A latest industry research has found hotels are moving away from ‘all-in-one’ platforms toward ‘best-in-class’ solutions, showing an increased focus on control, functionality, and maintaining a competitive position.
The report titled ‘2026 Hotel Technology Outlook: Best-in-Class vs. All-in-One Systems‘ offers insight into how operators select and assess digital platforms.
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It was released by the NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M Tisch Center of Hospitality (NYU SPS Tisch Center), in partnership with Stayntouch and IDeaS Revenue Solutions.
This capstone study was carried out by graduate students at the NYU SPS Tisch Center and draws on from more than 300 hotel industry professionals in various roles and property types.
The study identifies the main priorities, satisfaction levels, and investment intentions that are influencing the direction of hotel technology adoption.
According to the report, as hotels use technology to improve operations and guest experiences, choosing between flexible systems and simpler solutions has become an important consideration for long-term planning.
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By GlobalDataThe research compares two approaches: ‘best-in-class’ systems, which consist of solutions connected around a central property management system (PMS), and ‘all-in-one’ systems, which provide multiple functions from a single provider.
The findings indicate 30% of all-in-one users intend to move to best-in-class solutions while only 14% of best-in-class users plan to shift to all-in-one systems.
The research indicates higher reported satisfaction among users of best-in-class systems.
Approximately 70% express satisfaction with their PMS tools, compared with 55% using all-in-one platforms.
A similar pattern appears for revenue management tools, as 59% of best-in-class users report satisfaction versus 51% on all-in-one solutions.
The report also states that usability and support rank are leading factors influencing technology selection across respondents.
Approximately one third of users seeking to move away from all-in-one systems cite dissatisfaction with training and support experiences, pointing to a potential gap in current offerings.
Guest service consistency also appears linked to system type. Those relying on integrated all-in-one platforms encounter booking errors, missed guest preferences, and check-in delays more frequently than those using separate specialised solutions.
According to the data, property size also influences system choice.
Independent hotels housing over 100 rooms, particularly those with up to 250 or more rooms, show a greater tendency towards best-in-class systems due to scalability and advanced features.
Meanwhile, smaller properties with fewer than 100 rooms often select all-in-one platforms for reasons related to simplicity and cost management.
Integration continues to be named as a significant hurdle by a substantial share of participants, with 38% flagging it as a top concern.
The report suggests the potential for vendors to improve partnerships and technical accessibility through robust application programming interfaces.
NYU SPS Tisch Center clinical associate professor Vanja Bogicevic said: “We’re proud to partner with, and grateful for the support of Stayntouch and IDeaS in sharing the findings of this comprehensive hotel technology report on best-in-class and all-in-one solutions, especially at a time when hoteliers rely on these tools to enhance efficiency and profitability.”
