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 550 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:
HOTELTIME shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (4.9/5) , with exclusive features like Guest CRM and Guest profiles.
Priority Software shines in ROI and onboarding , with exclusive features like On premise and Guest Communication (SMS Messaging).
Side-by-side ratings based on 550 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $600/mo | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 549 | 1 |
After analyzing 550 verified reviews, HOTELTIME users most value its user interface and learning curve, technical support, reporting and analytics, while Priority Software users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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User Interface and Learning Curve
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Technical Support
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Reporting and Analytics
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System Stability and Updates
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Customization Options
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Automation Features
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Mobile Optimization
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How each product ranks among Property Management Systems 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) ▾ | #5 219 reviews | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #3 238 reviews | #58 1 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #2 46 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #8 7 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #5 239 reviews | #78 0 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #3 241 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #4 143 reviews | #72 0 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #4 49 reviews | — |
By Region
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| North America | #52 4 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #2 384 reviews | #53 0 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #5 111 reviews | — |
| Middle East ▾ | #1 21 reviews | #20 1 reviews |
When choosing a property management system (PMS), your hotel needs to balance features, ease of use, support, and cost. Both HotelTime PMS by HOTELTIME and Optima PMS by Priority Software aim to streamline operations, but they serve different hotel types and scales. HOTELTIME offers a comprehensive, cloud-based platform with a proven track record across diverse hotel segments. Optima, while highly capable, caters more to larger resorts and chains with its focus on global connectivity and automation. Which aligns better with your hotel’s size and operational complexity?
HotelTime PMS and Optima PMS are both designed to centralize hotel operations, but they diverge significantly in their target audiences and features. HotelTime emphasizes a user-friendly, all-in-one cloud platform with extensive integrations, serving small to mid-sized properties, including resorts and boutique hotels. Conversely, Optima is tailored for larger resorts and chains, focusing on global distribution, automation, and multi-property management.
HotelTime boasts over 650 properties in 20+ countries, with reviews highlighting its intuitive interface and strong customer support. Optima, with fewer recent reviews and a limited geographic footprint, is often chosen by large resorts needing advanced automation and international distribution capabilities. Do your hotel’s needs lean more toward ease and quick deployment or extensive global reach?
If your hotel is a small to mid-sized property seeking a straightforward, cloud-enabled system with robust integrations, HotelTime is the clear choice. Its high review count (433 reviews in the last 6 months) and 4.83/5 overall rating demonstrate strong industry confidence. Larger resorts or hotel groups aiming for extensive global distribution, automation, and multi-property management should consider Optima, especially if they prioritize GDS connectivity and automation tools.
For hotels looking for a solution with proven international reach and a rich marketplace, Optima’s strengths in global listing and automation are compelling. But if your focus is on operational simplicity, guest engagement, and strong local support, HotelTime leads the pack. Which features are most critical for your property’s growth?
HotelTime PMS scores a 4.66/5 for ease of use, backed by a broad user base praising its intuitive interface and straightforward onboarding process. Reviewers mention that staff adoption is quick, and training is minimal, making it ideal for smaller teams. Its user-friendly design allows staff to manage reservations, reports, and guest communications effectively without extensive training.
Optima PMS, with a 4/5 rating, is also considered user-friendly but is described as geared toward larger teams and more complex operations. Its open architecture and automation features may require more initial setup and staff training, especially for multi-property management. Edge: HotelTime.
HotelTime offers a feature set of 47, including guest CRM, guest profiles, employee messaging, and native email marketing—features not available in Optima. These tools help enhance guest engagement and streamline communication with fewer third-party tools. On the other hand, Optima provides six unique features: on-premise deployment, shift planning, SMS guest communication, voice-to-text notes, automated assignments, and SOC2 compliance, focusing on operational automation and security.
While HotelTime’s features are more extensive, Optima’s specialized tools excel for large-scale, complex operations. The clear edge: HotelTime, given its broader feature range and user reviews emphasizing its versatility.
HotelTime’s support scores a 4.73/5 with reviews highlighting quick, knowledgeable responses and ongoing assistance. Many users mention that the support team helps with onboarding and troubleshooting, contributing to high satisfaction. One review states, “Support staff are always available and willing to help, making the system easier to adopt and troubleshoot.”
Optima’s support is rated similarly at 4/5, but fewer recent reviews make it harder to gauge current responsiveness. Its focus on larger clients often involves dedicated account managers, but user feedback on support responsiveness is less abundant. Edge: HotelTime.
