Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites vs. Smart CMS by Bookassist: Which Is Right for You?

Updated May 22, 2026  ·  229 verified reviews analyzed

TLDR

We analyzed 229 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 .

Bookassist shines when it comes to professional and responsive support — especially for brand properties (4.7/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Automated reporting.

See the full breakdown below ↓

How Does Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites Compare to Smart CMS by Bookassist?

Side-by-side ratings based on 229 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.

HTScore
0
79
Likelihood to Recommend
100%
96%
Ease of Use
5.0/5
4.7/5
Customer Support
5.0/5
4.9/5
Value for Money
5.0/5
4.7/5
Starting Price Contact sales Contact sales
Verified Reviews 10 219

What Are the Pros and Cons of Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites vs Smart CMS by Bookassist?

After analyzing 229 verified reviews, Gourmet Marketing users most value its , while Bookassist users highlight professional and responsive support, user-friendly cms and booking engine, direct bookings and revenue increase. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.

Gourmet Marketing Gourmet Marketing Bookassist Bookassist
Pros
+ Professional and Responsive Support
+ User-Friendly CMS and Booking Engine
+ Direct Bookings and Revenue Increase
+ Technical Innovation and Updates
Cons
Customization and Flexibility
Technical and Administrative Issues
Data Analysis and Reporting

Gourmet Marketing vs Bookassist: Rankings by Hotel Segment

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

Segment Gourmet Marketing Gourmet Marketing Bookassist Bookassist
Small (10-24 rooms) #23 2 reviews #6 65 reviews
Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) #19 5 reviews #6 109 reviews
Large (75-199 rooms) #11 3 reviews #4 29 reviews
X-Large (200+ rooms) #16 0 reviews #9 2 reviews

By Property Type

Segment Gourmet Marketing Gourmet Marketing Bookassist Bookassist
Boutique #17 6 reviews #6 86 reviews
Luxury #16 5 reviews #7 79 reviews
Branded / Chain #24 1 reviews #7 55 reviews
Extended Stay #8 7 reviews #3 30 reviews

By Region

Segment Gourmet Marketing Gourmet Marketing Bookassist Bookassist
North America #9 9 reviews #12 7 reviews
Europe #3 195 reviews
Asia Pacific #9 3 reviews
Middle East #7 2 reviews

The Decision

Choosing between Gourmet Marketing and Bookassist for your hotel’s website design hinges on your specific needs and priorities. Both aim to improve your online presence, but they do so with different strengths. Gourmet Marketing specializes in bespoke web design with a focus on digital marketing strategies, while Bookassist offers a comprehensive, highly customizable CMS tightly integrated with booking tools. Which approach aligns better with your hotel’s goals?

If your priority is full control, extensive features, and seamless integrations, Bookassist might be more suitable. Conversely, if you seek tailored, visually appealing websites emphasizing direct bookings and marketing strategy, Gourmet Marketing could fit better. But which one truly meets your hotel’s current demands?

Is Gourmet Marketing or Bookassist Better for Hotels?

Gourmet Marketing excels at creating custom websites designed to enhance brand visibility through SEO, paid media, and digital campaigns, with a focus on driving direct bookings. Its reviews highlight exceptional creative insight and strategic marketing, but it has zero recent reviews, reducing confidence in the current user experience.

Bookassist, with over 155 recent reviews, consistently receives high praise for its ease of use, robust features, and support, with an overall rating of 4.92 out of 5. Its recent reviews emphasize significant improvements in direct bookings and mobile performance, making it a more proven option in 2024. Do you prefer a tailored marketing approach or a feature-rich CMS with proven results?

Bookassist vs Gourmet Marketing: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a website that emphasizes marketing and brand visibility, Gourmet Marketing’s bespoke design and strategic support make it the better option—especially if you’re aiming to boost SEO and digital advertising. It’s ideal for hotels that want a visually appealing site with a focus on long-term marketing growth.

If your primary goal is to increase direct bookings, streamline website management, and access a broad suite of integrated features, Bookassist’s extensive capabilities—such as multi-lingual support, automated reporting, and niche functionalities—are more suited. It’s perfect for hotels that prioritize operational efficiency and high conversion rates.

Is Gourmet Marketing or Bookassist Easier to Use?

