better value if your hotel relies heavily on meeting sales. Do you need a broad event platform or a dedicated hotel booking engine? Which aligns better with your current priorities?

Explara vs MeetingPackage: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs an all-in-one event and membership platform that can handle large-scale events, memberships, and attendee engagement, Explara’s broader scope makes it the better choice. It’s best for hotels that host various events, conferences, or memberships, and prioritize integrated management tools, with a focus on community engagement.

Conversely, if your hotel’s primary goal is to increase meeting room bookings, simplify sales processes, and automate availability and pricing in real time, MeetingPackage is the clear choice. It caters to hotels wanting a straightforward booking system with robust integration options, especially for corporate and multi-day bookings.

Considering recent reviews and ratings, MeetingPackage’s 62 reviews and 4.56/5 overall rating, combined with a 9.18/5 NPS score, demonstrate a stronger user base and proven satisfaction. Explara, with no recent reviews, lacks current validation. So, if your hotel needs a proven, highly-rated solution, MeetingPackage is the safer pick.

Is Explara or MeetingPackage Easier to Use?

MeetingPackage’s usability is highly praised, with a 4.6/5 ease of use rating based on 62 reviews and recent feedback highlighting its simple, intuitive interface. Users appreciate how quickly staff can onboard and navigate the system, with comments like “easy to implement” and “short reaction time from support,” making it accessible for teams new to digital booking tools.

Explara, on the other hand, scores 0/5 for ease of use, indicating a lack of recent feedback and potentially limited usability for hotel staff. The absence of recent reviews suggests it may not be actively maintained or user-friendly for hotel teams focused on sales.

Edge: MeetingPackage.

Which Has Better Features: Explara or MeetingPackage?

MeetingPackage offers a clear advantage with 10 unique features including contact management, sales activity reporting, e-signatures, file management, BEO management, workflow automations, lead scoring, payments & invoicing, and data migration services. These features directly support hotel sales teams and streamline booking workflows.

Explara, as an event management platform, lacks dedicated hotel sales features, offering none of the specialized functionalities found in MeetingPackage. If your hotel requires detailed sales and operational tools, MeetingPackage’s extensive feature set makes it the better option.

Edge: MeetingPackage.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Explara or MeetingPackage?

MeetingPackage’s customer support and onboarding ratings are notably high at 4.81/5, with recent reviews praising quick responses and proactive assistance. Hotel users commend the support team’s willingness to develop tailored solutions, which adds significant value.

Explara has no recent reviews or ratings, making it impossible to assess current support quality. The lack of recent feedback suggests it might not be as responsive or actively supported compared to MeetingPackage.

Edge: MeetingPackage.

Which Has More Integrations: Explara or MeetingPackage?

MeetingPackage offers 14 verified integrations, including popular property management and booking systems like Opera, Mews, Amadeus, Stripe, and The Hotels Network, providing flexibility and automation for hotel operations. Explara, in contrast, currently has no verified integrations, limiting its ability to connect with existing hotel systems.

For hotels seeking to automate workflows and connect with PMS or booking engines, MeetingPackage’s extensive partner network provides a significant advantage.

Edge: MeetingPackage.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Explara or MeetingPackage?

With 62 reviews in the last six months, MeetingPackage has a rating of 4.56/5, indicating strong recent satisfaction among hoteliers. It’s particularly favored by branded and city center hotels, with many reviewers highlighting ease of use and support.

Explara has no recent reviews or ratings, so current user sentiment cannot be determined. The lack of recent data makes MeetingPackage the more reliable choice for hotel sales software.

Edge: MeetingPackage.

How Much Do Explara and MeetingPackage Cost?

Explara does not publicly list its pricing, which may suggest a custom quote approach or limited market focus. MeetingPackage charges a straightforward $200 monthly base fee, with no extra implementation or setup costs, making its pricing clear and predictable.

For hotels seeking transparent pricing to evaluate ROI, MeetingPackage’s fixed monthly fee offers clarity, while Explara’s opaque pricing may pose challenges in budgeting.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Explara?

• Hotels that host a wide variety of events, exhibitions, or memberships, needing comprehensive management tools.
• Teams that run large, multi-faceted event operations requiring integrated ticketing, registration, and post-event engagement.
• Hotels with dedicated event organizers seeking an all-in-one platform for event lifecycle management.
• Not ideal if your hotel primarily focuses on meeting room sales or corporate bookings without event-based memberships or large public events.

Not ideal if your hotel’s core sales revolve around meeting rooms with straightforward booking needs, as Explara’s broad event management scope may be overkill.

What Type of Hotel Should Use MeetingPackage?

• Hotels that rely on meeting and conference room sales, especially those with multiple event spaces.
• Teams that want real-time availability, dynamic pricing, and instant online booking for meetings.
• Hotels with corporate clients who require seamless integration with existing property management systems.
• Hotels managing multiple day conferences or corporate agreements needing automation and efficiency.
• Not ideal if your hotel primarily offers leisure stays or small, informal event spaces without complex booking requirements.

Not ideal if your hotel’s focus is on leisure guests or small-scale events that don’t need sophisticated booking automation.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

The main difference between Explara and MeetingPackage lies in their scope and target audience. Explara covers a broad spectrum of event management, while MeetingPackage specializes in hotel meeting and conference sales.

If your hotel needs a proven, highly-rated system with recent reviews, automation, and integrations, MeetingPackage is the clear winner. Its strengths in ease of use, customer support, and features make it the better choice for most hotels focusing on meetings and events.

Choose Explara if your hotel hosts diverse large-scale events, exhibitions, or memberships, and requires a broad event management platform. Otherwise, for dedicated hotel meeting sales, MeetingPackage delivers more targeted, reliable, and well-supported solutions.