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 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:
Okanda shines .
Smart Host GmbH shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like Guest profiles and Marketing Automation.
Side-by-side ratings based on 229 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $900/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 229 |
After analyzing 229 verified reviews, Okanda users most value its , while Smart Host GmbH users highlight campaign management & offer creation, support quality, personalized guest communication. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Campaign Management & Offer Creation
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Support Quality
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Personalized Guest Communication
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Comprehensive Data Analytics
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Future Improvements
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Integration Needs
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Newsletter Design Flexibility
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How each product ranks among Hotel CRM & Email Marketing vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment | Okanda |
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|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #1 92 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #3 104 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | — | #15 4 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #15 2 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment | Okanda |
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #4 81 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #4 67 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #5 41 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #3 16 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | Okanda |
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| North America | — | #29 1 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | — | #2 206 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #13 1 reviews |
Choosing the right hotel CRM & email marketing platform is crucial for increasing bookings, enhancing guest experiences, and streamlining operations. You’re weighing Olakala Suite by Okanda and Smart Host CRM by Smart Host GmbH to meet these needs. Both aim to improve guest communication but differ significantly in their feature sets, user experience, and market presence. Narrowing down your options depends on your hotel’s size, complexity, and specific marketing goals.
Given the current market data, Smart Host CRM holds a clear advantage due to its more extensive reviews, recent user feedback, and higher overall ratings. So, which product best fits your hotel’s unique needs?
Olakala Suite claims to focus on feedback management, analyzing customer reviews with AI-generated insights to boost customer satisfaction. However, its lack of recent reviews, with zero ratings or active user feedback, makes it difficult to verify its effectiveness or usability in a real-world hotel environment.
In contrast, Smart Host CRM boasts over 217 recent reviews, a 4.87/5 customer support score, and a 93% likelihood to recommend among users. Its recent positive feedback highlights significant time savings, well-designed newsletters, and measurable results like increased bookings.
Are these differences enough to guide your decision, or do you need a more detailed comparison?
If your hotel needs a robust, feature-rich CRM with automation, segmentation, and proven results, go with Smart Host CRM. It’s suitable for hotels of all sizes, especially those looking for detailed guest profiles, automated campaigns, and reliable support.
If, however, your team prioritizes feedback analysis and sentiment management as your primary focus, Olakala Suite might seem appealing. Still, the absence of recent reviews and user ratings makes it risky, and its ability to meet hotel marketing needs remains unverified.
For most hoteliers seeking a trustworthy, actively supported solution, Smart Host CRM is the safer choice.
Smart Host CRM scores 4.7/5 for ease of use, with reviews praising its intuitive interface, simple newsletter creation, and fast onboarding process—rated at 4.64/5. Users consistently mention how easy it is to implement and operate, even without technical expertise.
Olakala Suite, on the other hand, has no available ratings or reviews for ease of use, leaving its user experience entirely unverified. Its lack of feedback suggests it may not be as user-friendly or well-supported, especially for hotels without dedicated technical staff.
Edge: Smart Host.
Smart Host CRM offers 29 unique features, including a centralized data warehouse, guest profiles, segmentation, automation, A/B testing, GDPR compliance, and multi-hotel management. These tools enable highly personalized and automated guest communication, improving engagement and operational efficiency.
Olakala Suite, with no features listed beyond feedback collection, appears limited in scope. Its AI-driven review summaries are helpful but insufficient compared to Smart Host’s breadth of marketing automation, segmentation, and integration capabilities.
Edge: Smart Host CRM.
Smart Host CRM’s support team scores 4.87/5, with reviews emphasizing its responsiveness, competence, and proactive assistance. Customers report that support helps them quickly resolve issues and optimize their campaigns, which is critical for ongoing success.
Olakala Suite provides no support ratings or reviews, making its support quality impossible to assess. In the absence of recent user feedback, it’s reasonable to assume that Smart Host’s demonstrated support excellence is a decisive advantage.
Edge: Smart Host.
Smart Host CRM integrates with 25 verified partners, including popular PMS, booking, and revenue management systems like Mews, Oracle Hospitality, and Protel. These integrations streamline operations and guest data management, enabling a unified marketing and communication workflow.
Olakana Suite has no listed integrations or partner connections, limiting its potential for seamless data exchange and automation. For hotels that rely on interconnected systems, Smart Host’s integrations are a significant plus.