Gourmet Marketing’s design approach emphasizes visually appealing, custom-built websites, but it has no specific usability ratings. Reviewers haven’t provided feedback on onboarding or ease of use, which makes its user-friendliness less clear.

Bookassist, rated 4.72 out of 5 for ease of use, offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop features and visual page management. Its onboarding is rated 4.79 out of 5, and reviews frequently mention how simple it is for staff to manage content and bookings.

Edge: Bookassist.

Which Has Better Features: Gourmet Marketing or Bookassist?

Gourmet Marketing offers no unique features listed apart from custom design services, focusing more on strategy and branding. In contrast, Bookassist provides 33 specific features including ADA compliance, multi-lingual support, gift vouchers, automated reporting, social media integration, review widgets, and more.

Bookassist’s wide array of functionalities allows hotels to manage offers, reservations, and marketing from a single platform, giving it a significant edge in feature set. Gourmet Marketing’s strength lies in custom design, but it lacks the extensive built-in functionalities of Bookassist.

Edge: Bookassist.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Gourmet Marketing or Bookassist?

Gourmet Marketing’s reviews praise their team’s knowledge and support, rating it 5 out of 5. It’s described as a long-standing partner with a dedicated team, though the lack of recent reviews makes current support quality uncertain.

Bookassist’s support is highly rated at 4.91 out of 5, with reviewers highlighting quick responses and proactive account management. Clients appreciate ongoing training, personalized advice, and responsive service, especially in recent months.

Edge: Bookassist.

Which Has More Integrations: Gourmet Marketing or Bookassist?

Gourmet Marketing supports integrations with four verified partners, including Revinate and Triptease, and focuses on digital marketing integration. Its limited integrations may restrict automation or third-party tool connectivity.

Bookassist, with 74 verified partners, offers a broad ecosystem, including popular tools like The Hotels Network, Right Revenue, and Lybra Tech. Its extensive integration options streamline operations and marketing, making it more adaptable to hotel tech stacks.

Edge: Bookassist.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Gourmet Marketing or Bookassist?

Gourmet Marketing, with only 10 reviews and no recent data, cannot be confidently ranked. Its reviews are uniformly positive, but the lack of current feedback weakens its credibility.

Bookassist, with 155 reviews and recent reviews in the last 6 months, maintains a high rating of 4.92 out of 5. Hoteliers across segments, especially city center hotels and boutique properties, consistently praise its ease of use, support, and direct booking results.

Edge: Bookassist.

How Much Do Gourmet Marketing and Bookassist Cost?

Both products do not publicly display pricing details, which is typical for bespoke or enterprise solutions. Gourmet Marketing’s focus on custom website design suggests pricing varies significantly based on scope.

Bookassist operates on a subscription model with no listed prices, emphasizing a tailored approach. Expect prices to be aligned with feature complexity and support levels, requiring direct inquiries for quotes.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Gourmet Marketing?

  • Hotels that prioritize a unique, visually stunning website tailored to their brand identity.
  • Teams looking for a digital marketing partner that handles strategy, SEO, and paid campaigns.
  • Hotels aiming for a long-term marketing partnership with custom design.
  • Hotels that want to stand out through bespoke aesthetics and branding.

Not ideal if you need a ready-to-go booking engine or extensive built-in functionalities; you should also be comfortable with a potentially higher investment.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bookassist?

  • Hotels seeking a comprehensive, scalable CMS with integrated booking tools.
  • Properties that want high customization without needing HTML or CSS skills.
  • Hotels focusing on maximizing direct bookings and conversion rates.
  • Hotels with multi-lingual, mobile-first websites that require ongoing updates and automation.

Not ideal if your priority is purely branding without functional booking features or if you prefer a very limited, minimal setup.

Bookassist vs Gourmet Marketing: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference lies in their focus: Gourmet Marketing excels in creating custom websites with strategic marketing support, while Bookassist offers a feature-rich CMS with a proven track record of increasing direct bookings. Gourmet Marketing is best suited for hotels that want a visually distinct, branding-oriented website with a marketing partnership.

Bookassist, on the other hand, is ideal for hotels that need an all-in-one platform to manage bookings, offers, and marketing automation efficiently. If your hotel’s priority is high conversion, operational ease, and extensive integrations, Bookassist is the stronger choice.

