Gastfreund vs. Guest Services by SmartStay:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right guest app is crucial for elevating your hotel’s guest experience, streamlining operations, and increasing revenue. Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by SmartStay by Liverton both aim to serve these needs but differ significantly in their approach, features, and market presence. Your decision hinges on your hotel’s size, segment, and specific operational priorities.

Gastfreund | Hotelcore offers a broad set of features focused on digital guest information, communication, and automation, backed by more reviews and recent feedback. Guest Services by SmartStay emphasizes in-room upselling, digital check-in, and F&B ordering, with a smaller but dedicated review base. Which platform aligns better with your hotel’s current and future needs?

Is Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by Liverton Better for Hotels?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by Liverton both address guest engagement through digital tools, but they diverge in scope and functionality. Gastfreund’s platform centers on delivering a digital guest directory, messaging, and automation for guest communication, primarily targeting hotels seeking to reduce front desk inquiries and improve guest info delivery.

In contrast, Liverton’s Guest Services offers a more comprehensive in-room experience, including digital check-in, upselling, mobile key issuance, and F&B ordering, making it suitable for hotels aiming to enhance the in-room guest journey. While Gastfreund excels at pre-arrival communication and guest information, Liverton’s strength lies in in-room service and upsell features.

Your choice depends on whether your priority is guest information and communication (Gastfreund) or in-room experience and upselling (Liverton). Do you want a platform that enhances guest convenience across the entire stay or one that mainly improves in-room interactions?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs Guest Services by Liverton: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a modular digital guest engagement system focused on delivering personalized information, automating communication, and reducing administrative workload, Gastfreund | Hotelcore is the better fit. It is ideal for resorts, boutique hotels, and vacation rentals looking for a flexible solution to inform and entertain guests from booking through checkout.

However, if your hotel prioritizes in-room upselling, digital check-in with room selection, and F&B ordering integrated with POS, Liverton’s Guest Services is more suitable. Its features cater to hotels seeking to maximize revenue through upselling and streamline in-room guest services.

For hotels that primarily want to improve guest communication and operational efficiency, Gastfreund is the clear choice. Conversely, if enhancing in-room experience and driving in-room spend are your goals, Liverton has the upper hand.

Is Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by Liverton Easier to Use?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore has a high ease of use rating at 4.27/5, with an onboarding rating of 4.44/5, indicating a relatively straightforward setup. Its interface is described as modern and intuitive, with users appreciating the fast implementation and friendly support, making staff adoption smoother.

In comparison, Liverton scores slightly higher in ease of use at 4.57/5 and in onboarding at 4.5/5. Users mention that the platform looks promising and that the support team responds swiftly, although some have experienced technical challenges during trials.

Edge: Liverton.

Which Has Better Features: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by Liverton?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore offers 11 unique features, including request management, room service ordering, guest messaging, and multi-lingual automatic translations. It delivers core functionalities like mobile check-in, digital guest directory, and integrated communication tools, appealing to hotels seeking a streamlined guest info and communication platform.

Liverton provides 20 features, including hotel website check-in portals, self-service check-in/out, device-agnostic solutions, ID verification, PCI compliance, and door lock integration. Its extensive feature set supports in-room upselling, digital keys, and payment management, making it more comprehensive for property-wide guest experience enhancements.

The clear edge goes to Liverton for its broader feature set, especially for hotels requiring in-room upselling and advanced integrations.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by Liverton?

Gastfreund’s support and onboarding receive a 4.27/5 rating, with reviews praising quick responses, friendly staff, and flexible customization. Users appreciate the personal touch and the platform’s responsiveness, which facilitates easier staff training and ongoing support.

Liverton is rated slightly higher at 4.29/5, with reviewers highlighting swift problem resolution and technical knowledge. Some reviews mention that their support team reacts quickly, even during busy periods, but occasional disagreements about technical details have been noted.

Edge: Liverton.

Which Has More Integrations: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by Liverton?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore boasts 13 verified integrations, including prominent partners like Winhotel, SiteMinder, Little Hotelier, and RoomRaccoon. Its extensive partner network supports smooth operation with leading PMS and distribution systems, making it flexible for various hotel tech stacks.

Liverton has 8 verified integrations, including Oracle Hospitality, RMS, and Cloudbeds. While fewer in number, these integrations focus on in-room services, door lock systems, and payment platforms, supporting a more specialized guest experience.

For broader property management and distribution integrations, Gastfreund has the edge, but Liverton’s integrations are highly relevant for in-room and upsell features.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by Liverton?

Gastfreund’s reviews are limited to 11, with only 2 in the last six months, but they indicate a high likelihood to recommend at 90%. The hotel segments using Gastfreund include resorts and boutique hotels, with ratings reflecting satisfaction with guest communication and automation features.

Liverton has 7 reviews, none recent, but a slightly higher likelihood to recommend at 93%. Its user base includes luxury and city center hotels, with some praise for support and the potential of the platform despite trial difficulties.

Given the more recent reviews and higher overall ratings, Gastfreund’s data is more current and trustworthy. Edge: Gastfreund.

How Much Do Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by Liverton Cost?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore pricing starts at $400 per month without a freemium option or trial. The model suggests a flat-rate monthly fee, with no implementation fees, making it straightforward but potentially costly for smaller properties.

Liverton’s pricing begins at $500 per month, also without a freemium or trial, with a similar flat-rate model. Its higher cost reflects its broader feature set and focus on in-room upselling and integrations.

Both platforms lack trial options, so your decision might depend on your budget and specific feature needs.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Gastfreund | Hotelcore?

• Hotels that want a flexible, modular guest engagement platform focused on communication, information, and automation.
• Resorts, boutique hotels, vacation rentals, and properties seeking to reduce front desk inquiries.
• Teams prioritizing multilingual support and digital guest directories.
• Not ideal if your hotel relies heavily on in-room upselling or requires advanced in-room integrations.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Guest Services by Liverton?

• Hotels emphasizing in-room experience, upselling, and mobile key solutions.
• Branded, luxury, or city hotels seeking to maximize revenue through digital check-in, room selection, and F&B ordering.
• Properties looking for extensive integrations with door locks, POS, and payment systems.
• Not ideal if your focus is primarily on guest communication or pre-arrival information without in-room services.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by Liverton serve distinct hotel needs. Gastfreund excels at digital guest communication, automation, and reducing front desk workload, making it suitable for a wide range of property types seeking operational efficiency.

Liverton’s platform leans toward elevating in-room guest experiences, upselling, and streamlining key services like check-in, checkout, and F&B ordering. It’s ideal for hotels aiming to boost revenue directly through in-room and onsite guest interactions.

Choose Gastfreund if your priority is guest info and messaging; pick Liverton if your focus is on in-room upselling, digital keys, and service requests. Your hotel’s segment, size, and operational goals will guide the best fit.

This comprehensive comparison should help you confidently select the platform that aligns with your hotel’s strategic goals, offering clarity on features, support, and market fit.