As we mentioned in our article discussing essential software to have in the hotel industry, the PMS is the central piece in hotel management.
Essentially, a PMS or "property management system" is software that allows a hotel or hotel group to manage its front desk functions, such as reservations, check-ins and check-outs, room assignment and pricing, and billing.
However, PMS technology has evolved in recent years, and more sophisticated integrations offer services that go beyond front desk operations (such as maintenance and housekeeping management, restaurant activities, spa management, and cloud services).
✅ Thus, the benefits of using a PMS are numerous, including :
- Achieving better customer satisfaction and providing a higher quality of the guest experience.
- Streamlining hotel operations and reducing costs.
- Increasing occupancy, revenue, and profitability.
- Improving hotel performance.
Source: The 2021 Smart Decision Guide to Hotel Property Management Systems
It is therefore essential to make the right choice as it is a long-term investment.
An investment that requires a quite tedious research process due to the many solutions available in the market. This article is designed to save you time.
With 7 years of experience as a creator of custom applications for hotels and restaurants, we have worked with numerous PMS providers through our clients' projects.
👉 In this article, we review the main features of PMS and provide a comparison of 10 PMS available in the French market.
How to Choose the Right PMS for Your Hotel?
The first essential step before studying the different PMS options : identify your needs.
The very first criterion to consider in choosing the right PMS is the size of your establishment.
Indeed, it is not necessary to opt for a PMS with a multitude of features, which can be quite costly, if you have a small hotel.
On the contrary, if you have a large hotel portfolio, do not hesitate to invest a significant amount of money in your PMS, as the return on investment will be substantial.
According to a survey conducted by Coach Omnium among independent hoteliers, the larger the hotel, the more likely it is to use a PMS (95.5% of hotels with 51 to 60 rooms compared to 81.9% of hotels with 21 to 30 rooms). The same applies to the hotel category: 94% of 4-star hotels use a PMS, compared to 85.7% among 3-star hotels.
Also, consider the structure of your establishment (what activities do you offer? a restaurant? a spa?) and the size of your team.
Once you have taken the size of your hotel into account, identify your establishment's needs by listing specific elements regarding your operations.
1. Make a list of essential features for your establishment
Identify the list of features that will truly be useful to you and only pay for what you need.
A basic PMS software should allow you to:
- Manage reservations and have an overview of the availability (in connection with the CRS or channel manager).
- Handle check-ins and track arrivals, departures, and cancellations.
- Assign rooms to avoid overbookings and double bookings.
- Manage billing (payment methods, deducting deposits, settlements, etc.).
- Analyse data and generate reports.
A good PMS should be able to:
- Be compatible with other software systems.
- Be user-friendly and intuitive.
- Be managed by multiple users at different stages.
2. Take stock of all the internal software systems that the PMS should be able to integrate with
The interoperability of systems is the key to digitizing your hotel. Make sure to verify that your future PMS will integrate and communicate seamlessly with other existing software systems.
3. Be clear about each person who will use this tool
Who will use the PMS, how frequently, and for which functionalities? Don't hesitate to manage access rights according to the users.
Ensure that the PMS interface is user-friendly and available on multiple types of devices (mobile, computer, etc.).
Finally, does the provider offer training to get started with the tool?
4. Naturally, consider your budget
Calculate the expected return on investment and expenses.
For your information, cloud-based solutions are generally less expensive than on-site software, and the owner does not have to pay maintenance fees.
Now, let's review 10 PMS solutions in the French market, highlighting their differences and strengths.
PMS Solutions in the French Market: Features and Advantages
The following solutions are presented in no particular order. We have provided pricing information when available on their websites. Of course, we encourage you to request demos from these providers and consult reviews posted by their customers on platforms like Hotel Tech Report or Capterra.
Mews - the connected solution
Mews is designed to simplify and automate all operations for modern hoteliers and their guests. From reservation software to check-out, from front desk operations to revenue management, all processes are streamlined, accelerated, and automated.
Its strength? Its integration with over 1000 hotel software applications.
Today, Mews serves more than 5000 establishments in 60 countries and was voted the best PMS in the world at the HotelTechAwards 2024.👍 Strengths
- Cloud-based software
- Marketplace / Integration with numerous software systems
- Open API
- Intuitive interface
💰Pricing
Starting at €160 per month
Apaleo - the adaptable
Apaleo is software suited for all types of hotels. Whether you rent apartments, are a hotel chain an independent hotel, or a franchise, its flexibility will adapt to your structure. It fulfills all the functions that can be expected from a PMS, and more! Thanks to its vast number of integrations, you can quickly and easily enhance your services.
👍 Strengths
- Cloud-based software
- API-first approach
- Modular
- Integrated payment system
- Integration with numerous software applications
💰Pricing
Starting from €8 per room per month.
