Crave Mobile Platform (acq by HCN) vs. Guestnet:
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Is Crave Interactive/HCN or Guestnet Better for Hotels?

Crave Interactive/HCN and Guestnet both address the need for digital guest engagement and service automation in hotels but diverge sharply in scope and operational focus. Crave Interactive/HCN excels as a mobile-first, appless platform prioritizing contactless ordering and payments with 16 exclusive features such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, POS integration, and NFC ordering. This makes it ideal for hotels seeking to optimize in-venue food and beverage operations and upselling through direct guest orders. Guestnet, by contrast, operates as a fully customizable guest experience platform with strong PMS integration, digital guest compendiums, and multi-channel content distribution, emphasizing centralized guest communication and self-service.

Both platforms solve the core problem of reducing front desk workload and increasing ancillary revenue by digitizing guest services. Crave Interactive/HCN focuses more narrowly on food ordering and payment workflows within the property, benefiting operations and guest convenience at points of sale. Guestnet offers broader operational digitization with features like mobile check-in, guest profiles, and integrated booking for activities and spa treatments. The choice hinges on whether a property’s priority is streamlined contactless ordering or a comprehensive guest communication ecosystem.

Crave Interactive/HCN vs Guestnet: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If you operate a hotel where in-venue food and beverage ordering drives significant revenue—such as resorts, casinos, or branded hotels with multiple dining outlets—Crave Interactive/HCN fits best. Its 16 unique features supporting contactless ordering, payment integrations including Apple Pay and Google Pay, and POS connectivity cater to properties requiring efficient table service and upselling. This is supported by 27 reviews from resorts and 8 from casinos averaging 4.7 to 4.8 stars, indicating strong satisfaction in these segments.

Conversely, if your property emphasizes comprehensive guest communication, digital compendiums, and integrated service management, Guestnet is the better choice. Guestnet’s 201 reviews span luxury hotels (4.9/5 over 84 reviews), boutique hotels (4.8/5 over 64 reviews), and small properties, demonstrating appeal across segments prioritizing guest engagement beyond food ordering. Its features like guest profiles, mobile check-in, and multi-channel publishing support hotels looking to centralize guest information and streamline operations beyond dining.

For small independent hotels or B&Bs, Guestnet’s 49 reviews with a 4.7 rating highlight suitability for properties aiming for a digital guest journey inclusive of regional tourism information. Crave Interactive/HCN has fewer reviews in this segment (6% of users), suggesting less adoption or fit. Data is limited for hostels and vacation rentals; Crave’s low rating (3.8 from 3 reviews) contrasts with Guestnet’s higher rating (4.8 from 7 reviews), indicating Guestnet’s stronger presence in lower-service segments.

Is Crave Interactive/HCN or Guestnet Easier to Use?

Crave Interactive/HCN and Guestnet show near parity in ease of use and onboarding, with respective ratings of 4.6/5 and 4.7/5 for ease of use, and 4.7/5 and 4.6/5 for onboarding. Reviewers of Crave praise the platform’s intuitive interface for guests and staff, noting the simplicity of the ordering process and quick adaptation by hotel teams. Guestnet reviewers similarly appreciate the simplicity and speed of content updates and the clear structure that eases both guest and staff interactions.

Some Crave reviewers cite the back-end system as needing modernization for better menu updates and navigation, which may affect staff ease of use in administrative tasks. Guestnet’s backend is also described as occasionally cumbersome for reception staff, particularly for formatting and managing complex settings. Both platforms require some training but receive high marks for support during onboarding.

Edge: Even.

Which Has Better Features: Crave Interactive/HCN or Guestnet?

Crave Interactive/HCN offers 16 unique features critical for contactless food and beverage service, including QR code ordering, Apple Pay, Google Pay, multi-menu ordering, POS integration, tipping, and scheduling orders. These features allow guests to order and pay from anywhere on the property, reducing front desk and waiter workload. For example, scheduling ordering lets guests place orders for later, improving kitchen flow and guest satisfaction. Near Field Contact (NFC) ordering further reduces friction in high-traffic venues.

Guestnet’s three exclusive features focus on guest journey management: guest profiles, mobile check-in, and app download capability. These enable personalized guest communication, streamlined arrivals, and broader guest service management beyond food and beverage. Guestnet’s strength lies in integrating ordering processes with PMS and POS systems, facilitating upselling and digital compendiums that consolidate hotel and regional information.

The broad range of Crave’s contactless ordering and payment features contrasts with Guestnet’s focus on guest profile and check-in functionality, making Crave superior for food-service-heavy properties and Guestnet stronger for multi-service guest engagement.

Edge: Crave Interactive/HCN.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Crave Interactive/HCN or Guestnet?

Both Crave Interactive/HCN and Guestnet score identically high on customer support, with ratings of 4.8/5 and onboarding scores of 4.7/5 versus 4.6/5, respectively. Crave Interactive/HCN reviewers frequently highlight their “extremely fast customer service” and “incredible response times,” with examples of changes implemented within minutes—even outside normal hours. Guestnet reviewers praise the “fast, friendly, and solution-oriented” support and note frequent updates and feature additions driven by customer feedback.

Some Guestnet users express a desire for more responsive channels and continuous product development for complex needs, but this feedback is limited compared to overall praise. Crave’s support appears especially proactive during urgent operational needs.

Edge: Even.

Which Has More Integrations: Crave Interactive/HCN or Guestnet?

