For anyone in the hotel management industry, HotSOS is a well known software. It is a web-based hospitality tool for streamlining day-to-day operations and maintenance.
Despite a strong market share in hotel ops, HotSOS does have a few shortcomings. For many it’s the price while for others it is the user interface that drives exploration of HotSOS alternatives.
This post will break down the reported benefits and complaints of HotSOS and provide a list of HotSOS alternatives to help you with your search.
What Is HotSOS?
HotSOS is a service optimization software suite from Amadeus Hospitality. This product has been around for decades, helping hoteliers manage maintenance, inspections, guest requests, housekeeping and more.
HotSOS helps hotels to standardize procedures, complete and track work across hotel teams. Their reports help optimize core services that drive revenue and protect brand image.
Due to the longevity of the product in market, most hotel managers are well aware of Hotsos and use it as the measuring stick of any other hotel workforce management platform.
In 2024, HotSOS is still a powerful platform and has many hotel specific tools but for many teams the user interface and lack of frontline friendly mobile app make it hard to justify the high price point.
Let's start by looking at some of the most popular HotSOS alternatives to date. Later on, we'll double down on some of the other important aspects of this hospitality management platform that you need to know as a first timer.
Best HotSOS Alternatives You Should Check Out Today
For anyone looking to extensively use a long term hotel management solution for the year 2024 and beyond, here’s a list of handy tools to consider.
1. Xenia - All Time Best HotSoS Alternative
Xenia helps hotel management to standardize operations and manage work across every team.
With a ready to use template library and form builder, you can creates checklists, standard operating procedures, inspections and logs to help you formalize operations across all teams.
Every tool can be attached to tasks, assigned to teams and individuals, and tracked in real time. Analytics dashboards and report exports allow you deep insight into your hotel.
On the mobile app, employees can see and complete all tasks, attach photos, complete checklists and logs, looping in teammates as needed with integrated chat.
For management, all tasks are saved and easily organized for reporting and analysis. Xenia makes everything from housekeeping to preventive maintenance and work order management easy with scheduled and recurring tasks, visible in a built in calendar and organizable based on category, priority, assignee, status and more.
When comparing Xenia to HotSOS, the biggest advantage is the price point. HotSOS charges $900+ for a license, whereas an annual membership to Xenia starts at $59 per month for 20 users. For many hotels, this price break is a game changer for their bottom line.
Key Features:
- Operations Template Builder: Drive standardization with custom operating procedures, data logs, and top-tier inspection templates powered with workflow automations.
- Smart Inspections: Elevate your inspection process with dynamic logic to ask follow up questions, require images or notify management.
- Daily Tasks and Checklists: Assign recurring tasks, uphold safety standards, and clarify processes with standardized procedures.
- Work Order Management: Assign work orders with full detail, images, notes, and templates for accountability.
- Preventive Maintenance: Centralize tasks in a digital calendar for precise planning across assets and locations.
- Work Requests and Approvals: Efficiently manage, approve, and track diverse work requests while keeping stakeholders informed.
- Incident Reports: Optimize incident handling with mobile reporting, corrective actions and live progress tracking.
- Temperature Monitoring: Combine the power of Bluetooth probes with continuous equipment monitoring for streamlined temperature checks.
- Team Communication: Elevate team chats with instant messaging, collaborative spaces, and company-wide alignment tools.
- Analytics Reports: Enhance decision-making with detailed work analytics, advanced filters, and flexible data exports
Pricing:
- Free Forever Plan: Starting at $0 for up to 5 users, with unlimited access to all the basic features!
- Starter Plan: At $99 per month, with access to all the core features.
- Premium Plan (Best Value): Starting at $199 per month, for up to 15 users with access to advanced and core features.
- Custom Solutions: Need anything tailored for your company's requirements?
Priced on per user or per location basis
Available on iOS, Android and Web
2. Alice
ALICE, part of the Actabl software suite, is a specialized on-property software tailored for housekeeping and service delivery in modern hotels.
Specifically designed to cater to the unique requirements of high-end, luxury, and multi-outlet hotels, ALICE stands out as a 5-star project management solution. The platform is dedicated to optimizing real-time communication, enhancing operational efficiency, and realizing cost savings for hotels.
