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 82 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:
FantasticStay shines .
Hostaway shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like Financial Reporting and Guest Portal.
Side-by-side ratings based on 82 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Verified Reviews | 0 | 82 |
After analyzing 82 verified reviews, FantasticStay users most value its , while Hostaway users highlight customer support quality, onboarding experience, automation and efficiency. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Customer Support Quality
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Onboarding Experience
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Automation and Efficiency
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Third-party Software Integrations
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Customization and User Control
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Financial and Payment Processing
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Integration Challenges
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How each product ranks among Vacation Rental Software 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) ▾ | — | #2 23 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #1 19 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | — | #2 4 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #1 3 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #2 14 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #2 9 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #2 6 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #2 8 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | — | #1 47 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | — | #2 17 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | — | #1 7 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #1 2 reviews |
As a hotelier evaluating vacation rental management platforms, your goal is to find a solution that enhances operational efficiency, simplifies management, and scales with your property portfolio. You’re choosing between FantasticStay by FantasticStay and Hostaway by Hostaway—two platforms designed to streamline vacation rental operations. While both aim to improve your management processes, their strengths and weaknesses diverge significantly. Which one truly fits your hotel’s needs?
Both FantasticStay and Hostaway serve property managers looking to manage multiple vacation rentals from a single platform. However, they differ in scope and maturity: FantasticStay focuses on listing management and permissions sharing, primarily suited for property managers with a need for customizable dashboards. In contrast, Hostaway offers a broader feature set, including channel management, automation, dynamic pricing, and extensive integrations, making it more suitable for larger operations.
While FantasticStay's core offering revolves around listing control and permissions, Hostaway’s strengths lie in automation, multi-channel synchronization, and revenue optimization tools. Considering their review counts—Hostaway has 80 recent reviews with a 5/5 rating, versus FantasticStay’s zero reviews—your confidence should lean toward the platform with more user feedback. Given the recency and volume of reviews, Hostaway's proven track record makes it the stronger candidate. Are you prioritizing a mature, highly-rated platform with extensive integrations?
If your hotel needs a comprehensive platform for managing multiple channels, automating guest communication, and increasing revenue, Hostaway is clearly the better choice. It’s built for property managers scaling from just a handful of properties to hundreds, offering features like dynamic pricing, owner portals, and advanced reporting—plus a proven 4.75/5 customer support rating from recent reviews.
On the other hand, if your primary concern is managing listings across vacation rental platforms with customizable views and permissions for owners and staff, FantasticStay’s listing-centric approach might appeal. However, with no recent reviews and only core listing management, its functionality appears limited compared to Hostaway’s all-in-one platform. For most hoteliers aiming for operational growth, Hostaway offers more tangible benefits. Do you need a platform that grows with your entire operation or simply manages listings?
Hostaway is rated 4.63/5 for ease of use, with recent reviews praising its intuitive design, detailed onboarding, and reliable performance. Users describe onboarding as "detailed and patient," helping them adopt features smoothly, with a platform that feels accessible for beginners and experts alike.
In contrast, FantasticStay has a 0/5 ease-of-use rating, with no recent user reviews to support its usability claims. The lack of recent feedback suggests limited adoption or stability, making it difficult to assess. Given the clear positive feedback on Hostaway’s user experience, edge: Hostaway.
Hostaway offers 10 unique features, including financial reporting, owner statements, guest portals, mobile app, channel manager, trust accounting, CRM, and an app marketplace. These features support comprehensive management, automation, and revenue optimization, making it a well-rounded tool for scaling.
FantasticStay, on the other hand, provides no additional features beyond listing management and permissions sharing, focusing on listing customization and sharing capabilities. With no unique features reported, Hostaway's broader feature set gives it a decisive edge. If advanced automation and financial tools matter, Hostaway is your choice.
Hostaway’s support is highly rated at 4.75/5, with recent reviews praising its 24/7 availability, quick responses, and dedicated onboarding assistance. Users mention that support staff like Ramon and Jeriko are “patient” and “helpful,” making onboarding and troubleshooting smooth.
