FrontRest vs. Mews POS: Which Is Right for You?

Updated May 14, 2026  ·  169 verified reviews analyzed

TLDR

We analyzed 169 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:

ICG Software shines , with exclusive features like Guest Profiles.

Mews shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like PCI Compliant and Check Splitting.

See the full breakdown below ↓

How Does FrontRest Compare to Mews POS?

Side-by-side ratings based on 169 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.

HTScore
0
100
Likelihood to Recommend
0%
95%
Ease of Use
0.0/5
4.7/5
Customer Support
0.0/5
4.4/5
Value for Money
0.0/5
4.4/5
Starting Price Contact sales From $200/mo
Verified Reviews 0 169

What Are the Pros and Cons of FrontRest vs Mews POS?

After analyzing 169 verified reviews, ICG Software users most value its , while Mews users highlight user interface and reporting, integration with third-party systems, seamless pms integration. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.

ICG Software ICG Software Mews Mews
Pros
+ User Interface and Reporting
+ Integration with Third-Party Systems
+ Seamless PMS Integration
+ Automation and Efficiency
Cons
Product Development and Feature Evolution
Customization and Flexibility
Operational Refinements

ICG Software vs Mews: Rankings by Hotel Segment

How each product ranks among Hotel POS Systems vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.

By Hotel Size

Segment ICG Software ICG Software Mews Mews
Small (10-24 rooms) #2 44 reviews
Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) #3 94 reviews
Large (75-199 rooms) #5 7 reviews
X-Large (200+ rooms) #2 9 reviews

By Property Type

Segment ICG Software ICG Software Mews Mews
Boutique #3 74 reviews
Luxury #3 41 reviews
Branded / Chain #3 31 reviews
Extended Stay #2 12 reviews

By Region

Segment ICG Software ICG Software Mews Mews
North America #3 14 reviews
Europe #2 130 reviews
Asia Pacific #5 4 reviews
Middle East #6 0 reviews

The Decision

Choosing the right hotel POS system is critical for streamlining operations, enhancing guest experiences, and ensuring your team can work efficiently. Both FrontRest by ICG Software and Mews POS aim to address these needs, but they do so with very different levels of market presence, feature sets, and user feedback. Your decision hinges on which product aligns best with your hotel’s size, complexity, and growth plans.

FrontRest has been in the market since 1985 but has virtually no recent reviews or ratings, making it difficult to assess its current performance or support quality. Conversely, Mews POS, established in 2012 with a global footprint, boasts 156 recent reviews and an impressive 95% likelihood to recommend among hoteliers, indicating a proven track record in hospitality. How do these differences influence your choice?

Is FrontRest or Mews POS Better for Hotels?

FrontRest by ICG Software offers a comprehensive and scalable property management system tailored to a broad range of hospitality businesses, including hotels and restaurants. However, it lacks recent user feedback, and its ratings are nonexistent, leaving you uncertain about support quality, ease of use, or innovation. Mews POS, by contrast, is a purpose-built hotel restaurant POS system with a modern, user-friendly design backed by over 150 recent reviews, reflecting current user satisfaction and ongoing product development.

While FrontRest claims to improve efficiency and resource management, the absence of recent reviews raises questions about how well it meets modern hotel needs. Mews POS demonstrates clear advantages through its high usability scores and positive feedback, especially in digital ordering, online payments, and integration with PMS. Given the recent reviews and high recommendation rate, is FrontRest still a competitive choice for your hotel?

FrontRest vs Mews POS: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel requires a flexible, integrated POS system that covers multiple operational needs—like reservations, billing, and customer data—FrontRest’s claim of an all-in-one solution might be appealing, but the lack of recent feedback makes it risky. If you prioritize a proven, highly rated POS platform with a strong focus on restaurant and hotel integration, Mews POS should be your choice.

For large or growing hotels needing robust features like digital ordering, payment processing, and multi-device usability, Mews’ 66 recent reviews and 4.74-star rating showcase its effectiveness. Conversely, if your hotel operates in niche markets where legacy systems still suffice, FrontRest’s long history might seem attractive, but the absence of current reviews diminishes confidence. Would you prefer a product with proven user satisfaction or one with an untested reputation?

Is FrontRest or Mews POS Easier to Use?

Mews POS scores an exceptional 4.74/5 for ease of use, with reviews praising its intuitive interface, seamless onboarding, and cross-device flexibility. Users highlight how staff can quickly adapt thanks to its modern design, which simplifies daily tasks like orders, billing, and payments. Many reviews commend the efficient onboarding process, with staff adopting the system within days.

In contrast, FrontRest has a zero-star rating across all categories, providing no recent feedback on usability, support, or onboarding. This makes it challenging to gauge how user-friendly or supportive the platform truly is today. Given the current high ratings and positive reviews, Edge: Mews POS.