It acts as a force multiplier, ensuring that hotel staff operate at peak efficiency, enabling the delivery of luxury services even with lean teams. One of its standout features is the guest satisfaction element, which guarantees swift and accurate resolution of any issues, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
Key Features:
- Real-time Communication: Facilitate instant communication between teams, ensuring timely and efficient service delivery.
- Operational Efficiency: Streamline hotel operations, from housekeeping to guest service requests, ensuring a smooth guest experience.
- Cost Savings: Implement cost-effective strategies and practices, maximizing profitability without compromising on service quality.
- Guest Services: Handle concierge requests with ease with front desk tools by Alice.
- Guest Messaging: Address and resolve guest issues promptly and accurately, ensuring a stellar guest experience.
Pricing:
- Alice's price is
- available on request
- .
The company offers a free trial plan. However, you will have to connect with their support team to book a demo and get additional information on pricing according to your hotel business's requirements.
3. Quore
Quore is a cloud-based hotel management software that provides a comprehensive solution for hotel operations.
Founded in 2012, the software has over 30+ tools to offer active collaboration between hotel staff, management, frontline workers, and guests. It is a potential alternative to Hotsos due to their wide range of features including housekeeping management, maintenance management, guest engagement, budget planning and reporting.
It also integrates with various third-party systems to enhance the overall efficiency of hotel operations.
Quore has a desktop and mobile app with many modules to help with tracking cleaning, compliance, guest complaints, budgets, and guest SMS. Furthermore, housekeeping and inspection operations can be delegated to people directly responsible for handling such activities. With Quore, you can track assets, record meter readings, create preventive maintenance schedules and manage work orders.
Key Features:
- Real-time task tracking through a dedicated task management system
- Dedicated preventive maintenance and inspections module
- Frontline workers, hotel staff, and managers can collaborate through a message-routing system
- Log books and to dos• Guest SMS Messaging
- Staff and Vendor Directory
Pricing:
- Get a 30-day free trial for evaluation purposes
- Paid plan starts at a $100 flat subscription with other plans available on request
4. Flexkeeping (Hotel Operations Platform)
Moving on, Flexkeeping comes as another highly recommended HotSOS alternative.
The program is specially developed to streamline hotel housekeeping activities, general operational workflow, and staff communication. On latter note, Flexkeeping has empowered over 20,000 staff members to help them deliver an outstanding hospitality experience to respective customers from all over.
That being said, Flexkeeping maintains its bevy of features through dedicated modules or sub-category products. Flexkeeping Room Service, Flexkeeping Maintenance, and Flexkeeping Housekeeping are products maintained on the company's official platform.
In that regard, the pricing plan ranges as per your business's exact nature of operations and general requirements.
Key Features:
- Multi-format file support ranging over images, documents, and videos for better streamlining inspections and hotel operations
- Timely resolution of guest issues handled via the case management module
- Perform preventive maintenance activities through an in-built task manager
- Guest items lost and found tracker
- Virtual log book to combat on-site pencil whipping activities
Pricing:
- Freemium plan available to hotel business owners for a 30-day trial and evaluation purposes
- Aside from an implementation fee of $1,000, or less, paid plans start at $3, to $6 per room, per month
5. Knowcross
Also known as 'KnowCross Housekeeping' and 'KNOW Housekeeping,' the software is an absolute must-have for anyone looking to manage housekeeping operations and maintenance.
Knowcross's features guarantee a higher guest satisfaction rate, a massive reduction in paper trail, and an overall increase in hotel staff's productivity.
Some of the best-known program's features are listed below.
Key Features:
- Perform housekeeping operations through custom inspections checklists, preventive maintenance task manager, and much more
- Drag and drop assignments at room level
- Automatic task notifications directly sent to task assignees
- Set custom rules and priority levels for Knowcross users easily
- Dedicated Android and iOS apps
Pricing:
Knowcross doesn't have a disclosed price plan. You need to contact their customer support for additional information.
6. HotelKit
Hotelkit is a cutting-edge hotel operations management platform that addresses the unique challenges faced by the hospitality industry.
Its comprehensive suite of features is designed to streamline communication, enhance collaboration, and optimize processes across all departments within a hotel.
The platform's user-friendly interface ensures that staff members can easily navigate and utilize its powerful tools, regardless of their technical expertise.
Hotelkit's versatility makes it suitable for hotels of all sizes, ranging from small boutique establishments to large international chains. Whether it's a quaint bed and breakfast or a sprawling resort, Hotelkit offers scalable solutions that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each property. This flexibility allows hotels to implement a system that aligns with their operational workflows, organizational structure, and unique guest requirements.
