The Top 5 Free and Open Source Hotel Reservation Software Solutions
Originally published on Capterra’s Hotel Management Blog
We all know the saying “the best things in life are free.” But are they really?
Free products always make me suspicious. I mean, there has to be something defective about that free couch sitting out next to someone’s trash can. It’s trash, after all.
But sometimes free stuff leads to the best finds.
I’ve found grade-A hockey sticks, tables, and even televisions just sitting out on the curb. Maybe that couch is a little suspicious, but those other items assure that whatever risk you take when you take them home is relatively small. No financial investment necessary.
Now imagine having the ability to tailor that product to your needs.
Want a purple coffee table instead? Throw on a paint job. Done. Need the couch to be a different color? Just get a slipcover.
All free and all customizable.
It’s pretty similar when it comes to free and open source software. While not a paid hotel management system, this “trash” is really a treasure.
So here’s the thing about free and OS software: while an absent price tag mitigates risk, these solutions are still stellar, with some even performing above and beyond traditional, paid software. You can even alter the software to fit your property’s specific needs.
Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
Below, I’ve found the top five free and open source hotel reservation systems so you can get a handle on your hotel reservations. Each is defined whether they are free, open source, or both. Solutions are listed in alphabetical order.
Jomres Core
Jomres is a free, open source plugin for Joomla and WordPress content management systems (CMS). This solution is a perfect fit for property owners, entrepreneurs looking to break into the hotel industry, and travel agencies. Jomres is tailored to meet the needs of a variety of property types, including single and multi-property sites, hotels/B&Bs, and apartments or villas.
Pros
- Frontend management
- Customizable email templates
- Book specific rooms/book by room type
- Facebook Page integration
- Enables guest reviews and comments
- Multilingual and accepts multiple currencies
Cons (Capterra Reviews)
- Initial learning curve
- No payment gateways
- Only serves Joomla and WordPress CMSs
Qlo
This free and open source reservation software enables hotel owners to create their own booking site with a variety of features to help differentiate your hotel from the rest of the pack. Qlo serves an unlimited number of rooms and room types, making this free and OS solution perfect for a variety of hotel properties.
Pros
- Testimonial/reviews feature
- Room occupancy/vacancy tool
- Multi-language site translation
- Search engine optimization (SEO) tool
- Partial-payment booking and integrated payment gateways
Cons
- No security feature
- No protection against growing data breaches
roomify Locanda
This Colorado-based startup is an active member of the Drupal community that “integrates in every page of the website and allows for a seamless experience that keeps the user on your site and works on all devices.” This solutions accommodates lodges, hotels, and B&Bs and has since been downloaded a stunning 64,100 times, currently serving more than 1,966 rooms. While not free, roomify Locanda is still an open source solution.
Pros
- Accepts direct bookings
- Receive enquiries from your guests
- Update room availability and room rates in bulk
- Third-party channel integration (like TripAdvisor)
- Craft special offers, deals, and discounts
- Calendar function to check a room availability/reservations
Cons
- Not as widely-used
- Potential small errors in need of fixing
- Works only within a Drupal open source framework
Cost
While roomify is an open source solution, it’s (unfortunately) not free. roomify’s cloud solution comes in three different levels (Casa, Locanda, and Property). Locanda is best suited for hotel properties and runs at $29/month.
Solidres
First released in October 2012, this free hotel reservation software is designed for Joomla and WordPress, and promises the advantages of customizability, interoperability, and flexibility. Solidres serves hotels, apartments, B&Bs, villas, and resorts. Demos for both Joomla and WordPress are also available.
