You can recognize a good hotel PMS by whether the team can manage the entire guest stay within it, including changes, payments, and handing off tasks to the next shift. That’s why a list of features alone isn’t enough when making a selection. Simulate the same operational scenarios for each vendor and track where data is entered twice, who handles exceptions, and what can be traced back.
Every hotel system looks well-organized during a presentation. The real test comes on Friday afternoon: a guest changes their dates, a company wants to split the bill, a room isn’t ready yet, and a new reservation just came in on the portal. It’s precisely these situations that should determine which system you choose.
First, clarify exactly what you’re buying
A PMS is a system for managing hotel operations: reservations, rooms, stays, and guest bills. A booking engine allows guests to book a stay on your own website. A channel manager facilitates the exchange of supported data with booking portals. When comparing offers, distinguish between what’s included in the product, what’s a separate module, and what’s an external integration.
For a hotel with a restaurant and wellness center, it’s also important to track spending patterns and task flows between departments. The statement “we have integration” does not explain what data is transferred, how quickly, in which direction, or who resolves errors. Ask for an answer using a specific example.
Seven tests to bring to the demo
1. The reservation changes after a deposit is paid
Create a three-night stay, record the deposit, and then shorten the stay to two nights. Next, change the room and add breakfast. Monitor the price, balance, availability, and change history.
- Check: Can the front desk clerk explain the difference between the original and new prices without referring to a reference table?
- Ask: What is recalculated automatically when a change is made, and what requires a human decision?
- Red flag: A correction made in one window leaves the original information in the next.
2. The last room is listed for sale in multiple places
Have them show you a booking receipt from a supported portal and the subsequent change in availability. Then go through a cancellation, a date change, and a communication error. It’s important to verify the result, not just send the message.
When working with a channel manager, have them confirm support for your portals, category mapping, and the scope of the specific integration. XML and iCal connections may not transmit the same data or operate at the same frequency. No test can replace an agreement on who receives notifications and what to do in the event of an outage.
3. A corporate guest needs to split the bill
The company covers lodging and breakfast; the guest pays for the minibar and spa services. Part of the stay is paid in advance. Request a demonstration of how items are broken down, payments are assigned, and reports are prepared for accounting.
The result of the test should be clear invoices and traceable links, not just a printed receipt. Involve your accountant: she is the one who can verify whether a subsequent audit will require manually reconstructing the entire stay. Coordinate the specific accounting settings with her.
4. The guest has arrived, but the room isn’t ready yet
Housekeeping changes the room’s status, an inspection reveals an issue, and the front desk needs to decide whether to relocate the guest. Test the entire sequence of steps on the device the team will use during their shift.
Ask who can mark a room as ready, how a problem is reported, and who can see that it’s being resolved. In Ellipse Team, tasks, room statuses, and operational information are available in the mobile app. Use the demo to see how to set them up for the front desk, housekeeping, and maintenance staff at your hotel.
5. Guests book and pay via mobile
Walk through the booking process yourself: select dates, enter children’s details, compare pricing options, and add services. In the test environment, see what happens when a payment fails. Does the guest know the reservation was made? Does the front desk know?
Ellipse Web Booking integrates the selection of stays, additional services, and online payment with the hotel system. When evaluating the system, don’t just focus on the appearance. Also check that the price is correct, that the reservation is confirmed, and that the result is immediately clear to both parties.
6. A new front desk clerk works without guidance from a sales representative
After a brief explanation, have your colleague create a reservation, calculate the balance due, and prepare for the guest’s checkout. Record the time, the number of questions asked, and the steps they take. Repeat this test with every system.
Also verify permissions: a part-time employee, the front desk manager, and the owner do not need the same level of access. Who can change the price, cancel an item, or export data? The availability of a feature and the permission to use it are two different things.
7. The transition to a new system has a checkpoint and a backup procedure
Request a written scope of the migration: future reservations, guests, deposit balances, price lists, vouchers, and history may not all be transferable. This also depends on the export capabilities of the original provider.
- Who will compare the number of reservations, occupancy, and financial balances before launch?
- When will entries stop being made in the original system, and where will changes made in the meantime be recorded?
- Who will switch the sales channels and verify the first reservation?
- How will the history be accessible, and how will the system operate if the internet is unavailable?
- Under what conditions will the launch be postponed, and who will decide this?
Confirm the scope of the data transfer before signing. A general promise to “transfer the data” is no substitute for a list of data items, checks, and responsible parties.
How to compare results objectively
Rate each test on a scale of 0 to 3: 0 means failed, 1 means passed via a manual workaround, 2 means functional with minor intervention, and 3 means passed by the team with clear verification of the result. Record evidence, not just your impression from the presentation.
For each test, determine the weight in advance based on your operations. A hotel with a large corporate segment will give greater weight to account allocation; a smaller apartment building will prioritize distribution and remote check-in. Multiply the points by the weights and add them up. However, mark critical requirements separately: failure to meet them will outweigh a good total score.
The monthly fee is not the total cost
Compare the same scope over 36 months: implementation, subscription, required modules, equipment, support, training, transaction costs, and any data export upon termination. Estimate your own time for preparation and process changes separately.
Model example, not a client’s actual result: If the front desk eliminates 30 repetitive manual tasks per day, each taking two minutes, this frees up approximately 30 hours in a 30-day month. At a model labor cost of €12 per hour, this represents capacity worth €360. This is not an automatic savings on payroll. The benefit arises when the time is used for guest service, sales, or when overtime is actually reduced.
When calculating the return on investment, include only the time and costs that you can justify. Do not count the same two minutes as both a reception savings and an accounting savings.
Where Ellipse Fits into the Decision-Making Process
Ellipse PMS is part of the HORECA GROUP cloud platform for hotels and restaurants. When making your selection, it makes sense to evaluate it alongside direct sales, distribution, and team operations. The key factor is whether your reservations, payments, and follow-up tasks form a seamless process.
As an example, prepare three scenarios where you currently waste the most time. Walk through them from start to finish to identify which modules, settings, or integrations you need.
Schedule a demo of Ellipse tailored to your hotel’s processes. In your request, include the number of rooms, your current system, and the three situations you’d like to streamline.
Frequently Asked Questions When Choosing a PMS
Does it make sense for a smaller hotel to test just as thoroughly?
Yes, just with fewer scenarios. What matters are your recurring tasks and challenging exceptions, not the size of the demo or the number of features listed in the price list.
Do we have to replace all our tools at once?
Not necessarily. Determine the order of changes, and for each tool that’s temporarily retained, agree on which data it exchanges with the new system and who monitors any discrepancies.
How do we know we made the right choice?
Before making the change, measure the time spent on selected tasks, the number of corrections, and the amount of manual data entry. After training, repeat the same measurements under comparable operating conditions. Team satisfaction complements the results but does not replace them.