Key Features:
- Communication and Collaboration: Hotelkit offers a centralized communication hub where hotel staff can collaborate, share information, and coordinate tasks in real-time. It provides tools such as internal messaging, task management, and document sharing, ensuring efficient and transparent communication among team members.
- Operations Management: The platform enables hotels to digitize and streamline their operational workflows. Hotelkit offers modules for housekeeping management, maintenance requests, guest requests, inventory management, and more. These tools optimize task allocation, improve response times, and enhance overall operational efficiency.
- Knowledge Base and Training: Hotelkit provides a centralized knowledge base where hotels can store important documents, manuals, and procedures. This ensures that staff members have access to up-to-date information and standardized processes. The platform also offers training management features, allowing hotels to create and deliver training materials to ensure consistent service standards.
- Guest Feedback and Reputation Management: Hotelkit helps hotels manage guest feedback effectively. It provides tools to collect and analyze guest reviews and ratings, enabling hotels to gain insights into guest satisfaction levels. The platform also assists in reputation management by monitoring online reviews and facilitating timely responses to guest feedback.
- Performance Analytics: Hotelkit offers analytics and reporting capabilities, providing valuable insights into operational performance. Hotels can track key metrics, generate custom reports, and identify areas for improvement. These analytics empower hotel management to make data-driven decisions and drive continuous improvement in their operations.
- Integrations: Hotelkit integrates with various third-party systems commonly used in the hospitality industry, such as property management systems (PMS), customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and task automation platforms. These integrations ensure seamless data flow between different systems, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing operational inefficiencies.
Pricing:
- Hotelkit pricing is not public, contact their sales team for a quote.
7. Clickup
Designed as a comprehensive work management platform, ClickUp is the ultimate tool for hotel managers aiming to streamline their operations and enhance team collaboration. With its promise to replace all other apps, ClickUp brings together tasks, docs, chat, goals, and more, all under one roof. This platform is not just about task management; it's about optimizing every aspect of your hotel's operations, from guest relations to housekeeping coordination.
Key Features:
- Project & Tasks: Plan, track, and manage any hotel-related project with a flexible project management system. Whether it's organizing events or managing room bookings, ClickUp has got you covered.
- Real-time Chat: Facilitate instant communication between departments, ensuring timely service delivery and efficient problem resolution.
- Docs & Whiteboards: Create, share, and collaborate on documents in real-time, perfect for staff training materials or guest information sheets.
- Dashboards: Get a visual overview of your hotel's operations, from occupancy rates to guest feedback, all in one place.
- Goals: Set and track objectives for your hotel, be it revenue targets or guest satisfaction scores.
- Integrations: With over 270 integrations, ClickUp can seamlessly connect with your existing hotel management systems.
- 24/7 Support: Benefit from the highest rated client support in software, ensuring you always have assistance when you need it.
Pricing:
- Clickup plans begin at $7 per user per month. View Clickup Pricing for more information.
8. Aiello TMS Pro
Simplify operations, empower staff, and impress guests with Aiello TMS Pro, an all-in-one hotel management software.
Housekeeping, guest relations, maintenance, and reporting are just a few of the many areas that this intuitive software can help you manage.
Everything from guest requests and cleaning to maintenance and informative reporting is taken care of by its modern interface and excellent data analytics capabilities.
Key Features:
- Enhanced Guest Experience: Streamline guest communication with a centralized platform for requests and feedback.
- Improved Operational Efficiency: Automate routine tasks like housekeeping assignments and maintenance requests.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Generate comprehensive reports to track key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Modern and User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive interface simplifies onboarding and reduces training time. Accessible from any device for on-the-go management.
Pricing:
- Contact the vendor for pricing details
9. WebRezPro
Designed specifically for independent hotels, WebRezPro is an all-inclusive cloud-based PMS that streamlines operations, increases revenue, and leaves a lasting impression on visitors.
Enjoy the convenience of managing your bookings, maintenance, guest communication, and financials from any location with this user-friendly platform.
Key Features:
- Effortless Reservation Management: Manage reservations across all channels – online, phone, walk-ins – in a single platform.
- Seamless Guest Communication: Automated email and SMS tools keep guests informed and engaged throughout their stay.
