Spotlio vs. STAY Guest App:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing a guest app for your hotel means evaluating how each platform addresses your operational needs and guest experience goals. Spotlio and STAY both aim to digitize guest interactions, yet they differ significantly in scope, market presence, and features. Your decision hinges on which product aligns better with your hotel’s size, location, and digital strategy.

While both platforms serve to enhance guest communication and streamline services, STAY's extensive feature set and larger user base make it a more tested and reliable choice. Are you ready to dive into the specifics and see which platform fits your hotel best?

Is Spotlio or STAY Better for Hotels?

Spotlio and STAY target different segments of the hotel industry and approach digital guest engagement differently. Spotlio, founded in 2011 and based in St. Moritz, is primarily a mobile marketing company that creates interactive apps, mobile guides, and responsive websites, focusing on marketing and engagement tools rather than full-service guest apps.

In contrast, STAY, established in 2012 and based in Madrid, offers a comprehensive Guest Experience Operating System (OS) with over 1,000 hotels in 67 countries using its technology. It emphasizes digitizing hotel services like room service, reservations, and internal operations, alongside guest engagement.

While Spotlio's product is more marketing-focused, STAY provides a broad operational platform. Does your hotel need a marketing tool or a full-service guest app solution? The answer will clarify which product better addresses your core needs.

STAY vs Spotlio: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel prioritizes operational efficiency, reducing wait times, and providing a seamless guest experience, STAY is the stronger choice. It boasts a 3/5 overall rating, over 200 recent reviews, and an NPS of 9.59/10, reflecting high satisfaction with its user-friendly interface and robust integrations.

Spotlio, by comparison, has no recent reviews and a 0/5 rating, indicating a lack of current customer validation. If your goal is to digitize services like room reservations, request management, and internal workflows, STAY’s extensive feature set and proven track record make it the more reliable option.

Conversely, if your hotel seeks a simple mobile marketing platform for brand engagement, Spotlio’s mobile guides and responsive websites may be more aligned. But for comprehensive guest app needs, STAY clearly leads.

Is Spotlio or STAY Easier to Use?

STAY’s UI scores an impressive 4.78/5, with most reviews emphasizing its intuitive design, straightforward onboarding, and ease of staff adoption. Hotels like Hotel Dolce Sitges praise its simple content management and real-time updates, which streamline daily operations.

Spotlio, on the other hand, has a 0/5 rating, with no recent reviews available to assess ease of use. Its lack of recent validation makes it difficult to gauge how well staff can adapt or how fast implementation might be.

Edge: STAY.

Which Has Better Features: Spotlio or STAY?

STAY offers 14 unique features, including chatbots, automated replies, message routing, guest messaging, room service ordering, local recommendations, hotel directory, multilingual translation, mobile checkout, and guest profiles. These features support a full guest experience management system.

Spotlio has no proprietary features listed beyond its core mobile app and responsive websites, making it less comprehensive. Its focus remains on mobile marketing rather than operational guest services.

Edge: STAY.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Spotlio or STAY?

STAY’s customer support scores 4.83/5, with reviews highlighting its responsiveness and helpful onboarding. Users mention that the team is helpful, although some note limited phone support and regional support hours.

Spotlio, with no recent reviews, provides no clear support ratings, raising concerns about ongoing assistance. The absence of recent validation suggests that STAY’s support is more dependable for hotels needing ongoing help.

Edge: STAY.

Which Has More Integrations: Spotlio or STAY?

STAY integrates with 20 verified partners, including prominent systems like hotelkit, Mews, Oracle Hospitality, and SiteMinder. These integrations enable seamless data flow, improve operational workflows, and support channel management.

Spotlio has zero verified integrations, limiting its ability to connect with existing hotel systems. For your hotel aiming for a connected tech stack, STAY's integrations are a significant advantage.

Edge: STAY.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Spotlio or STAY?

Given the lack of recent reviews for Spotlio, there is no current data to gauge hoteliers' satisfaction. STAY, with 206 reviews and an overall rating of 3/5, garners consistent feedback praising operational improvements and guest satisfaction.

Hotels in the luxury, chain, and resort segments tend to rate STAY higher, especially given its proven success in large-scale deployments like NH Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton Abama. If recent satisfaction metrics matter, STAY’s higher reviews make it the preferred choice.

Edge: STAY.

How Much Do Spotlio and STAY Cost?

Spotlio’s pricing details are not publicly available, which may imply a customized quote or a less transparent pricing model. STAY charges a straightforward $300/month fee, with no implementation or setup fees, making budgeting easier.

Given the transparency and predictable costs, STAY offers a clearer value proposition. The absence of public pricing for Spotlio suggests a need for direct contact to clarify expenses.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Spotlio?

Hotels that:

• Focus primarily on marketing and brand engagement
• Have a small to medium size and limited operational digitization needs
• Seek mobile guides, responsive websites, or basic app features
• Prioritize visual content and interactive marketing tools
• Are in regions where Spotlio’s regional presence is strong

Not ideal if your hotel needs comprehensive service digitization, integrations, or operational management tools. Spotlio is better suited for hotels looking to enhance their mobile marketing rather than streamline operations.

What Type of Hotel Should Use STAY?

Hotels that:

• Want a full-service guest app for operations and engagement
• Are part of large chains or have multiple properties
• Need integrations with PMS, CRM, and channel managers
• Aim to reduce front desk queues and increase service efficiency
• Desire real-time updates, request management, and in-room service options
• Are located in regions where STAY's support and infrastructure are established

Not ideal if your hotel is very small, operates in regions with limited support, or only needs basic marketing tools. STAY’s comprehensive platform suits hotels committed to operational digitization and guest satisfaction.

The Bottom Line for Hotels: Spotlio or STAY?

Spotlio offers basic mobile marketing features but lacks recent validation and in-depth customer feedback, limiting confidence in its current capabilities. Its focus is more on visual engagement and brand storytelling than operational management.

STAY, with over 200 recent reviews, a 3/5 rating, and a strong set of features, remains the more reliable choice for hotels seeking an all-in-one guest experience platform. Its extensive integrations, proven deployment, and high customer support ratings make it the recommended option.

If your hotel needs a full-featured guest app that enhances operational efficiency and guest satisfaction, go with STAY. For marketing-focused hotels with limited digitization needs, Spotlio might serve as a supplementary tool, but it’s not a substitute for a comprehensive guest app.

The decision ultimately depends on your hotel’s scale and strategic priorities. If you value proven performance, extensive features, and recent positive feedback, STAY clearly leads. If your focus is on basic branding and marketing outreach, Spotlio could be a supplementary choice but lacks the depth of STAY’s platform.