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 282 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:
Gourmet Marketing shines in ease of use and customer support .
Simplotel shines when it comes to website design and experience — especially for brand properties (4.9/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile Optimized/Responsive.
Side-by-side ratings based on 282 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $600/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 10 | 272 |
After analyzing 282 verified reviews, Gourmet Marketing users most value its , while Simplotel users highlight website design and experience, technical support, user-friendly booking engine. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Website Design and Experience
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Technical Support
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User-Friendly Booking Engine
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Proactive Feature Updates
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| Cons | |
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Customization Options
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SEO and Online Visibility
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Mobile Responsiveness
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How each product ranks among Website Design 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) ▾ | #23 2 reviews | #2 110 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #19 5 reviews | #4 130 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #11 3 reviews | #5 19 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #16 0 reviews | #8 1 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #17 6 reviews | #2 123 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #16 5 reviews | #1 154 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #24 1 reviews | #1 86 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #8 7 reviews | #7 8 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #9 9 reviews | #6 13 reviews |
| Europe | — | #21 1 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | — | #1 247 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #6 2 reviews |
Website Design 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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| Starting Price | — | From $600/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites and Simplotel Hotel Branded Websites share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Conversion Widgets | ||
| Hotel Website Templates | ||
| Multi-lingual | ||
| Review Widgets | ||
| Social Media Integrations | ||
| Whitelabel Capability |
Showing top differences. 8 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
Simplotel is recognized for its ability to create modern, visually appealing websites that align well with hotel brand identities, improve guest engag... Simplotel is recognized for its ability to create modern, visually appealing websites that align well with hotel brand identities, improve guest engagement, and offer smooth navigation, though some reviews mention a desire for more customization features and aesthetic options.
Hotels commend Simplotel's responsive and committed technical support, essential for smooth operations, although some suggestions for improvement incl... Hotels commend Simplotel's responsive and committed technical support, essential for smooth operations, although some suggestions for improvement include faster response times and more proactive communication regarding updates.
The reviews universally praise Simplotel for its seamless booking engine that significantly improves the guest booking experience, enhancing both spee... The reviews universally praise Simplotel for its seamless booking engine that significantly improves the guest booking experience, enhancing both speed and ease of use and directly contributing to increased conversion rates and revenue.
Where hoteliers push back
There is a noted interest in Simplotel offering additional customization for templates and features to better match individual hotel branding and spec... There is a noted interest in Simplotel offering additional customization for templates and features to better match individual hotel branding and specific business needs, with some reviews hoping for more versatile and dynamic design choices.
Users appreciate improvements in online visibility and SEO functionality provided by Simplotel, contributing to higher website traffic and brand expos... Users appreciate improvements in online visibility and SEO functionality provided by Simplotel, contributing to higher website traffic and brand exposure. However, several reviews express the desire for more proactive and detailed SEO analytics and periodic updates.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites and Simplotel Hotel Branded Websites share many core Website Design features, but each has unique capabilities. Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites offers 4 verified integration partners, while Simplotel Hotel Branded Websites offers 22. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites leads in ease of use at 5.0/5 vs 4.7/5. 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.
Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites: No. Simplotel Hotel Branded Websites: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Website Design 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. Gourmet Marketing has an HT Score of 0 and Simplotel has 95. 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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