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 33 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:
LIKE MAGIC shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like Guest Messaging and Guest Profiles.
Liverton shines , with exclusive features like Hotel Website Check-in Portal and Lobby Kiosk.
Side-by-side ratings based on 33 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $700/mo | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 26 | 7 |
After analyzing 33 verified reviews, LIKE MAGIC users most value its operational efficiency, guest experience, complexity reduction, while Liverton users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Operational Efficiency
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Guest Experience
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Complexity Reduction
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Booking Engine Performance
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Customization and Branding
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Room Upgrade Functionality
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How each product ranks among Hotel Guest Apps 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) ▾ | #8 10 reviews | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #14 8 reviews | #22 4 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | #13 3 reviews | #15 2 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #14 1 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #17 6 reviews | #24 2 reviews |
| Luxury | #28 2 reviews | #19 3 reviews |
| Branded / Chain | #16 3 reviews | #19 2 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #4 13 reviews | — |
By Region
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| North America | #30 1 reviews | #21 0 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #9 24 reviews | — |
Choosing between LIKE MAGIC by LIKE MAGIC and Guest Services by SmartStay by Liverton hinges on your hotel’s specific needs. Both aim to improve guest experience and streamline operations, but they approach these goals differently. LIKE MAGIC offers a comprehensive, AI-enhanced guest app with a focus on automation and operational efficiency. In contrast, Liverton emphasizes digital check-in, upselling, and in-room guest services, integrating more deeply with POS and PMS systems. Which aligns better with your hotel’s priorities?
LIKE MAGIC and Liverton both serve as hotel guest apps but cater to different operational philosophies. LIKE MAGIC’s all-in-one platform centers on automating the entire guest journey, from booking to post-stay, with AI-driven interactions and a focus on reducing staff workload. Liverton emphasizes digital check-in, upselling, and in-room service requests, integrating detailed features like device-agnostic check-in and food ordering, with extensive upsell options. Do you prefer automation and streamlined guest communication, or a more feature-rich, in-room experience?
LIKE MAGIC boasts a higher overall rating (0/5, but from 26 reviews, with recent data indicating strong support), while Liverton’s reviews are limited and lack recent feedback. LIKE MAGIC’s recent reviews highlight its ease of use, high support quality, and positive hotel outcomes, unlike Liverton’s sparse and mostly outdated feedback. Given the volume and recency, LIKE MAGIC presents a more reliable choice. Are you seeking a platform with proven performance and ongoing development?
If your hotel needs a broad, automated guest journey with AI-driven personalization, choose LIKE MAGIC. It’s ideal for hotels prioritizing operational efficiency, automation, and guest engagement, especially with its high review count and recent positive feedback. Conversely, if your hotel requires detailed upselling, digital check-in, and extensive guest request features tightly integrated with POS and PMS systems, Liverton could fit better. But with only 7 reviews, Liverton’s limited data makes it a less certain choice.
Your decision should hinge on whether automation (LIKE MAGIC) or in-room upselling and service (Liverton) align more with your business model. For hotels aiming to reduce staff and streamline guest interactions, LIKE MAGIC is the clear leader. Need a feature-rich system for in-room and upsell options? Liverton’s more extensive feature set might appeal, but its limited recent reviews diminish confidence.
LIKE MAGIC’s UI is rated at 4.96/5, with an onboarding rating of 4.8/5, reflecting a highly intuitive and user-friendly experience. Users mention its modern interface and straightforward setup, which simplifies staff training and guest adoption. Liverton’s ease-of-use score is slightly lower at 4.57/5, with onboarding at 4.5/5, but some users report challenges during initial trials and less clarity on support responsiveness.
Considering the review scores and feedback, LIKE MAGIC’s user experience is more refined, with recent reviews confirming its simplicity and staff acceptance. Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
LIKE MAGIC offers 10 unique features, including request management, room service ordering, guest messaging, digital keys, and mobile check-in/out. Liverton provides 20 features, such as hotel website check-in, device-agnostic check-in, document scanning, multi-lingual support, and pre-arrival upselling, making its feature set more extensive.
However, the core differentiator is the quality and integration of features. LIKE MAGIC’s features are highly focused on automation and guest engagement, while Liverton’s broader suite is more operationally detailed, especially in upselling and in-room services. Edge: Liverton, for feature depth.
LIKE MAGIC’s support is rated at 4.85/5, with recent reviews praising its responsiveness and proactive approach. Hotel operators mention support staff as knowledgeable and quick to resolve issues, contributing to high satisfaction. Liverton’s support score is lower at 4.29/5, with reviews indicating generally helpful service but occasional frustrations and less recent feedback.
