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 187 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:
Revinate shines in ROI — especially for brand properties (4.9/5) , with exclusive features like SMS text messaging and Guest History.
Smart Host GmbH shines when it comes to customer support , with exclusive features like Guest Reviews Campaigns and Broadcast Messaging.
Side-by-side ratings based on 187 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 35 | 152 |
After analyzing 187 verified reviews, Revinate users most value its multi-channel guest communication, customer engagement and satisfaction, automated responses and smart features, while Smart Host GmbH users highlight customer support, ease of use, email campaign impact. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Multi-Channel Guest Communication
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Customer Support
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Customer Engagement and Satisfaction
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Ease of Use
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Automated Responses and Smart Features
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Email Campaign Impact
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Support and Response Time Issues
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Integration and Data Analytics
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| Cons | |
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Technical Glitches and Improvements
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Feature Requests and Development
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Customization and Flexibility
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Correspondence Clarity
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Online Check-In
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How each product ranks among Guest Messaging Software vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #21 2 reviews | #4 61 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #13 23 reviews | #8 71 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #15 5 reviews | #17 3 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #14 3 reviews | #22 1 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #21 10 reviews | #8 49 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #19 9 reviews | #7 42 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #15 13 reviews | #11 30 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #18 2 reviews | #9 9 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #8 35 reviews | #26 0 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #22 0 reviews | #3 142 reviews |
| Asia Pacific | #17 0 reviews | — |
| Middle East | — | #9 0 reviews |
Guest Messaging Software 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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According to HTR's product database, Revinate (Ivy) and Smart Host Messaging share 9 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature |
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| Automated Replies | ||
| Behavioral Marketing Campaigns | ||
| Booking Recovery Campaigns | ||
| Chatbot Booking Agent | ||
| Guest History | ||
| Guest Reviews Campaigns | ||
| Open API | ||
| Retention Campaigns | ||
| SMS text messaging | ||
| Secured Data Protection | ||
| Upselling Campaigns | ||
| User Profile Customizations |
Showing top differences. 12 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
The ability to capture guest data and communicate through multiple channels, including phone info pre-call and text messaging, is highly valued. This... The ability to capture guest data and communicate through multiple channels, including phone info pre-call and text messaging, is highly valued. This feature enhances the guest experience by allowing for personalized and timely interactions, helping in both guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Revinate/Ivy allows properties to address guest issues before they escalate, leading to improved satisfaction scores. Features like pre-arrival texts... Revinate/Ivy allows properties to address guest issues before they escalate, leading to improved satisfaction scores. Features like pre-arrival texts and prompt responses to queries enhance the guest experience significantly.
Ivy's smart response feature helps significantly during peak times by addressing common guest queries efficiently. Users highlight that guests appreci... Ivy's smart response feature helps significantly during peak times by addressing common guest queries efficiently. Users highlight that guests appreciate the welcome texts and check-ins from Ivy, making communication smoother and more efficient.
Where hoteliers push back
Users have reported occasional technical glitches such as Ivy getting confused with informal vocabulary, delays in messages, and issues with automatio... Users have reported occasional technical glitches such as Ivy getting confused with informal vocabulary, delays in messages, and issues with automation. Continuous improvements and updates are suggested to enhance the reliability of the system.
There is a desire for more customization options, especially concerning chat templates and organizing responses based on specific property needs. Bett... There is a desire for more customization options, especially concerning chat templates and organizing responses based on specific property needs. Better organization capabilities would help teams manage communications more effectively.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Customer support is frequently praised for its responsiveness and professionalism, with users valuing prompt assistance and personalized attention, en... Customer support is frequently praised for its responsiveness and professionalism, with users valuing prompt assistance and personalized attention, enhancing the overall experience with Smarthost.
Reviewers consistently highlight Smarthost's user-friendly interface, praising its straightforward setup and intuitive functionality, which allow hote... Reviewers consistently highlight Smarthost's user-friendly interface, praising its straightforward setup and intuitive functionality, which allow hotels to manage guest communications efficiently without extensive training.
Many reviews reveal that users have experienced a significant increase in email click-through rates and reservations, attributing this success to the... Many reviews reveal that users have experienced a significant increase in email click-through rates and reservations, attributing this success to the personalized and targeted guest communication facilitated by Smarthost.
Where hoteliers push back
Users acknowledge Smarthost's openness to user suggestions and its ongoing development, looking forward to enhanced future capabilities based on user... Users acknowledge Smarthost's openness to user suggestions and its ongoing development, looking forward to enhanced future capabilities based on user feedback.
Some users express a desire for a more organized correspondence section; longer interactions occasionally lead to navigation difficulties, suggesting... Some users express a desire for a more organized correspondence section; longer interactions occasionally lead to navigation difficulties, suggesting a more intuitive chronological order would improve clarity.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Revinate (Ivy) and Smart Host Messaging share many core Guest Messaging Software features, but each has unique capabilities. Revinate (Ivy) offers 98 verified integration partners, while Smart Host Messaging offers 25. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Revinate (Ivy) leads in ease of use at 4.9/5 vs 4.7/5. 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.
Revinate (Ivy): No. Smart Host Messaging: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Guest Messaging Software 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. Revinate has an HT Score of 26 and Smart Host GmbH has 82. 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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