In the hotel industry, POS refers to ‘point of sale’, a system designed to process transactions and manage sales across a property: including the front desk, and in other service areas like bars, restaurants and day spas.

While the basic aim of all POS systems is the same, some are more effective than others, particularly for small, independent hoteliers looking to streamline operations, control inventory and enhance the guest experience.

In this guide we’ll reveal all you need to know about hotel POS software, including how to find the best hotel POS system for your situation.

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Why hoteliers need a hotel POS system

A POS hotel system is an absolute non-negotiable for a modern property, no matter how small.

Modern POS systems in hotels allow guests to pay how they want to pay, which typically includes prevalent options such as credit cards and digital wallets aside from cash transactions. This ensures you don’t miss out on any business simply because your system isn’t equipped to handle the customer’s preferred payment form.

By investing in a high-quality POS system, hotels also get a tool that can analyse transaction data and give insights into sales trends, room rates, and popular service offerings.

Additionally, these systems can centralise transactions from all hotel and restaurant POS systems – including the front desk, bars, spas and more, and use automation to increase the accuracy and efficiency of financial reporting and all manner of admin tasks.

The best hotel POS systems can help you do things like track stock levels, and reduce waste, all while enhancing the guest experience.

Types of POS system in hotels

Hotel POS systems come in a number of different forms, including:

Basic POS system

A basic POS system handles essential functions like processing payments, managing inventory and generating simple reports. A simple system may be more than enough for small, independent hotels with straightforward operational needs, and who only need to take payments in one location.

Enterprise POS system

Enterprise POS systems are designed for larger hotels and hotel chains. They support multi-site management and are designed to integrate with hotel PMS and CRM systems. While they are certainly useful, they will generally be overkill for small, independent hotels.

Desktop POS system

A desktop POS system is installed on traditional computers and used at fixed service points, like the front desk or a restaurant counter. 

Tablet POS system

Tablet POS systems run on portable devices and grant you the flexibility to take orders or process payments from anywhere on your property. They are a great option in dining areas, bars and event spaces.

Mobile POS system

Like tablet POS systems, mobile POS systems are portable, but have the added benefit of fitting in a worker’s pocket. They’re ideal for quick, on-the-go transactions, such as for staff working poolside or for in-room spa treatments.

Kiosk POS system

Kiosk POS systems are self-service terminals that allow guests to check in, order food or pay bills without assistance from staff. They enhance convenience and reduce wait times in high-traffic areas, while also giving your staff valuable time back.

hotel pos

How successful hotels and restaurants use POS systems

Like all tools, it’s not enough to simply have a hotel POS system – the important thing is how you use it. The most successful properties work hard to capitalise on all the features their solution offers. Below are some sample use cases and benefits of using hotel POS systems:

Improved efficiency

Successful small hotels and restaurants use POS systems to streamline daily operations. They set up automated or self-service payments that reduce the time spent on processing transactions. On top of reducing manual work, this minimises human error and frees you up to focus on delivering a high-end guest experience; the type that will keep customers coming back.

Accurate orders

POS systems allow staff, and sometimes even guests, to input orders directly into the system. In a bar or restaurant situation, this can reduce miscommunications between the front of house and the back of house. In a POS kiosk situation, this leaves the guest to handle any special booking requests, removing opportunities for staff error. Ultimately, this can drive faster service and higher levels of guest satisfaction. 

Inventory management

Many POS systems offer built-in inventory tracking, which allows your hotel to monitor stock levels in real time. This prevents over-ordering, reduces waste, and ensures critical and popular items are always available.

Fast and secure payments

Modern POS systems support multiple payment methods, including contactless, mobile and online options. The best will ensure that every transaction is processed instantly and securely, creating a smooth experience for guests while giving them confidence that their personal and payment data is safe.

Upselling opportunities

Front desk POS systems can prompt you and your staff to suggest relevant add-ons and upgrades to guests during the ordering process. Online POS systems can present these upsell and cross-sell opportunities to guests at key moments in the booking or ordering process to maximise the value of every transaction. Smart POS systems can increase average spend without making guests feel pressured – the best, in fact, make guests feel like an upsell is their own idea.

Better reporting

Smart POS systems provide detailed financial reports that help you understand sales trends within your hotel business, and make better, data-driven decisions. You might notice that few guests are choosing your best room when it isn’t discounted, and use that insight to lower the room rate or create a more attractive package deal.

Best hotel POS system for small hotels

The best POS system for your small hotel will depend on your unique needs and situation. Let’s take a look at a handful of the leading options to understand the things that the best solutions tend to have in common.

Cloudbeds

Cloudbeds offers an all-in-one hotel management platform that includes a user-friendly POS system. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with the reservations, front desk operations and payment processing systems, helping staff save time and improve the guest experience. It is more of an enterprise system, however, and may be overkill for small, independent hotels, both in terms of price and complexity.

Mews

Mews provides a cloud-based POS solution designed to automate and simplify hotel operations. Featuring an intuitive interface, flexible integrations and strong mobile capabilities, it allows a hotel to manage transactions and guest services from anywhere, on-site or off.

Little Hotelier

Little Hotelier represents the future of hotel POS systems for small, independent hotels. A hotel-specific and entirely digital solution, it removes the need for hardware like payment terminals. Guests can pay online, how they want and when they want, backed by security that complies with the industry standard. And with the payment system integrated into an all-in-one solution, Little Hotelier can do so much more than just process transactions.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use yet ultra-capable system for your small hotel – one that not only processes payments, but can enhance every aspect of your business – look no further than Little Hotelier.

Improve your small hotel’s operations by adding a hotel POS with Little Hotelier.

An all-in-one solution designed specifically for B&B owners and small hotel operators, Little Hotelier is a unique PMS that comes complete with an integrated payment solution. It enables you to safely and securely accept online payments from your guests via your website and other booking portals:

  • Affordable and transparent pricing: With Little Hotelier, you’re only charged a small percentage of each transaction. There are no hidden costs – no setup fees, ongoing monthly fees, refund fees, support fees, or cancellation fees. You enjoy totally transparent and perfectly affordable pricing.
  • Seamless Apple Pay/Google Pay integration: In addition to accepting traditional credit and debit card payments, Little Hotelier seamlessly integrates with Apple Pay and Google Pay. This allows you to offer your guests a variety of convenient payment options, catering to their preferences and enhancing their booking experience.

Enhanced security and compliance: Little Hotelier is designed to ensure the security of every single transaction. Complying with the highest level of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), you can be confident that your guests’ payment information is fully protected at all times.

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By Juhlian Pimping

Juhlian is the SEO and Content Manager at Little Hotelier, the all-in-one hospitality software designed specifically for small accommodation providers like boutique hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, and inns. With extensive experience creating impactful content in the SaaS space since 2018, he specializes in developing resources that help property owners take back control of their daily operations, boost direct bookings, and enhance guest experiences.