LIKE MAGIC’s recent support reviews point to a more reliable, responsive service experience. Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
LIKE MAGIC integrates with 10 verified partners, including Mews, Oracle Hospitality, and SALTO Systems, providing a solid ecosystem. Liverton features 8 verified integrations, including Shiji, Cloudbeds, and RMS, with some overlap like Oracle and PMS systems.
While Liverton offers a slightly lower number of integrations, it covers key systems for many hotels. But LIKE MAGIC’s broader partner network, combined with recent reviews emphasizing smooth integrations, gives it an edge. Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
LIKE MAGIC, with 26 reviews and recent feedback, boasts a 99% likelihood to recommend and an overall rating of 0/5 (from the review count, which is likely a rating scale). Liverton, with only 7 reviews, has a 93% likelihood to recommend, and its fewer reviews limit confidence.
Hotels using LIKE MAGIC report significant improvements in operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. Liverton’s sparse data and lack of recent reviews make it harder to gauge current satisfaction levels. Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
LIKE MAGIC charges a flat $700 monthly fee with no trial or implementation fees. Liverton is priced at $500 upfront, with no ongoing monthly fees or trial information available. The total cost suggests LIKE MAGIC is slightly more expensive but offers a comprehensive, ongoing service.
Pricing considerations should also include the value of features, integration, support, and scalability, all of which favor LIKE MAGIC’s more mature offering.
LIKE MAGIC’s core advantage is its high-rated, AI-enhanced automation and user-friendly interface. It simplifies guest interactions at scale, making it especially suitable for hotels focused on operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.
Choose LIKE MAGIC if you want a platform with proven recent performance, strong support, and a focus on automating the entire guest journey. It’s the clearer option for hotels aiming for streamlined operations and increased revenue through automation.
On the other hand, Liverton offers a broader array of features, especially for in-room services, upselling, and detailed guest interaction options. It’s better suited for hotels that need extensive in-room functionalities and tight PMS/POS integration, but limited recent reviews diminish confidence in its current performance.
In summary, if your hotel values reliability, recent positive feedback, and automating guest engagement, LIKE MAGIC is the superior choice. If you prioritize depth in in-room features and upselling capabilities, and can navigate less recent feedback, Liverton might be worth considering.
Hotel Guest Apps 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 $700/mo | From $500/mo |
According to HTR's product database, LIKE MAGIC and Guest Services by SmartStay share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| App download | ||
| Device Agnostic | ||
| Easy Room Selection | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| Guest Profiles | ||
| Hotel Website Check-in Portal | ||
| Lobby Kiosk | ||
| Request Management | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Self Service Checkin | ||
| Self Service Checkout | ||
| Web-app |
Showing top differences. 18 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 4 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"Like Magic allowed us to operate with just six staff members, without compromising guest experience. The platform is easy to use, fun to work with, and has revolutionized how we ru..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"LIKE MAGIC isn't just a tool for us, it's the backbone of our overall guest experience. If I ever worked somewhere else, I'd bring it with me."
No published case study for this goal yet.
What hoteliers love
LikeMagic significantly enhances operational efficiency by offering features such as online check-in and an integrated booking engine. It allows hotel... LikeMagic significantly enhances operational efficiency by offering features such as online check-in and an integrated booking engine. It allows hotels to automate many processes, reducing the need for external systems and enabling staff to focus more on guest experiences.
Guests benefit from a smooth and comprehensive experience using the app, enjoying seamless interactions and a well-organized journey from check-in to... Guests benefit from a smooth and comprehensive experience using the app, enjoying seamless interactions and a well-organized journey from check-in to check-out. The tailored guest journey is a notable positive aspect, enhancing satisfaction.
LikeMagic reduces the complexity of hotel operations by providing a consolidated solution that eliminates the need for multiple third-party interfaces... LikeMagic reduces the complexity of hotel operations by providing a consolidated solution that eliminates the need for multiple third-party interfaces, thus lowering operational costs and complexity.
Where hoteliers push back
Some users are disappointed by the cancellation of custom branding functionality for the platform, highlighting a need for more personalized control o... Some users are disappointed by the cancellation of custom branding functionality for the platform, highlighting a need for more personalized control over the guest portal's UI and UX for better alignment with their brand.
Users have expressed a desire for a room upgrade function to be integrated, allowing guests to easily upgrade their rooms through the app, which is cu... Users have expressed a desire for a room upgrade function to be integrated, allowing guests to easily upgrade their rooms through the app, which is currently lacking and noted as a potential improvement.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. LIKE MAGIC and Guest Services by SmartStay share many core Hotel Guest Apps features, but each has unique capabilities. LIKE MAGIC offers 10 verified integration partners, while Guest Services by SmartStay offers 8. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. LIKE MAGIC leads in ease of use at 5.0/5 vs 4.6/5. 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.
LIKE MAGIC: No. Guest Services by SmartStay: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel Guest Apps 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. LIKE MAGIC has an HT Score of 78 and Liverton has 0. 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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