Guestnet currently has 20 verified integrations compared to Crave Interactive/HCN’s 17. Neither platform shares integrations; Crave’s partners include Oracle Hospitality, Quore, Amadeus, and Kipsu, emphasizing connections with major PMS, POS, and operational platforms. Guestnet integrates with ASA Hotelsoftware, Mews, FLEXIPASS for keyless access, and several tourism and digital service providers, supporting a digital guest journey beyond ordering.

Hotels heavily reliant on Oracle or Amadeus PMS and legacy systems may prefer Crave for its established integrations. Properties using Mews or requiring digital keyless entry systems will find Guestnet’s integrations more aligned. Guestnet’s partnerships with tourism organizations and digital signage providers extend its reach for regional guest information.

Edge: Even.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Crave Interactive/HCN or Guestnet?

Guestnet holds a higher overall rating of 4.8/5 across 201 reviews, including 45 recent reviews averaging 4.8/5 in the last six months. Crave Interactive/HCN’s rating is 4.6/5 across 67 reviews, with no recent reviews in the last six months, suggesting its rating may not fully reflect the current product state. Both have high likelihood to recommend rates: 96% for Guestnet and 93% for Crave.

Segment analysis shows Guestnet leading with ratings of 4.9/5 from 84 luxury hotel reviews and 4.8/5 from 64 boutique hotel reviews. Crave Interactive/HCN’s luxury hotel reviews total 31 with a 4.6 rating and boutique hotels have 27 reviews at 4.7. For branded hotels, Crave scores 4.8/5 over 27 reviews, Guestnet is marginally higher at 4.9/5 with 21 reviews. Guestnet outpaces Crave in smaller or alternative accommodations, with 49 reviews for B&Bs at 4.7 and 7 hostel reviews at 4.8, versus Crave’s fewer and lower-rated reviews in these segments.

Edge: Even.

How Much Do Crave Interactive/HCN and Guestnet Cost?

Crave Interactive/HCN’s base price is $400 with no freemium, no monthly flat or per-room fees, and no implementation fee. Guestnet’s base price is $500 with similar pricing structure—no freemium, monthly fees, or implementation charges. Neither offers a trial period.

The $100 price difference is marginal relative to the scope of features and integrations. Neither vendor publishes detailed tiered pricing or add-on costs, leaving total cost dependent on contract specifics. Hotels should clarify scope of included services, support, and customizations before purchase.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Crave Interactive/HCN?

• Hotels that prioritize contactless, in-venue food and beverage ordering and payment, especially those with multiple dining outlets or high F&B revenue.
• Teams aiming to reduce front desk and waiter workload by enabling guests to order and pay directly via mobile devices without app downloads.
• Properties requiring POS and payment gateway integrations like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and credit card processing for seamless checkout.
• Resorts and branded hotels with high guest volume needing scheduling and upselling features to increase ancillary sales.
• Hotels wanting fast customer support with immediate responsiveness for operational changes.

Not ideal if:

• Your property needs a fully integrated digital guest communication platform beyond ordering.
• You require mobile check-in, guest profile management, or multi-channel content publishing.
• You seek a solution with a modern, fully customizable backend for marketing and personalization.
• You prioritize recent, active review feedback reflecting product evolution (Crave lacks recent reviews).

What Type of Hotel Should Use Guestnet?

• Hotels seeking a comprehensive guest experience platform that centralizes communication, digital compendiums, and upselling.
• Properties emphasizing mobile check-in and guest profile management for personalized service.
• Small and medium-sized independent hotels, B&Bs, boutique hotels, and luxury hotels prioritizing guest engagement beyond F&B.
• Hotels wanting multi-channel publishing across apps, web, TV, and print to maintain consistent guest communication.
• Properties using PMS solutions like ASA or Mews requiring deep integration for bookings, check-out, and service management.

Not ideal if:

• Your primary focus is contactless in-venue ordering and payment with advanced POS integration.
• You require a system with a larger footprint of payment options and scheduling for food services.
• You prefer a solution with a longer track record and more reviews confirming stable operational performance.
• Your guest demographic includes many less tech-savvy users who may struggle with digital-first communication.

Crave Interactive/HCN vs Guestnet: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Crave Interactive/HCN specializes in mobile-first, appless contactless ordering and payment solutions tailored for hotels where food and beverage service efficiency and upselling drive revenue. Its 16 unique features such as QR code ordering, Apple Pay, and POS integration improve operational workflows for front desk and F&B teams. Guestnet, by contrast, offers a broader guest experience platform focusing on centralized communication, mobile check-in, guest profiles, and multi-channel content distribution, suited for hotels seeking to digitize and personalize all guest touchpoints.

Choose Crave Interactive/HCN if your property depends heavily on contactless ordering and payment across multiple dining venues, values rapid customer support, and wants operationally proven upselling tools linked directly with POS systems. Its strengths are reflected in strong segment ratings for resorts and casinos and features designed to simplify in-venue guest ordering workflows.

Choose Guestnet if your hotel aims to transform guest communication into a centralized digital hub, requires mobile check-in and guest profile management, or needs multi-channel publishing to enhance guest engagement. Guestnet’s superior segment ratings in luxury and boutique hotels and its extensive integrations with PMS and keyless entry systems support properties focused on a seamless, personalized digital guest journey.

This clear distinction in capabilities and market presence helps hoteliers confidently select the platform that fits their operational priorities and guest engagement strategy.