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 28 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 operational efficiency and time savings — especially for extended-stay properties (5.0/5), with exclusive features like Mobile Checkout and Mobile Checkin.
Orana Software stands out with exclusive features like Automatic Translations (Multi-Lingual) and Local Recommendations.
Side-by-side ratings based on 28 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $700/mo | From $400/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 26 | 2 |
After analyzing 28 verified reviews, LIKE MAGIC users most value its operational efficiency and time savings, booking engine performance and usability, corporate/b2b feature gaps, while Orana Software users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Operational efficiency and time savings
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Booking engine performance and usability
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Corporate/B2B feature gaps
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All-in-one guest journey platform
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Customization and branding limitations
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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) ▾ | #10 10 reviews | #25 1 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #14 10 reviews | — |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | #17 3 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #18 8 reviews | #32 2 reviews |
| Luxury | #33 2 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain | #19 3 reviews | — |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #4 13 reviews | — |
By Region
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| North America | #30 1 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #10 24 reviews | — |
LIKE MAGIC and Orana Stay are both digital guest apps designed to improve guest communication and operational efficiency from booking through check-out. They diverge primarily in feature scope and market focus: LIKE MAGIC offers a broader operational platform including mobile check-in and checkout, room service ordering, and integration with multiple PMS systems, fitting mid-sized hotels and serviced apartments in Europe aiming for deep operational automation. Orana Stay centers on guest self-service and local recommendations with a focus on smaller boutique properties, especially in Australia and Asia Pacific, emphasizing guest convenience and direct communication.
Both solve the core problem of streamlining guest interactions to reduce front desk burden and improve guest satisfaction through digital engagement. They replace traditional paper guidebooks and manual guest queries with mobile tools that enhance the guest journey and free staff for higher-value tasks.
If you run an extended stay or serviced apartment property in Europe with 20 or more rooms, choose LIKE MAGIC. Its 26 verified reviews averaging 5/5 overall demonstrate strong operator satisfaction in this segment, driven by features like mobile check-in, mobile checkout, and room service ordering that automate front desk workflows and boost ancillary revenue. Its 11 integrations with PMS and access control providers support complex operations. For small boutique hotels in Australia or Asia Pacific, Orana Stay’s 5/5 rating from 2 boutique hotel reviews and features like automatic translations and local recommendations make it a better fit for properties seeking a straightforward, guest-facing app to reduce guest inquiries and encourage direct bookings. Orana’s smaller integration set and simpler feature base limit scalability for larger hotels.
Data is limited for Orana Stay outside boutique hotels and Australia, so its fit for larger or non-boutique hotels is unproven. LIKE MAGIC lacks automatic translation and local recommendations, which might matter for globally diverse guests. Overall, LIKE MAGIC suits properties aiming for operational efficiency and upsell automation; Orana Stay suits hotels prioritizing guest convenience and simple digital concierge features.
Both products receive perfect 5/5 ratings for ease of use and onboarding, supported by reviews praising intuitive interfaces and straightforward implementation. LIKE MAGIC users highlight a mobile-first design that staff quickly adopt, with one citing training reduced to 1.5 days at a 168-room property. Orana Stay reviews emphasize simple guest and staff usability with effective communication during implementation. Neither product’s recent review volume is high enough to detect changes in usability trends. Both maintain high adoption by front desk and guest-facing teams with minimal friction.
Edge: Even.
LIKE MAGIC leads with four exclusive features: mobile check-in, mobile checkout, room service ordering, and app download without app store installation. These features automate check-in/out workflows, reduce front desk load, enable direct upselling of food and services, and provide seamless guest access without installation barriers. Orana Stay’s unique features are automatic translations (multi-lingual support) and local recommendations, which improve guest convenience especially for international travelers and help hotels showcase nearby experiences to increase ancillary revenue.
Both share six features including guest messaging and booking capabilities, but LIKE MAGIC’s operational tools (check-in/out automation and room service) enable greater staff efficiency and revenue opportunities. Orana Stay’s localization features enhance guest satisfaction in multilingual or tourist-heavy markets but lack operational automation.
Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
LIKE MAGIC scores 4.8/5 for customer support and 4.8/5 for onboarding from 26 reviews, with praise for responsive, solution-oriented teams and continuous product evolution. Some users request telephone support for urgent cases. Orana Stay scores 5/5 for both support and onboarding but from only 2 reviews, both from boutique hotels praising fast, local communication during implementation and ongoing support. The difference is within the margin given limited Orana data, and both products appear highly regarded for support.
Edge: Even.
LIKE MAGIC offers 11 verified integrations including major PMS platforms like Mews, apaleo GmbH, Oracle Hospitality, and systems for access control (SALTO Systems), payment (Adyen), and guest feedback (TrustYou). These integrations enable automated guest data syncing, access management, and payment processing, critical for mid-sized hotels and serviced apartments with complex workflows.