Which Has Better Features: FrontRest or Mews POS?

Mews POS offers 27 shared features with FrontRest, but it outstrips the latter with 2 unique capabilities: PCI compliance and check splitting. These enhance security and operational flexibility, especially for handling multiple payment types and simplifying billing processes.

FrontRest features 11 exclusive functionalities such as review collection, menu sync, and guest profiles, but its overall feature count is overshadowed by Mews. With Mews continuously evolving and boasting an active marketplace with over 1,000 integrations, it provides more advanced tools for modern hoteliers. Which features are most essential for your hotel’s growth?

Which Has Better Customer Support: FrontRest or Mews POS?

Mews POS’s support is highly rated at 4.43/5, with reviews emphasizing reliable, solution-oriented assistance and structured onboarding. Users describe support as responsive, with helpful guidance during implementation, reducing downtime and frustration.

FrontRest’s support scores are unknown, with no recent reviews to evaluate. Its long-standing history does not equate to current support quality, a significant risk for hotels relying on timely help. Given Mews’s recent positive feedback, edge: Mews POS.

Which Has More Integrations: FrontRest or Mews POS?

Mews’s ecosystem includes 336 verified integrations, spanning channel managers, payment gateways, and third-party tools like Criton, Sage, and local marketing platforms. This extensive network enables hotels to connect their existing systems effortlessly.

In comparison, FrontRest has only one verified partner, FrontHotel, limiting its integration flexibility and scalability. For hotels seeking a connected, adaptable tech stack, Mews’s broad integration options are a clear advantage. Edge: Mews POS.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: FrontRest or Mews POS?

Given the lack of recent reviews, FrontRest’s user satisfaction remains unknown, making it impossible to assess. Mews, however, boasts a 9.32/10 NPS score based on 66 recent reviews, with 95% of hoteliers recommending it, demonstrating strong current approval.

Mews’s positive feedback comes from a diverse range of hotel types, including luxury, boutique, and city center hotels, indicating broad applicability. For reliable, current ratings, Mews clearly leads.

How Much Do FrontRest and Mews POS Cost?

FrontRest does not publicly disclose pricing details, making direct comparisons difficult. It likely involves customized quotes based on hotel size and requirements. Meanwhile, Mews POS charges a straightforward starting price of $200 per month, with no implementation fees or hidden costs.

This transparent pricing model offers clarity and predictability, enabling better budget planning. For cost-conscious hotels, Mews’s clear pricing provides confidence; FrontRest’s unknown costs add risk.

What Type of Hotel Should Use FrontRest?

  • Hotels that prefer a long-established platform with a broad scope covering multiple operational aspects.
  • Hotels with complex needs that want a unified management system capable of handling reservations, billing, and customer data in one place.
  • Teams that prioritize scalability and a solution tailored to diverse business types.
  • Not ideal if your hotel relies heavily on digital, mobile, or online ordering features, as FrontRest lacks recent updates or reviews indicating modern capabilities.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Mews POS?

  • Hotels that value a modern, mobile-friendly POS with quick setup and user adoption.
  • Teams seeking a flexible, integrated system capable of supporting online ordering, digital payments, and real-time reporting.
  • Hotels aiming for a scalable solution that can grow with their property, especially those in boutique, city center, or resort segments.
  • Not ideal if your hotel operates with minimal technology reliance or prefers legacy systems without frequent updates.

Mews vs FrontRest: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference lies in market presence and user validation: Mews POS has a well-documented track record with hundreds of reviews and a high recommendation rate, while FrontRest offers a broad feature set but lacks recent, verified feedback.

If your hotel values proven performance, ease of use, and a vibrant community of users, Mews POS is the clear choice. It provides an intuitive, reliable, and well-supported platform that can adapt as your property grows.

Choose FrontRest only if you have existing experience with the platform, or if your operations require a highly customized, legacy solution that isn’t reliant on recent reviews. For modern hospitality, Mews’s current market validation makes it the safer, smarter investment.

How Much Do FrontRest and Mews POS Cost?

Hotel POS Systems 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.

ICG Software ICG Software Mews Mews
Starting Price From $200/mo

Which Features Does FrontRest Have That Mews POS Doesn't (and Vice Versa)?

According to HTR's product database, FrontRest and Mews POS share 27 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.

Feature ICG Software ICG Software Mews Mews
Check Splitting
Guest Profiles
Marketing Campaigns
Menu Sync
PCI Compliant
Review Collection
Segmentation
Server Recommendations

Showing top differences. 1 more features differ between these products.

Real-World Results: ICG Software vs Mews by Business Goal

We analyzed 8 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.

Increase Revenue & Reduce Costs
ICG Software ICG Software

No published case study for this goal yet.