FantasticStay has no recent reviews on support, so its support quality remains unverified. The absence of feedback suggests a lack of recent customer engagement or limited support channels. Based on recent data, edge: Hostaway.
Hostaway has 14 verified integrations, including major platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Stripe, and others like Duve, Breezeway, and PriceLabs. Its extensive partner network supports smoother operations and more flexibility in workflows.
FantasticStay offers no verified integrations, which limits its ability to connect with third-party tools. For hotels seeking seamless integrations with popular services, Hostaway’s superior partner network provides a clear advantage. Edge: Hostaway.
Hostaway’s latest reviews give it a 5/5 overall rating, with a 9.34/10 NPS score, and 95% likelihood to recommend. Reviewers, including those managing multiple properties, highlight its ease of use, automation, and reliable support.
Since FantasticStay has no recent reviews, we can't gauge current user sentiment. The recent, high ratings for Hostaway signal strong satisfaction among hotels managing various property types, from vacation rentals to serviced apartments. Edge: Hostaway.
Both platforms do not publicly disclose explicit pricing details or subscription models. They are likely custom-priced based on your property count, features, and support needs. Confirming costs will require direct contact, but price should be weighed against the extensive feature set and proven support of Hostaway.
The core difference lies in scope: Hostaway delivers a comprehensive, scalable platform with automation, integrations, and revenue tools, while FantasticStay remains a listing-focused solution with limited recent activity.
If your hotel aims to grow beyond basic listing management, Hostaway’s extensive features, recent positive reviews, and broad integrations make it the better option. Its proven track record of customer support and user satisfaction positions it as the platform most capable of supporting your operational ambitions.
However, if your primary goal is controlling and sharing listings with owners without heavy automation needs, FantasticStay might suffice—though its lack of recent reviews and features limits its appeal.
For most hoteliers looking for a proven, feature-rich platform with recent positive feedback, Hostaway is the recommended choice.
Vacation Rental Software 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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According to HTR's product database, FantasticStay and Hostaway share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Financial Reporting | ||
| Guest Portal | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Owner Statements | ||
| Promotional & Negotiated Rates | ||
| Responsive Design |
What hoteliers love
Overall, customers are pleased with customer support, highlighting quick, effective responses and personal attention from service agents. Nonetheless,... Overall, customers are pleased with customer support, highlighting quick, effective responses and personal attention from service agents. Nonetheless, some mention long hold times or the need for more real-time support options.
Hostaway's onboarding support is widely commended, with consultants like Ramon, Jeriko, and others praised for their dedication and expertise. Users a... Hostaway's onboarding support is widely commended, with consultants like Ramon, Jeriko, and others praised for their dedication and expertise. Users appreciate their patience and detailed walkthroughs, making complex integrations feel seamless. However, some suggest extending the duration of onboarding calls for more comprehensive support.
The platform's automation capabilities, including central reservation management and automated communication tools, are recognized for saving time and... The platform's automation capabilities, including central reservation management and automated communication tools, are recognized for saving time and reducing manual errors. These features improve overall operational efficiency and help manage multiple properties with ease.
Where hoteliers push back
Users appreciate the intuitive nature of the interface but seek more customization options, particularly for mobile management, message templates, and... Users appreciate the intuitive nature of the interface but seek more customization options, particularly for mobile management, message templates, and website flexibility. There's a call for improvements in tools that allow better tailored user experiences.
Integrated payment systems are generally satisfactory, but limitations with processors like Stripe, lack of direct invoicing, and complexity in financ... Integrated payment systems are generally satisfactory, but limitations with processors like Stripe, lack of direct invoicing, and complexity in financial reporting are notable downsides. Users suggest expanding payment options and simplifying financial operations.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. FantasticStay and Hostaway share many core Vacation Rental Software features, but each has unique capabilities. FantasticStay offers 0 verified integration partners, while Hostaway offers 14. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Hostaway leads in ease of use at 4.6/5 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.
FantasticStay: No. Hostaway: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Vacation Rental 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. FantasticStay has an HT Score of 0 and Hostaway 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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