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:
Orbitz shines .
Simplotel shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Urgency messaging.
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, Orbitz 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
| Segment | Orbitz |
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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
| Segment | Orbitz |
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #6 139 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #4 187 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #4 101 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #9 15 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | Orbitz |
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|---|---|---|
| North America ▾ | — | #13 11 reviews |
| Europe | — | #35 2 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | — | #2 307 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #15 3 reviews |
Choosing the right booking engine is crucial for your hotel's online revenue and guest experience. Both Orbitz and Simplotel aim to streamline bookings but diverge significantly in features, user feedback, and market reach. Orbitz, a travel booking platform, lacks recent reviews and detailed hotel-specific feedback, making it less reliable for hotel-specific needs. Conversely, Simplotel boasts over 300 reviews, with recent feedback emphasizing its ease of use, features, and support. Which platform best suits your hotel's needs?
Orbitz was originally designed as a comprehensive travel booking platform, aggregating flights, hotels, and rentals for individual consumers and corporate travelers. Its core strength lies in offering broad travel options, but its hotel booking component is limited, especially for hoteliers seeking direct revenue channels. Simplotel, on the other hand, is a dedicated hotel booking engine built specifically for hotels of all sizes, with a focus on increasing direct bookings and enhancing the user experience. While Orbitz provides a wide, generic platform, Simplotel offers tailored features for hotel websites that convert visitors into guests.
Orbitz's overall rating is 0/5 with no recent reviews, signaling a lack of current hotel-specific validation. Simplotel scores an impressive 4.75/5 based on 297 reviews, with 14 reviews in the last six months—indicating ongoing customer satisfaction and product vitality. Given this, Simplotel's recent and plentiful reviews make it the more credible choice for hotel managers looking for proven performance.
Are you seeking a platform that’s actively tested and reviewed by peers? If so, Simplotel’s latest reviews give you better confidence in its capabilities.
If your hotel needs a flexible, scalable booking platform capable of integrating with your website and boosting direct sales, go with Simplotel. Its 37 unique features—including mobile responsiveness, multi-currency support, loyalty integrations, and detailed analytics—are designed to increase conversions and guest engagement.
If, however, your goal is to leverage a broad travel marketplace for exposure and you’re less concerned about customized guest interactions, Orbitz might seem appealing. But with zero recent reviews and no detailed hotel-specific features, Orbitz’s utility for hotel direct booking is minimal. For most hotels aiming to control their online presence and revenue, Simplotel is the clear winner.
In summary, choose Simplotel if your focus is on increasing direct bookings through your website. Opt for Orbitz only if your strategy involves relying on a large travel marketplace with no need for extensive customization.
Simplotel’s user interface scores 4.65/5 based on recent reviews, emphasizing its intuitive design and ease of management. Hoteliers highlight its straightforward setup, simple navigation, and friendly onboarding process, with comments praising how quickly their teams adapt to the system. Support and training materials are frequently mentioned as helpful, and the platform’s mobile responsiveness enhances user experience.
Orbitz, however, received a 0/5 rating in ease of use, with no accessible recent reviews or detailed feedback. Its lack of updates and the absence of hotel-specific features make it unlikely to be user-friendly for hotel teams managing their bookings.
Edge: Simplotel
Simplotel offers 37 features tailored specifically for hotel booking needs, including mobile optimization, multi-lingual support, guest emails, loyalty programs, and advanced analytics—features absent in Orbitz. It also encompasses various booking-specific elements like pooled inventory, special offers, and booking abandonment recapture, which help increase conversion rates.
Orbitz, by contrast, does not list any unique or hotel-specific features, indicating its limited scope for hotel property management. Its lack of tailored functionalities makes Simplotel the superior choice for hotels seeking comprehensive, customizable booking solutions.
Edge: Simplotel
Simplotel’s customer support scores 4.69/5, with recent reviews praising its responsiveness, dedicated assistance, and proactive communication. Hoteliers mention prompt responses and personalized support, which contribute to smoother onboarding and ongoing system management.
Orbitz, with a 0/5 score and no recent reviews, provides no concrete evidence of support quality. Given the importance of reliable support in booking engine deployment, Simplotel’s proven support infrastructure clearly outperforms Orbitz.
Edge: Simplotel
Simplotel boasts 22 verified integrations, including property management systems like Cloudbeds, channel managers, and marketing tools such as Triptease and Google Hotel Ads. This extensive network allows hotels to connect their existing systems seamlessly, ensuring data consistency and operational efficiency.
Orbitz, however, has no verified integrations listed, limiting its connectivity and operational flexibility. For hotels aiming for smooth system interoperability, Simplotel’s integrations are a significant advantage.
Edge: Simplotel
Simplotel’s recent reviews consistently rate it highly, with a 4.74/5 score and 93% likelihood to recommend among hotel users, including luxury hotels and resorts. Hotels praise its ease of use, support, and feature set, with comments like "it’s easy to update rates and create customized campaigns."
Orbitz’s lack of recent reviews and a 0/5 score make it impossible to assess hotel satisfaction. The recent, positive feedback on Simplotel underscores its standing among hotel professionals.
Edge: Simplotel
Orbitz does not publicly list pricing details, implying it might be part of a broader travel platform or tailored enterprise solution. Simplotel charges a fixed $500 monthly fee, with no setup or implementation costs, positioning it as a transparent, subscription-based service.
For hotels seeking predictable expenses and detailed ROI, Simplotel’s clear pricing offers better planning. Orbitz’s undefined costs make it less suitable for budget-conscious hoteliers.
Not ideal if your hotel wants full control over branding, guest experience, or detailed analytics.
Not ideal if your hotel’s primary focus is on broad marketplace exposure rather than direct website conversions.
Simplotel is a dedicated hotel booking engine designed for increased direct revenue, boasting extensive features, positive recent reviews, and a strong support network. Its 37 features, 22 integrations, and high customer satisfaction scores make it the more reliable choice for modern hoteliers.
Orbitz, lacking recent data, detailed features, and hotel-specific functionality, doesn’t meet the core needs of hotel property managers seeking control and growth. Unless your strategy revolves around broad exposure on a global travel platform, Simplotel should be your primary consideration.
In conclusion, if your goal is to modernize your online booking process, boost direct reservations, and work with a well-reviewed platform, Simplotel is the superior option. Orbitz’s limited hotel functionality and absence of recent reviews make it a less viable choice for hotel-specific booking needs.
According to HTR's product database, Orbitz and Simplotel Booking Engine share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | Orbitz |
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| Automated reporting | ||
| Mobile optimized/responsive | ||
| Pooled inventory | ||
| Pre-stay emails | ||
| Tariffs | ||
| Urgency messaging |
Showing top differences. 25 more features differ between these products.
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. Orbitz and Simplotel Booking Engine share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Orbitz offers 0 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.
Orbitz: 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. Orbitz 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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