- Streamlined Housekeeping Operations: Assign and track housekeeping tasks for optimal efficiency. Reduce errors with paperless communication and automated task management.
- Financial Control at Your Fingertips: Generate detailed reports on reservations, revenue, and expenses.
Pricing:
- Contact the vendor for pricing details
10. Little Hotelier
If you own a small hotel or B&B, you need a property management system (PMS).
Little Hotelier is an easy-to-use, comprehensive solution. They strive to streamline your operations, automate mundane activities, and give you the freedom to concentrate on delivering exceptional guest experiences.
With this intuitive software, you can easily manage your bookings, cleaning, finances, and even the creation of a stunning website.
Key Features:
- Effortless Reservation Management: Manage reservations across all channels – phone, walk-ins, and online travel agencies (OTAs) – in a centralized system.
- Streamlined Housekeeping Operations: Monitor room status in real-time for smooth guest check-ins and check-outs.
- Simplified Guest Communication: Send automated emails and confirmations to guests for a seamless experience.
- Financial Management Made Easy: Generate reports on reservations, revenue, and expenses to gain financial insights.
- Built-in Website Builder: Create a beautiful and mobile-friendly website to showcase your property.
Pricing:
- Basics: Free 30 day trial
- Pro: $109 USD / month
- Premium: $134 USD / month
11. Vouch
Housekeeping is the main emphasis of Vouch's operations solution. Housekeeping can now manage, prioritize, and even automate recurring assignments with this mobile-first system, called Vouch Housekeeping.
Hotel managers may utilize the unified data to make better operational choices, such as staffing levels and resource management, by receiving real-time information on jobs. Vouch Housekeeping is quite impressive; it can even function without internet, which makes it a great option for hotels in remote areas with erratic access.
The only objective of Vouch housework is housework. Vouch has additional solutions, although they don't have an emphasis on improving operational processes.
These products are for tailored services, contactless check-in, and guest experiences. Other, more all-encompassing solutions might be more beneficial for hotels aiming to enhance their overall operations.
Key Features
- Vouch Check-In: Increase revenue by customizing products depending on the preferences of your visitors, beginning before to their arrival.
- Hotel Operating System: Guests find the self-check-in procedure to be easy and uncomplicated, which relieves a great deal of load on operations.
- Digital Compendium: Staff communication in real time, guaranteeing effective administration of ad hoc and everyday housekeeping chores.
- Room Request: Digital menus that let customers place orders straight to your kitchen, eliminating the need for a contact center.
- Ecosystem of Smoothly Integrated Operations: You may operate at maximum efficiency with the Vouch Hotel Operations Management Ecosystem (Vouch HOME). From organizing tasks to
Pricing
- Contact the vendor for pricing.
12. FCS1 Solutions
With the cloud-based suite FCS1, hotel operations, hotels can choose to use all of the capabilities or just some of them.
A wide range of hotel operations are covered by the suite's capabilities, which include maintenance, incident management, and jobs and tasks dispatch with real-time tracking and task automation.
Hotel managers may review reports, escalate duties, and evaluate dashboards from a back-end manager. FCS1 is compatible with a wide range of hotel software, from IBM to Epson. The firm has a great reputation as well; some of its clientele include Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott.
FCS1's adaptability might potentially be a liability. Organizational deadlock might result from firms being able to choose and choose which functionalities to use.
Key Features
- Customize: Make your hotel your own. Combine components to create a solution that meets your unique requirements.
- Streamline: Turn on autopilot for your hotel's operations. Optimize your operations, streamline your workflows, and automate your procedures.
- Analyze: Use dashboards and reports to monitor your operations and make data-driven choices for your hotel.
- Dashboards: A quick overview of your business's activities. Get a real-time performance summary of your hotel and team.
- Automation: The easy approach to increase output. Streamline team processes using automation to boost productivity. Fully automated and traceable.
Pricing
- Contact the vendor for pricing.
13. StayPlease
Integrated hotel management software, StayPlease Operations, is built around a dispatch board that keeps track of jobs and helps with the essential communication surrounding them.
As a result, the software is perfect for all departments, including engineering and front office, and it even has capabilities tailored to certain departments' needs.
For instance, housekeeping staff members are better at cleaning rooms and reporting defects, while concierge staff members are better at keeping track of visitor preferences.