Choosing Gourmet Marketing makes sense if your hotel values design and strategic marketing deeply, and you’re prepared for a more bespoke, potentially higher-cost solution. Opt for Bookassist if you crave a robust, easy-to-manage platform with proven results in direct bookings and high usability.

In conclusion, for 2024, the clear leader based on recent reviews, high ratings, and extensive features is Bookassist. Its broad support network, recent positive feedback, and proven impact on revenue make it the preferable choice for most hotels aiming to optimize their website and booking process.

How Much Do Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites and Smart CMS by Bookassist Cost?

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.

Gourmet Marketing Gourmet Marketing Bookassist Bookassist

Which Features Does Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites Have That Smart CMS by Bookassist Doesn't (and Vice Versa)?

According to HTR's product database, Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites and Smart CMS by Bookassist share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.

Feature Gourmet Marketing Gourmet Marketing Bookassist Bookassist
ADA Compliant
Gift Vouchers
Gift Vouchers & Prepaid Experiences
Mobile optimized/responsive
Multi-currency
Multi-lingual

Showing top differences. 21 more features differ between these products.

Gourmet Marketing vs Bookassist: The Bottom Line

Gourmet Marketing
Gourmet Marketing
5.0/5 from 10 reviews

Ranks higher for

US #7 vs #12
North America #9 vs #12
5.0/5 ease of use 5.0/5 support 4 integrations
Visit Website
Bookassist
Bookassist
4.8/5 from 219 reviews

What hoteliers love

Professional and Responsive Support 96% positive

Support from the Bookassist team, including account managers and customer service, is highly regarded across multiple reviews. Clients value the team'... Support from the Bookassist team, including account managers and customer service, is highly regarded across multiple reviews. Clients value the team's immediate response to issues, proactive advice, and effective problem-solving skills.

User-Friendly CMS and Booking Engine 90% positive

Reviewers consistently praised the ease of use and intuitive design of both the CMS and the booking engine. Many find the interface straightforward an... Reviewers consistently praised the ease of use and intuitive design of both the CMS and the booking engine. Many find the interface straightforward and appreciate features like customization options, visual clarity, and mobile responsiveness.

Direct Bookings and Revenue Increase 100% positive

Many reviewers highlight how Bookassist has substantially increased their direct bookings and overall revenue. The tool's integration with various ele... Many reviewers highlight how Bookassist has substantially increased their direct bookings and overall revenue. The tool's integration with various elements such as booking mechanisms, meta and ad management, and user-friendly mobile compatibility are noted to be significant contributors to this success.

Where hoteliers push back

Customization and Flexibility 41% negative

Reviewers value the ability to customize various aspects of the booking engine and CMS to suit their unique business needs. However, some mentioned th... Reviewers value the ability to customize various aspects of the booking engine and CMS to suit their unique business needs. However, some mentioned that specific features like package management and dynamic discounts could be improved for better efficiency.

Technical and Administrative Issues 80% negative

A few critical reviews highlight the need for improvements in the booking engine's backend administration, speed of updates, and some technical aspect... A few critical reviews highlight the need for improvements in the booking engine's backend administration, speed of updates, and some technical aspects like dynamic discount settings. These users feel that enhancing these areas would significantly improve their overall experience.

Ranks higher for

Large (75-199 rooms) #4 vs #11
Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) #6 vs #19
Small (10-24 rooms) #6 vs #23
X-Large (200+ rooms) #9 vs #16

Unique capabilities

ADA Compliant Mobile optimized/responsive Gift Vouchers & Prepaid Experiences Gift Vouchers Multi-lingual
4.7/5 ease of use 4.9/5 support 74 integrations
Visit Website

Where the ratings diverge most

Overall Rating Bookassist 4.9 vs 0.0 (+4.9)

Frequently Asked Questions About Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites vs Smart CMS by Bookassist

Can Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites replace Smart CMS by Bookassist?

It depends on your requirements. Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites and Smart CMS by Bookassist share many core Website Design features, but each has unique capabilities. Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites offers 4 verified integration partners, while Smart CMS by Bookassist offers 74. 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. 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.

Do Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites or Smart CMS by Bookassist offer a free plan?

Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites: No. Smart CMS by Bookassist: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Website Design vendors offer demos or trials — request one from each to evaluate before committing.

How Does HTR Evaluate and Rank Gourmet Marketing Custom Websites and Smart CMS by Bookassist?

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 Bookassist has 79. 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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