HotelTime connects with 58 verified partners, including industry leaders like STR, TrustYou, SiteMinder, and Revinate, offering extensive integration options. Many users appreciate how these connections streamline operations, reporting, and distribution. Common integrations like Channel Managers and Revenue Management systems are well-supported, with some users noting that HotelTime’s open API allows further customization.
Optima integrates with 40 partners, including major OTAs and property services. While it covers essential hotel tech needs, HotelTime’s broader partner ecosystem provides more flexibility for property-specific needs. Edge: HotelTime.
HotelTime’s latest reviews show an average rating of 4.83/5, based on 433 reviews in the past six months, indicating a highly satisfied user base. Hotels of various sizes, especially boutique and city-center hotels, rate it highly for ease of use and support. Resorts, in particular, praise its comprehensive features and operational efficiency.
Optima, with just one recent review and no detailed rating, has limited reputation data. Its user base appears more focused on large resorts and chains, but without the volume of recent feedback, HotelTime’s rating is the clearer indicator of customer satisfaction. Edge: HotelTime.
HotelTime charges a fixed base price of $600, with no freemium, per-room, or implementation fees, offering transparency in pricing. Its straightforward model makes budgeting predictable for small and mid-sized properties.
Pricing for Optima is not publicly disclosed and is generally tailored to large-scale operations, often requiring direct vendor negotiations. For hotels that prefer transparent, fixed costs, HotelTime provides clarity. For larger resorts with complex needs, the custom pricing of Optima might be justified, but details are less accessible upfront.
The core difference lies in scope: HotelTime is a comprehensive, flexible PMS designed for a broad range of hotels, especially small to mid-sized properties. Optima is better suited for large resorts and chains that need advanced automation and global distribution tools.
Choose HotelTime if your focus is on ease of use, local support, and quick deployment with a proven track record. Opt for Optima if your operation involves multiple properties, international guests, and a need for automation and extensive connectivity.
For most hotels, HotelTime’s recent reviews, high ratings, and extensive feature set make it the more reliable and cost-effective choice. If your property is large and complex, and you need global reach, Optima can deliver but with less recent review data to confirm its current performance.
Property Management Systems 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 $600/mo | — |
According to HTR's product database, HotelTime PMS and Optima PMS share 47 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Automated Assignments | ||
| Employee Messaging | ||
| Guest CRM | ||
| Guest Communication (SMS Messaging) | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Mobile Device Notes & Tasks (Voice-to-Text) | ||
| Native Email Marketing | ||
| On premise | ||
| SOC2 Complaint | ||
| Shift Planning |
We analyzed 8 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"We needed to change an on-site system we were using as we wanted to move our operation forward. We achieved that with HotelTime systems. They are reliable, and stable and offer fea..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"In 2018 we were choosing a system for our first completely self-service ART and design hotel. We decided on HotelTime and after 4 years I have to say that the choice was the right..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
What hoteliers love
While the system’s intuitive interface and ease of learning are generally appreciated, a few users mention initial challenges due to the complexity of... While the system’s intuitive interface and ease of learning are generally appreciated, a few users mention initial challenges due to the complexity of features offered. Overall, once users become familiar with the system, it significantly enhances efficiency and simplifies hotel operations.
While the support team's responsive and helpful nature is appreciated, some reviews suggest that extended hours for technical support would further en... While the support team's responsive and helpful nature is appreciated, some reviews suggest that extended hours for technical support would further enhance user experience, ensuring assistance at all times, especially for international users.
HotelTime's robust reporting features are praised for providing comprehensive data insights into occupancy, revenue, and customer satisfaction. Users... HotelTime's robust reporting features are praised for providing comprehensive data insights into occupancy, revenue, and customer satisfaction. Users appreciate the variety of reports available for management, yet some desire more customization and advanced visualizations within the tool itself to better suit individual hotel needs.
Where hoteliers push back
Some users voice a need for more customizable features, particularly in terms of reporting and interface personalization, which would allow hotels to... Some users voice a need for more customizable features, particularly in terms of reporting and interface personalization, which would allow hotels to better tailor the PMS to their specific operational strategies and guest services.
The automation capabilities in HotelTime, such as invoice processing and reservation management, are frequently mentioned for saving significant time... The automation capabilities in HotelTime, such as invoice processing and reservation management, are frequently mentioned for saving significant time for staff. Users highlight these features as reducing manual workload and minimizing the risk of human error, although they also express a desire for enhanced automation in guest communication and reporting.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. HotelTime PMS and Optima PMS share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. HotelTime PMS offers 58 verified integration partners, while Optima PMS offers 40. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. HotelTime PMS leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 vs 4.0/5. 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.
HotelTime PMS: No. Optima PMS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Property Management Systems 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. HOTELTIME has an HT Score of 92 and Priority 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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