Edge: Smart Host.
With zero reviews and ratings, Olakala Suite’s market perception remains unknown. Conversely, Smart Host CRM has a 99.78/100 rating, supported by 217 recent reviews and a 93% recommendation rate.
Hotels of all sizes, especially those in Europe and those with complex guest management needs, rate Smart Host highly for its ease, support, and effectiveness. This data strongly favors Smart Host as the more trusted, proven solution.
Edge: Smart Host.
Olakala Suite provides no pricing details, suggesting it may not be a commercially available or scalable product. Its lack of transparency raises concerns about affordability and value.
Smart Host CRM charges a base price of $900, with no additional implementation or monthly fees, making it straightforward to budget. Its pricing is competitive for the features and support offered, especially considering the high ROI reported by users.
Not ideal if:
Olakala is better suited for hotels that prioritize feedback collection over marketing automation.
Not ideal if:
Smart Host CRM is ideal for hotels ready to leverage guest data for marketing and operational growth.
Smart Host CRM is a feature-rich, user-friendly platform with proven results, making it the top choice for hotels aiming to drive bookings, manage guest relationships, and automate communication. Its extensive integrations, recent reviews, and high satisfaction scores underscore its reliability and effectiveness.
Olakana Suite, while potentially useful for feedback analysis, lacks recent validation and offers no clear evidence of broader marketing capabilities. Its unverified support and feature set make it a risky choice for hotels seeking measurable improvements.
If your hotel needs a trustworthy, actively supported CRM with automation and segmentation, Smart Host CRM is the clear winner. For feedback-focused hotels with minimal marketing needs, Olakana Suite could be considered, but the lack of recent data makes it less appealing.
Hotel CRM & Email Marketing 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.
| Okanda |
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| Starting Price | — | From $900/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Olakala Suite and Smart Host CRM share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | Okanda |
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| Centralized data warehouse | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Marketing Automation | ||
| Personalized one-to-communication | ||
| Segmentation | ||
| Template Editor |
Showing top differences. 17 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 8 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
No published case study for this goal yet.
"We feel good with Smart Host"
No published case study for this goal yet.
"We are very satisfied with Smart Host, as we can now finally address our guests even more individually and create campaigns tailored to their needs. Our aim was to launch several c..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"We save a lot of time and that is the most precious thing you have!"
What hoteliers love
The campaign module in Smarthost is regarded as easy to use, with a drag-and-drop editor for quick newsletter creation. Users enjoy the practical natu... The campaign module in Smarthost is regarded as easy to use, with a drag-and-drop editor for quick newsletter creation. Users enjoy the practical nature and efficiency of personalized campaigns. However, creating group offers remains cumbersome, requiring improvement.
Smarthost's support team garners praise for their responsiveness and competence. Users appreciate the proactive assistance and dedication to customer... Smarthost's support team garners praise for their responsiveness and competence. Users appreciate the proactive assistance and dedication to customer success, significantly adding value to the product experience.
Smarthost's capability to use complex guest data for personalized communication is frequently praised. Users highlight how personalized campaigns are... Smarthost's capability to use complex guest data for personalized communication is frequently praised. Users highlight how personalized campaigns are easy to create and deliver, increasing guest engagement. The system allows targeted outreach with minimal effort, significantly enhancing guest interactions.
Where hoteliers push back
Suggestions for Smarthost's enhancements include adding AI automation, custom template creation, and improved filters for data selection. These improv... Suggestions for Smarthost's enhancements include adding AI automation, custom template creation, and improved filters for data selection. These improvements could enhance efficiency and user satisfaction.
There is expressed interest in deeper integrations with booking systems like Fidelio and Seekda to unlock further potential of the tool, particularly... There is expressed interest in deeper integrations with booking systems like Fidelio and Seekda to unlock further potential of the tool, particularly in guest data utilization and availability management.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Olakala Suite and Smart Host CRM share many core Hotel CRM & Email Marketing features, but each has unique capabilities. Olakala Suite offers 0 verified integration partners, while Smart Host CRM offers 25. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Smart Host CRM 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.
Olakala Suite: No. Smart Host CRM: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel CRM & Email Marketing 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. Okanda has an HT Score of 0 and Smart Host GmbH has 100. 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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