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 332 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:
Olive shines , with exclusive features like Flexible dates and Apple Pay.
Simplotel shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Pre-stay emails and Post-stay emails.
Side-by-side ratings based on 332 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 332 |
After analyzing 332 verified reviews, Olive users most value its , while Simplotel users highlight service and support, user-friendly interface and design, customer experience enhancement. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Service and Support
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User-friendly interface and design
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Customer experience enhancement
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Integration and Optimization
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Customization and Flexibility
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Analytics and Reporting
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How each product ranks among Booking Engine 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) ▾ | — | #5 127 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #6 163 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | — | #9 20 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #14 3 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #6 139 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #4 187 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #4 101 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #9 15 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | — | #13 11 reviews |
| Europe | — | #35 2 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | — | #2 307 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #15 3 reviews |
When choosing a booking engine for your hotel, your main concern is likely to find a solution that boosts direct bookings, enhances guest experience, and integrates well with your existing systems. Olive's booking engine offers a fresh approach but currently lacks recent reviews and a sizable user base, which raises questions about its maturity and reliability. Conversely, Simplotel has a strong reputation, with nearly 300 recent reviews, high ratings, and proven success across diverse markets. Which platform will serve your hotel best in today’s competitive landscape?
Olive’s booking engine touts AI-driven personalization and embedded e-commerce features that aim to revolutionize your guest experience. However, with zero reviews in the last six months and a 0/5 overall rating, there’s little recent validation of its effectiveness. In contrast, Simplotel boasts a 4.75/5 rating backed by 297 reviews, with multiple recent positive comments, making it a more reliable choice. Do you want a platform with proven recent performance or an untested newcomer?
If your hotel prioritizes innovative guest engagement, Olive’s AI features like smart merchandising may appeal—yet its lack of recent reviews suggests limited real-world validation. If you need a robust, trusted platform with a track record of increasing direct bookings, Simplotel is the better fit, especially for hotels seeking scalable marketing tools and extensive integrations. For properties that value stability and proven results, Simplotel clearly stands out.
Simplotel’s user experience receives a 4.65/5 rating from nearly 300 reviews, with hoteliers praising its intuitive design, easy setup, and clear interface. Olive’s UI, rated 0/5, lacks recent user feedback, making its usability uncertain. Based on current data, it’s safe to say Simplotel offers a smoother onboarding process and user-friendly experience. Edge: Simplotel.
Olive offers three unique features: flexible dates, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, focusing on payment flexibility. Meanwhile, Simplotel provides 18 exclusive features, including tariffs, pooled inventory, pre- and post-stay emails, multi-currency and multilingual options, gift vouchers, social media integrations, and GDPR compliance—essential tools for marketing and guest engagement. With more than five times the number of unique features, Simplotel leads in feature richness. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel’s customer support and onboarding have high ratings (4.69/5), with reviewers highlighting prompt responses and helpful assistance. Olive’s support scores are unreported, and with zero recent reviews, it’s impossible to gauge its current support quality. Based on recent feedback, Simplotel’s support remains a key strength. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel integrates with 22 verified partners, including major systems like Cloudbeds, Triptease, and RateGain, offering broader connectivity. Olive has only two verified integrations with Oracle Hospitality and Stayntouch, limiting its compatibility with popular PMS and channel management solutions. For hotels seeking extensive ecosystem integrations, Simplotel is clearly the better choice. Edge: Simplotel.
Olive has no reviews, so we lack recent or relevant ratings. Simplotel’s reviews consistently praise its ease of use, features, and support, reflected in its 4.75/5 rating from nearly 300 recent reviews. Hotels across multiple segments, including resorts, boutique hotels, and city properties, rate Simplotel highly. For a proven and well-regarded platform, Simplotel is the clear leader. Edge: Simplotel.
Olive does not disclose pricing publicly, implying a customized or potentially higher cost structure. Simplotel charges a flat $500 monthly fee, with no implementation or setup fees, making its pricing predictable and accessible for many hotels. If straightforward pricing is a priority, Simplotel offers transparency and value.
The core difference is that Simplotel offers a well-established, extensively reviewed, and highly rated platform with proven results, while Olive’s newer offering remains unvalidated at scale. If your hotel needs a reliable, feature-rich booking engine with recent positive reviews, Simplotel should be your choice. Olive might be worth considering if you are open to early-stage technology and want to explore AI-driven features, but expect more risk and uncertainty.
For properties seeking stability, proven performance, and extensive integrations, Simplotel provides a clear advantage. Its large user base, recent reviews, and positive owner feedback make it the safer, more strategic investment. Conversely, Olive’s innovative approach could appeal in the future, but current data favors Simplotel for hotels that need assured results today.
According to HTR's product database, Olive Booking Engine and Simplotel Booking Engine share 19 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Apple Pay | ||
| Flexible dates | ||
| Google Pay | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Multi-room bookings | ||
| Pooled inventory | ||
| Post-stay emails | ||
| Pre-stay emails | ||
| Tariffs |
Showing top differences. 9 more features differ between these products.
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Although customer support is generally rated as responsive and helpful, there are calls for more proactive communication. Monthly check-ins and traini... Although customer support is generally rated as responsive and helpful, there are calls for more proactive communication. Monthly check-ins and training materials are suggested for enhanced service.
Simplotel's booking engine stands out for its intuitive and user-friendly design, simplifying navigation for guests and hoteliers. Reviews consistentl... Simplotel's booking engine stands out for its intuitive and user-friendly design, simplifying navigation for guests and hoteliers. Reviews consistently mention improved booking experience and engagement, translating to increased bookings and customer satisfaction.
The platform enhances guest experiences by streamlining booking processes and supporting upselling and cross-selling services. This feature is cited f... The platform enhances guest experiences by streamlining booking processes and supporting upselling and cross-selling services. This feature is cited for adding value and contributing to increased revenue.
Where hoteliers push back
Many users appreciate the potential for customizing brand-specific templates and designs but express a demand for more flexibility. There is feedback... Many users appreciate the potential for customizing brand-specific templates and designs but express a demand for more flexibility. There is feedback on limited options for personalizing website layouts and dynamic content.
Simplotel provides robust analytics and reporting features aiding in data-driven decision-making and marketing strategies. Users find these insights b... Simplotel provides robust analytics and reporting features aiding in data-driven decision-making and marketing strategies. Users find these insights beneficial for optimizing bookings, although some suggest further advancements in analytics tools.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Olive Booking Engine and Simplotel Booking Engine share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Olive Booking Engine offers 2 verified integration partners, while Simplotel Booking Engine offers 22. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Simplotel Booking Engine 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.
Olive Booking Engine: No. Simplotel Booking Engine: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Booking Engine 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. Olive has an HT Score of 0 and Simplotel has 90. 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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