Moreover, there is an inventory module that keeps track of goods discovered lost, and recovered as well as in-room products like the contents of a mini-fridge. Additionally, StayPlease Operations provides reporting tools so that hotel managers may use data to increase operational effectiveness.
Key Features
- Command Room Cleaning: Delegating, reassigning, and sprinting rooms has never been simpler. Provide receptionists and coordinators with complete insight into the cleaning process.
- To Do - Doing: StayPlease's task dispatch board provides order takers with a natural and thorough view of orders. Messaging, escalation, callback, incidents, and service recovery are all only a click away.
- One App For The Whole Staff: This operations app is all-purpose. Task Messaging creates conversations just for the requester, recipient, and others with authorization.
- Reporting and Data Analysis: Examine work efficiencies, flaws, and incidents. Schedule daily email reports to the heads of departments. StayPlease gives the tools you need to gather the information you want.
Pricing
- Contact the vendor for pricing.
4 Things Customers Reportedly Like About HotSOS
HotSOS offers a blend of hotel management system capabilities, and some explicit features that makes it easier for front desk management to streamline their operations.
1. HotSOS IVR
A relevant example, on latter note, would be the integrated guest calling and management feature.
Known as HotSOS IVR, the feature helps hotel workers to connect HotSOS with the facility’s very own call system. This way, these workers, or hospitality managers, can check in on guests, their individual requirements and wellbeing on the go.
2. Historic Data Maintenance
If there are repeat visitors from VIP category, hotel front desk workers can retrieve the guest info to get all the detailed information on the person’s previous stay history. Whatever a VIP guest likes, their check in and check out timings, food preferences and menu order history as long as past stay information is concerned, can be pulled up via HotSOS.
3. Multi Lingual Support
Back in 2007, according to ‘Hospitality Net’, HotSOS went global with the announcement of multi language support sprawling over Russian, Chinese, Japanese and French. By now, the support library has increased drastically, which shows the extent of robustness that HotSOS devs have put into making the software easier to use for people all over the world.
4. Cloud Based Support & Data Protection
Like other popular HotSOS alternatives in the hotel, compliance and facility management realm, HotSOS operates in the cloud.
It means that you don’t have to download a package installer to install the software.
Cloud support also translates to 24/7 data retrieval and remote access for hotel and facility employees, regardless of their mobility and location.
4 HotSOS Complaints and Shortfalls to Consider
1. High Price Point
HotSOS gained traction in the hotel market when properties were used to paying insane enterprise technology fees for half-decent software. Times have changed. Development has improved to allow other products to outperform HotSOS in the core functionality at a much lower price point and a friendlier user interface.
2. Outdated User Interface
Some people believe that HotSOS is falling behind in innovating the experience to suit an improved user interface. There are many reports that the interface can be slow and laggy when switching between screens. According to one verified user who used HotSOS for over 2 years as a general manager in a hospitality company with over 10,000 employees:
This software hasn't received updates and redesigns of its competitors resulting in an experience which feels outdated.
3. Lack of Focus on Mobile App
HotSOS is not known for their easy to use, intuitive user interface. They are known because of their first mover advantage and longstanding relationships with properties, as well as their ability to integrate with other legacy systems such as Opera. This means that the mobile app experience of HotSOS leaves much to be improved upon. In the end, the lack of improvement to the frontline usability is the biggest reason why competitors have been able to steal market share.
4. Difficult to Use
HotSOS was built in a time where software varied greatly between programs and thus takes a lot of education to learn how to use all the features. Blair, a front desk manager and HotSOS user for 2+ years states that:
It takes time and training for someone to get used to all the features of HotSOS. There are so many symbols.
another front office manager, Johana believes HotSOS is a great back up for hospitality but states that HotSOS lacks the training and customer support necessary to be 7
able to effectively apply all the tools that HotSOS provides.
Pick the Best Hotsos Alternative for Your Business
While Hotsos is a well-known hotel operations management software, it's important to consider alternative options that may better align with your hotel's specific needs.
Competitors such as Xenia, Quore, Hotelkit, and Alice offer powerful and comprehensive solutions for streamlining hotel operations, enhancing communication, and optimizing processes within the hospitality industry.
Each alternative brings its own unique features, user-friendly interfaces, and scalability, allowing hotels of all sizes to find a solution that fits their operational workflows and organizational requirements.
By exploring these alternatives, hotels can unlock opportunities to improve guest satisfaction, increase operational efficiency, and drive overall business success.