Crave Mobile Platform (acq by HCN) vs. Shiji Stellaris Digital:
Lequel vous convient le mieux ?

The Decision

Choosing the right hotel guest app is critical to enhancing guest engagement, streamlining operations, and increasing revenue. Both Crave Mobile Platform by Crave Interactive and Shiji Stellaris Digital aim to digitize the guest experience, but they differ significantly in capabilities, user feedback, and market presence. Your decision hinges on whether you prioritize proven performance, feature depth, or broader integration options.

Crave Interactive boasts a high customer rating, a strong review base, and comprehensive feature sets. Conversely, Shiji Group offers extensive integrations and a more scalable, all-in-one approach, but lacks recent reviews or a broad customer rating. Which solution aligns best with your hotel’s specific needs?

Is Crave Interactive or Shiji Stellaris Digital Better for Hotels?

Crave Interactive and Shiji Group both target hotel guest engagement but approach it differently. Crave focuses on mobile guest apps that provide services like digital menus, contactless ordering, and in-venue payments, all designed for quick deployment and ease of use. Shiji, on the other hand, offers an integrated suite that includes mobile check-in, in-room dining, and guest communication—covering more touchpoints across the entire guest journey.

While Crave has a proven track record with extensive reviews and a highly rated interface, Shiji’s digital platform emphasizes deep integration with PMS and POS systems, offering a broader operational scope. The key question is whether your hotel needs a proven, standalone guest app or a comprehensive, integrated hotel management suite.

Crave Interactive vs Shiji Stellaris Digital: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a reliable, easy-to-adopt guest app that boosts guest satisfaction and ancillary sales, Crave is the clear choice. Its 48 recent reviews and a 4.75/5 overall rating underscore proven success in diverse hotel segments, especially luxury and boutique hotels.

However, if your hotel seeks a unified platform that digitizes multiple guest touchpoints—from check-in to checkout—and integrates seamlessly with existing systems, Shiji’s Stellaris Digital is more suitable. Its scalability and broad system integrations make it ideal for large or multi-property hotels aiming for comprehensive operational digitization.

Is Crave Interactive or Shiji Stellaris Digital Easier to Use?

Crave Interactive earns a high ease of use rating at 4.61/5, backed by positive reviews emphasizing its user-friendly interface and quick onboarding. Hoteliers praise its straightforward setup, intuitive guest experience, and helpful customer support, with reviews highlighting rapid issue resolution and proactive support.

Shiji’s platform, while feature-rich, has not received recent reviews or user ratings publicly, making its ease of use harder to assess. Given the lack of recent feedback, it’s uncertain how easily staff and guests adapt to its interface.

Edge: Crave Interactive.

Which Has Better Features: Crave Interactive or Shiji Stellaris Digital?

Crave offers 16 unique features, including QR codes, digital menus, contactless ordering, Apple Pay, Google Pay, POS integration, and in-venue ordering—all aimed at enhancing guest convenience and operational efficiency. Its feature set is tailored for mobile, app-less experiences that streamline service.

Shiji provides only 3 features exclusive to its platform: guest profiles, mobile check-in, and app download, with the remaining 6 shared features. Its focus is more on comprehensive hotel management rather than specific guest-facing functionalities.

Edge: Crave Interactive.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Crave Interactive or Shiji Stellaris Digital?

Crave scores highly on customer support with a 4.79/5 rating and positive reviews praising its quick, helpful responses and proactive support. Hoteliers describe Crave’s team as responsive and attentive, often resolving issues within hours, which is critical during initial setup and ongoing operation.

Shiji lacks recent reviews or publicly available feedback on support quality, making it difficult to assess. Given Crave’s strong support ratings, it clearly leads in this area.

Edge: Crave Interactive.

Which Has More Integrations: Crave Interactive or Shiji Stellaris Digital?

Crave integrates with 17 verified partners, including notable names like Oracle Hospitality, Kipsu, and Infor, focusing on hospitality-specific solutions. Shiji boasts 64 verified integrations, including major PMS and channel management systems like SiteMinder, Revinate, and Oaky.

While Shiji offers a broader set of integrations, many are more relevant for larger, multi-property operations. Crave’s integrations are highly focused on guest service and point-of-sale systems, making it more straightforward for hotels prioritizing front-end guest engagement.

Edge: Shiji Group.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Crave Interactive or Shiji Stellaris Digital?

Crave’s recent reviews show an average rating of 4.75/5 from 48 reviews, with 93% of hoteliers recommending it. Reviewers highlight its user-friendliness, support quality, and positive guest feedback, especially in luxury and boutique properties.

Shiji lacks recent, publicly available reviews, so customer ratings are unavailable. With a large global presence, its reputation remains well-established, but limited current feedback hampers a direct comparison.

Edge: Crave Interactive.

How Much Do Crave Interactive and Shiji Stellaris Digital Cost?

Crave’s pricing starts at a $400 base fee, with no mention of monthly or per-room charges, and no free trial available. Its straightforward pricing model simplifies budgeting for hotels seeking a clear, predictable cost.

Shiji does not publicly disclose its pricing, which is common for enterprise solutions. Likely, costs vary based on integration complexity and hotel size, requiring direct contact for a quote.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Crave Interactive?

• Hotels seeking a proven, reliable guest app with high user ratings.
• Properties focusing on guest engagement, ancillary revenue, and digital menus.
• Hotels wanting quick deployment and minimal system complexity.
• Teams that value dedicated, responsive support.
• Hotels that prefer a standalone guest app rather than a fully integrated management system.

Not ideal if:

• Your hotel needs end-to-end property management integration.
• You require extensive customization or a highly modernized back-end.
• Hardware durability is a major concern, as some reviews mention tablet issues.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Shiji Stellaris Digital?

• Large hotels and resorts needing a comprehensive, integrated guest experience suite.
• Multi-property chains aiming for consistent guest touchpoints.
• Hotels with existing PMS and POS systems looking for seamless integration.
• Hotels prioritizing operational automation and real-time data.
• Properties seeking to digitize the entire guest journey from check-in to checkout.

Not ideal if:

• You prefer a straightforward, proven guest app without broader system integration.
• Your staff is not equipped for complex onboarding or system management.
• Your hotel is small, with limited need for extensive digital touchpoints.

The Bottom Line for Hotels: Crave vs Shiji

Crave’s strength lies in its high user ratings, ease of use, and proven track record for guest engagement, supported by numerous recent reviews. It excels for hotels prioritizing a reliable, app-based guest experience with strong support.

Shiji offers a broader set of integrations and a scalable platform that covers more touchpoints across the guest journey. It’s better suited for larger properties or chains seeking a unified, integrated digital environment.

If your hotel needs a quick, proven guest app with excellent support, Crave is the safer choice. If you’re looking for a highly integrated, scalable system that can handle multiple operational facets, Shiji should be your consideration.

This comparison provides a clear, data-backed guide to help your team decide. Both solutions are capable, but your hotel’s specific priorities will determine the best fit.