Orana Stay has 6 verified integrations focusing on PMS platforms such as Cloudbeds, RMS, Guesty, and OwnerRez, covering boutique and smaller properties’ needs but with fewer options for advanced operational automation.
No shared integrations exist, highlighting each product’s distinct ecosystem. Hotels requiring deep PMS and operational integration should favor LIKE MAGIC; those seeking core PMS connections without extra layers may find Orana Stay sufficient.
Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
Both products have perfect 5/5 overall ratings. LIKE MAGIC’s 26 reviews versus Orana Stay’s 2 means LIKE MAGIC’s rating is more representative. LIKE MAGIC’s recent review volume has ceased (0 in last 6 months vs 6.5 average prior), possibly indicating stable product maturity. Orana Stay has no recent reviews, limiting confidence in current product fit.
Segment ratings show LIKE MAGIC excels in extended stay and serviced apartments (5/5 across 13 reviews), boutique hotels (4.9/5 across 8 reviews), and city center hotels (4.9/5 across 11 reviews). Orana Stay’s data is limited to boutique hotels (5/5 from 2 reviews).
Edge: Even.
LIKE MAGIC charges a $700 base price with no implementation fee, no monthly flat or per-room fees, and no trial offered. Orana Stay has a $400 base price with similar terms—no implementation fee, no monthly fees, and no trial.
Both employ a base price model without per-room or recurring monthly charges disclosed, making initial cost comparison straightforward but total cost of ownership dependent on property size and usage. LIKE MAGIC’s higher base price reflects its broader feature set and integrations.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
LIKE MAGIC and Orana Stay both deliver flawless digital guest experiences but differ fundamentally in operational depth and market focus. LIKE MAGIC excels in automating guest workflows across check-in, checkout, and room service, integrating with a broad selection of PMS and operational tools. Orana Stay focuses on guest-facing convenience features like multilingual support and local recommendations, tailored to boutique hotels in Australia and nearby regions.
Choose LIKE MAGIC if your hotel is a mid-sized extended stay or serviced apartment property in Europe seeking to reduce front desk workload through automation, increase ancillary revenue with room service ordering, and leverage 11 integrations with major PMS and access control platforms. Its 26 reviews averaging 5/5 demonstrate strong operator satisfaction and scalability.
Choose Orana Stay if you operate a small boutique hotel, especially in Australia or Asia Pacific, and want a simple, cost-effective digital concierge app that reduces guest inquiries, supports multiple languages, and offers local recommendations. Its fewer integrations and limited user base imply suitability for hotels with straightforward operational needs.
The data supports a clear operational and segment-driven choice: LIKE MAGIC for automation-heavy, integrated European properties; Orana Stay for guest-centric, boutique hotels seeking simplicity and multilingual support.
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 $400/mo |
These are the features each vendor has configured, organized by feature group — the same data shown in the vendor dashboard. Expand a group to compare features side by side.
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Communication & Messaging
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| Automatic Translations (Multi-Lingual) | ||
| Request Management | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| App download | ||
| Web-app | ||
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Content Management
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| Hotel Directory | ||
| Guest Profiles | ||
| Local Recommendations | ||
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Upselling
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| Payments | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
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Request Management
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| Request Management | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Mobile Checkout | ||
| Mobile Checkin |
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
Users say LikeMagic reduces manual work and saves significant time through integrations and automated workflows. The platform is described as helping... Users say LikeMagic reduces manual work and saves significant time through integrations and automated workflows. The platform is described as helping staff focus more on guests by cutting down on repetitive tasks and implementation overhead.
Reviewers like the fast, easy-to-use booking engine and describe it as clear and straightforward for guests and staff. Some also want more capabilitie... Reviewers like the fast, easy-to-use booking engine and describe it as clear and straightforward for guests and staff. Some also want more capabilities and flexibility beyond the current booking experience.
One review says the platform is better suited to B2B needs, but still lacks more advanced corporate functionality. Desired capabilities include bookin... One review says the platform is better suited to B2B needs, but still lacks more advanced corporate functionality. Desired capabilities include booking changes, availability calendars, and features tailored to corporate clients, TMCs, and partners.
Where hoteliers push back
Some reviewers raise concerns about missing or reduced customization options, especially around backoffice branding and guest portal UX. These gaps ma... Some reviewers raise concerns about missing or reduced customization options, especially around backoffice branding and guest portal UX. These gaps matter for hotels that want the app to closely match their brand and service style.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
It depends on your requirements. LIKE MAGIC and Orana Stay share many core Hotel Guest Apps features, but each has unique capabilities. LIKE MAGIC offers 11 verified integration partners, while Orana Stay offers 6. 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 5.0/5. 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.
LIKE MAGIC: No. Orana Stay: 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 74 and Orana Software 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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