Infor Hospitality - the giant
It’s impossible not to mention Infor, a leading software provider that has developed an HMS system, an upgrade from a simple PMS. It allows for a comprehensive view of your establishment by integrating housekeeping management features, RMS (Revenue Management System), and streamlining accounting processes.
More suitable for large establishments, this HMS provides a mobile application for staff members in various roles within your organization. The interface is fully customizable to adapt to your specific needs.
👍 Strengths
- A central system integrating numerous applications
- Cloud software
- Customizable user interface
- Suitable for groups and multi-hotels
Medialog - the efficient
Here, we have a heavyweight in the field. Medialog is one of the first PMS systems in existence, with 33 years of experience serving hotels, a testament to its quality and longevity. There are no frills here: the system is reliable and easy to understand. Additionally, Medialog has also developed a POS system that is interfaced with the PMS, allowing for data integration between the two systems to adapt to your operations.
👍 Strengths
- Intuitive interface
- Hybrid technology
- Responsive support
- Marketplace/Integration with numerous software applications
Misterbooking - the 100% french PMS
Misterbooking, the 100% made in France PMS, offers a native channel manager AND booking engine in a single interface, all included in one package. Connected with a wide range of third-party software, Misterbooking easily adapts to establishments and their way of working.
👍 Strengths
- 100% Cloud
- Intuitive interface
- Responsive support
- Open API
Thaïs PMS - reinventing the hotel industry
Thaïs PMS's promise: to help you get back to your real job.
Designed for operators, decision-makers, and the end customer, this PMS developed in 2006 makes the work of hoteliers easier. It is an all-in-one Cloud software regularly updated with a multitude of available features.
Its little extra: it can be used on any device (tablet, smartphone, computer) and on any operating system (Windows, Linux, Android…).
👍 Strengths
- Intuitive interface
- Several complementary modules
- Integration with numerous software applications
- Responsive support
- Certified NF525 by INFOCERT for accounting
Oracle Opera Cloud - the historic leader PMS
Based on Opera, the industry-leading PMS, the Cloud platform reduces IT costs and complexity, secures data, and enhances integrations with top market solutions while continuing to offer essential features to meet the needs of hotels of different sizes and complexities.
Accessible from a mobile device, this PMS centralizes all data, which is updated in real-time. The staff thus has easy access to all information, at any time and from anywhere.
👍 Strengths
- Adaptability according to the type of establishment
- Integration with numerous software applications
- Open API
- Secure data
- Support for languages and currencies from over 200 countries
Amadeus - the International
With a presence in over 175 countries and more than 30 years of experience in the market, Amadeus is perfectly suited for independent hotels and medium-sized hotel chains.
It offers comprehensive management capabilities and advanced distribution integrations aimed at helping hotels increase demand, occupancy, and revenues.
👍 Strengths
- Adaptability according to the type of establishment
- Easy to use
- Low installation cost
- Cloud hosted on Microsoft Azure, the world's #1 cloud provider
- Open API
Asterio - the multifonctional
Asterio is the ideal assistant for your hotel and restaurant activities. A 100% Cloud solution, this PMS adapts to your business and establishment based on the needs of your guests and your type of establishment (independent hotels, with or without a restaurant...).
A channel manager and a booking engine are integrated directly into the hotel management software, Asterio!
👍 Strengths
- Modular solution
- Easy to use
- "Housekeeping" application
- Certified NF Software for cash register management.
- Customer support in France 7/7 from 7 am to 10 pm
CloudBeds - the all-in-one PMS
Voted "Best All-In-One Hotel Management System" at the HotelTechAwards 2024, CloudBeds can adapt to any type of hotel and size. It is one of the fastest-growing PMS and is adopted in more than 22,000 hotels, hostels, and alternative lodgings in over 150 countries.
Its interface allows hoteliers to manage guest check-ins and check-outs and scheduling through simple drag-and-drop.
With its open API, it integrates easily with a booking engine and a channel manager to automatically update reservation information.
👍 Strengths
- Drag & drop calendar
- Intuitive interface
- Suitable for any type of hotel
- Cloud-based
- Integrates with over 300 software applications
protel Air – the fusion of experience and new technologies
This one is definitely worth exploring! Protel Air is one of the most advanced and modern PMS in the hotel market, the result of 25 years of experience serving 14,000 hotels and residences.
This Cloud PMS is designed for individual hotels and multi-environment groups, eliminating IT constraints, energizing resources, reducing costs, and increasing revenues.
Its significant advantage? Its protel I/O communication bus, which allows you to integrate more than 1000 certified third-party solutions into your PMS. With one click, you build your custom ecosystem and benefit from the best market solutions!
👍 Strengths
- Marketplace with 1000+ integrations
- Centralized multi-property system: configurations, cardex, reservations, rates, user access rights
- Usable on all devices: tablets, smartphones, desktop computers (PC and MAC)
- Fully digitized guest journey
- Highly secure technology
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