NEW YORK—The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, in collaboration with Stayntouch and IDeaS Revenue Solutions, released a new industry report, 2026 Hotel Technology Outlook: Best-in-Class vs. All-in-One Systems. Led by NYU SPS Tisch Center graduate students, the study explores how hotel operators evaluate and invest in technology, comparing Best-in-Class systems, which are specialized solutions integrated around a core PMS, with All-in-One systems that offer a suite of capabilities through a single provider.
Based on insights from more than 300 hotel professionals across a range of roles and property types, the research identifies the priorities, satisfaction levels, and investment plans shaping the next phase of hotel technology adoption.
Key Findings
Key findings from the report include:
- Hoteliers Favor Specialized Systems: Among respondents planning to change their tech stack, 30 percent of users of All-in-One systems intend to move to Best-in-Class solutions, compared with 14 percent of users of Best-in-Class solutions moving to All-in-One systems.
- Usability and Support Drive Adoption: Ease of use and support were top factors in tech decisions across all respondents. Only 34 percent of users of All-in-One platforms planning to switch were satisfied with training and support.
- Best-in-Class Leads in Satisfaction and Retention: Users of Best-in-Class systems reported higher satisfaction across tools: 70 percent satisfied with their property management system (vs. 55 percent of users of All-in-One platforms) and 59 percent satisfied with their revenue management solution (vs. 51 percent of users of All-in-One platforms).
- All-in-One Systems Lead to More Guest-Facing Issues: Users of All-in-One systems reported more booking errors (57 percent vs. 45 percent), missed preferences (51 percent vs. 41 percent), and check-in delays (46 percent vs. 23 percent) compared with Best-in-Class systems.
- Technology Maturity Shapes Strategy: Among independent hotels with 101–250+ rooms, 68 percent adopted Best-in-Class systems for their scalability, advanced functionality, and data precision, while 54 percent of hotels with 100 rooms or fewer used All-in-One platforms for their simplicity and affordability.
- Integration Remains a Major Challenge and Opportunity: With 38 percent of respondents citing integration as a top pain point, vendors have an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and provide accessible APIs that enhance the hotel technology experience and maximize investment value for hotels.
“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,” said Vanja Bogicevic, Clinical Associate Professor at the NYU SPS Tisch Center and director of the HI Hub Experiential Learning Lab. “This collaboration between the industry and academia reflects the college’s mission to expand access to experiential education and foster innovation
“We’re honored to partner with NYU SPS Tisch Center of Hospitality and IDeaS on this report,” said Jacob Messina, chief executive officer of Stayntouch. “The findings are clear: hoteliers are choosing Best-in-Class solutions for their specialized functionality and flexibility, with 30 percent of All-in-One users planning to make the switch—more than double the rate going the other direction. At Stayntouch, we’ve built a robust partner ecosystem that solves the integration challenge, giving hotels specialized tools that work together seamlessly to drive both guest satisfaction and operational performance.”
“Hoteliers desire consistent, effective technology that takes into consideration their need for future growth and innovation. This report’s findings show how vital integrations and collaboration are among hospitality technology providers today, with 51 percent of respondents looking to replace or upgrade their technology stack over the next 12-24 months,” said Klaus Kohlmayr, chief evangelist and development officer at IDeaS. “We are pleased to share the results of this report with the industry and appreciate the unique collaborative efforts between IDeaS, the NYU SPS Tisch Center, and Stayntouch, to bring the findings to fruition.”
