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:
Explore.com shines .
roommaster shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Urgency messaging.
Side-by-side ratings based on 83 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 83 |
After analyzing 83 verified reviews, Explore.com users most value its , while roommaster users highlight user-friendly design, secure automated transactions, ai chatbox for web booking. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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User-friendly Design
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Secure Automated Transactions
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AI Chatbox for Web Booking
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Processing Fees
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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
| Segment | Explore.com |
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|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #16 29 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #14 33 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | — | #21 6 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #26 1 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment | Explore.com |
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #16 33 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #34 8 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #20 14 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #22 4 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | Explore.com |
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| North America ▾ | — | #4 61 reviews |
| Europe | — | #32 3 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #24 0 reviews |
Choosing the best booking engine for your hotel requires evaluating multiple factors, but ultimately, the decision hinges on your hotel’s size, operational complexity, and growth ambitions. Explore.com aims to provide a simple, possibly free or low-cost platform, but it currently lacks review data, making it hard to gauge real-world performance. In contrast, roommaster offers a feature-rich, well-rated system backed by enough recent reviews to inspire confidence. Given your need for reliable, proven technology, which platform aligns best with your strategic goals?
Explore.com is positioned as a revenue management system with an emphasis on data analytics and pricing optimization, but it severely lags in usability and customer support, with zero reviews and a 0/5 overall rating. Meanwhile, roommaster features a 4.31/5 rating based on 70 reviews, with recent feedback highlighting ease of use, support, and feature depth. The contrast suggests Explore.com is untested in the market, while roommaster has demonstrated consistent performance. Are you comfortable betting on an unreviewed platform, or do proven results matter more?
If your hotel needs a comprehensive booking engine with advanced features, robust support, and a global presence, go with roommaster. Its 56 verified integrations and extensive feature set—including multi-currency, loyalty, and email automation—make it suitable for mid-sized to large hotels aiming for direct channel growth. If, however, your hotel is small, budget-focused, or primarily interested in revenue analytics, Explore.com’s limited capabilities and lack of reviews suggest it may not meet your expectations.
Given the current evidence, roommaster stands out as the more reliable choice for most hotels seeking a full-featured booking engine with proven support. Would you prefer a system with extensive real-world validation or one that’s largely untested?
Explore.com scores a 0/5 in ease of use, with no recent reviews to gauge user experience, indicating a lack of verified usability data. Conversely, roommaster boasts a 4.43/5 rating based on recent reviews, with users describing it as "easy to use" and "quick to learn," even for first-timers. Its intuitive back-office interface simplifies daily tasks, and onboarding appears straightforward. Edge: roommaster.
Explore.com offers no unique features; it’s primarily a revenue system lacking booking-specific tools. roommaster, however, provides 32 exclusive features, including mobile optimization, multi-room bookings, loyalty integrations, and advanced analytics like rate plan comparisons and conversion reports. Its vast feature set caters to hotels needing flexible, detailed control over reservations and revenue strategies. Edge: roommaster.
With no review data, Explore.com’s support quality remains unverified, leaving uncertainty about responsiveness or assistance quality. In contrast, roommaster has a 4.16/5 support rating, with reviews praising quick, helpful responses and ease of troubleshooting. Customers note that support is “helpful when you get them,” despite occasional delays. Given recent, detailed reviews, roommaster offers more reliable support. Edge: roommaster.
Explore.com claims zero verified partners, suggesting limited or no third-party integrations. roommaster, with 56 verified partners, includes major players like Sage, GuestCentric, and Otelier, alongside shared partners. This extensive integration network enables seamless connectivity with PMS, CRS, marketing tools, and more, enhancing operational flow. Edge: roommaster.
Since Explore.com has no reviews, it cannot be rated by hoteliers. roommaster’s 70 reviews with a 4.31/5 overall score, and recent feedback highlighting ease of use and customer satisfaction, makes it the clearly preferred choice. Hotels in various segments, especially those requiring reliable, full-featured booking solutions, tend to rate roommaster highly. Edge: roommaster.
Explore.com does not list pricing or offer a trial, suggesting it might be free or undefined. roommaster charges $500 upfront with no ongoing fees, providing a predictable investment for hotels seeking a full-featured system. The clear pricing structure allows better budget planning, especially for medium to large properties.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
The core difference is that roommaster offers a validated, feature-packed booking engine backed by extensive reviews and integrations, while Explore.com appears largely untested with no available review data.
If your hotel prioritizes reliability, support, and advanced capabilities, roommaster is the clear choice, especially given its recent reviews and proven track record. Explore.com might appeal to very small operations or those seeking a free solution but falls short in credibility and features.
For most hotels aiming for growth, automation, and seamless integrations, roommaster delivers a more secure, scalable foundation. Are you ready to invest in a system with a proven footprint, or is a less-supported, unreviewed platform sufficient for your needs?
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.
| Explore.com |
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| Starting Price | — | From $500/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Explore.com and roommaster booking engine share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | Explore.com |
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| A/B testing & optimization | ||
| Mobile optimized/responsive | ||
| Pooled inventory | ||
| Tariffs | ||
| Urgency messaging | ||
| Wedding & corporate booking modules |
Showing top differences. 20 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 1 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’re an independent hotel surrounded by giants, but roomMaster gave us the tools we needed to stand tall alongside them."
What hoteliers love
The booking engine's interface is praised for its simplicity, allowing hotel staff to learn and navigate the system efficiently. The intuitive layout... The booking engine's interface is praised for its simplicity, allowing hotel staff to learn and navigate the system efficiently. The intuitive layout enhances overall user experience, contributing to increased adoption and satisfaction among users.
Secure transactions are highlighted as a key strength, supporting seamless bookings and safeguarding guest data. This feature minimizes reliance on th... Secure transactions are highlighted as a key strength, supporting seamless bookings and safeguarding guest data. This feature minimizes reliance on third-party booking platforms, thereby increasing direct revenue streams.
There's an optimistic expectation regarding the integration of AI chat capabilities in the booking engine. This feature is expected to enhance guest e... There's an optimistic expectation regarding the integration of AI chat capabilities in the booking engine. This feature is expected to enhance guest experience by providing instant, intelligent interactions during the booking process.
Where hoteliers push back
While the secure automation of transactions is appreciated, the costs associated with processing fees are identified as a concern. Users suggest the n... While the secure automation of transactions is appreciated, the costs associated with processing fees are identified as a concern. Users suggest the need for cost reduction to enhance the engine's value proposition.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Explore.com and roommaster booking engine share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Explore.com offers 0 verified integration partners, while roommaster booking engine offers 56. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. roommaster booking engine leads in ease of use at 4.4/5 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.
Explore.com: No. roommaster 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. Explore.com has an HT Score of 0 and roommaster 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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