Mews Got City Center Hotels Mid-Size
+ 55% RevPAR increase (2021 to 2022)
+ 10.3% booking conversion rate at Hotel Vasa and Göteborgs Mini-Hotel (industry average is 3.3%)
+ 7% higher average booking value for direct bookings (compared to channel managers)

"We’ve been with Mews for a few years now and it helped to transform the way we operate. It’s very intuitive to work with and saves our team so much time."

Increase Operational Efficiency
ICG Software ICG Software

No published case study for this goal yet.

Mews Mercure Roeselare Small
+ Staff save huge amounts of time by not having to file and manage paper tickets.
+ They can also easily search and find tickets when questions arise rather than searching through stacks of paper.
+ Around six hours saved per day thanks to automation across Mews

"In an industry where human contact is more important than digital contact, having a platform like Mews that not only reduces time at a screen but also gives us more face time with..."

Damien Janssens
Damien Janssens
General Manager, Mercure Roeselare
Improve Guest Experience
ICG Software ICG Software

No published case study for this goal yet.

Mews LyLo Small
+ 4,000+ positive reviews of LyLo Auckland on Booking.com
+ A score of 86.3 on TrustYou
+ Faster check-in and check-out times

"Self-check-in kiosks are integral to LyLo's DNA. Coupled with Mews capabilities like guest messaging and online check-out, they form the essence of our guest experience. In fact, t..."

T
Tim Alpe
Managing Director

ICG Software vs Mews: The Bottom Line

ICG Software
ICG Software
0.0/5 from 0 reviews

Unique capabilities

Review Collection Menu Sync Server Recommendations Guest Profiles Marketing Campaigns
0.0/5 ease of use 0.0/5 support 1 integrations
Visit Profile
Mews
Mews
4.8/5 from 169 reviews

What hoteliers love

User Interface and Reporting 89% positive

The Mews interface is described as modern and intuitive, facilitating smooth navigation. However, some reviews suggest improvements in the complexity... The Mews interface is described as modern and intuitive, facilitating smooth navigation. However, some reviews suggest improvements in the complexity and flexibility of reporting tools, particularly for multi-property setups and detailed operational insights.

Integration with Third-Party Systems 63% positive

Mews provides strong connectivity with various third-party systems like channel managers and payment gateways. These integrations facilitate centraliz... Mews provides strong connectivity with various third-party systems like channel managers and payment gateways. These integrations facilitate centralized operations, real-time booking management, and accurate financial reporting, although occasional synchronization issues are noted.

Seamless PMS Integration 100% positive

Reviews highlight Mews' outstanding integration between its POS and PMS, allowing direct posting of charges to guest rooms and synchronized guest data... Reviews highlight Mews' outstanding integration between its POS and PMS, allowing direct posting of charges to guest rooms and synchronized guest data. This integration is praised for improving billing accuracy, reducing departmental friction, and enhancing guest service experience by personalizing interactions.

Where hoteliers push back

Product Development and Feature Evolution 56% negative

Mews' commitment to developing new features and evolving its product is seen positively. Users appreciate its openness to feedback, though there is a... Mews' commitment to developing new features and evolving its product is seen positively. Users appreciate its openness to feedback, though there is a need for more polished features and quicker implementation of user suggestions.

Customization and Flexibility 57% negative

The platform is praised for its customization options, allowing tailored workflows and alerts to enhance the guest experience. However, users also exp... The platform is praised for its customization options, allowing tailored workflows and alerts to enhance the guest experience. However, users also express a need for more intuitive customization features for specific operational needs and guest interactions.

Unique capabilities

PCI Compliant Check Splitting
4.7/5 ease of use 4.4/5 support 335 integrations
Visit Profile

Where the ratings diverge most

Ease of Use Mews 4.7 vs 0.0 (+4.7)
Customer Support Mews 4.4 vs 0.0 (+4.4)
Value for Money Mews 4.4 vs 0.0 (+4.4)
Onboarding Mews 4.4 vs 0.0 (+4.4)

Frequently Asked Questions About FrontRest vs Mews POS

Can FrontRest replace Mews POS?

It depends on your requirements. FrontRest and Mews POS share many core Hotel POS Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. FrontRest offers 1 verified integration partners, while Mews POS offers 335. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.

Which is better for small or independent hotels?

Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Mews POS leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 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.

Do FrontRest or Mews POS offer a free plan?

FrontRest: No. Mews POS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel POS Systems vendors offer demos or trials — request one from each to evaluate before committing.

How Does HTR Evaluate and Rank FrontRest and Mews POS?

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. ICG Software has an HT Score of 0 and Mews has 100. Here is how the score is calculated.

Criteria Group Weight What It Measures
Customer Ratings & Reviews

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

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

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

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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