What is a hotel POS system? (+24 leading providers)

Why a point of sale system matters for hotels

Most of your revenue still comes from rooms, but food and beverage is usually the second biggest line on a hotel P&L.

Your points of sale likely include:

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Cafe
• Room service
• Spa
• Gift shop
• Rentals
• Tours
• Transportation

Without a connected hotel POS system, each of those outlets is a small island. Staff re-key charges, guests wait, and revenue leaks between systems. With one, every sale feeds the same guest record.

Jackson Chin, Director of Product Management at Cloudbeds, framed the goal when he unveiled Cloudbeds POS at Compass:

Picture a guest who orders room service, books a massage, and joins a city tour. Wouldn’t one bill be easier than three? A POS tracks and groups every transaction so they pay once, at checkout, with the payment method they prefer.

POS vs. PMS: Why they’re better together

Your PMS, or property management system, is the heart of hotel operations. It handles reservations, check-ins, housekeeping, and the guest record. Your POS is where on-property spending happens. Alone, each tells half the story.

Connect them, and every sale shows up in the PMS the moment it happens. That means accurate guest folios, fewer billing disputes, and a clear view of what guests actually spend. Without PMS integration, your team is back to reconciling printouts at midnight.

You’ll see two models in the market. Some vendors ship a POS as part of their own PMS. Others offer a standalone POS built to plug into PMS platforms. Neither is wrong, but the closer the POS sits to the guest record, the less you pay in workarounds.

How your POS connects to the rest of your tech stack

The POS and PMS link matters most, but the real payoff comes when the whole stack shares data:

What a connected guest stay looks like

A returning guest books direct on your website. Your CRM recognizes them and sends a pre-stay spa offer, which they book before arrival. At check-in, they skip the desk with digital check-in. During the stay they order drinks at the bar, book a massage, and charge dinner to the room.

Each sale flows through the POS, which:

• Posts charges instantly to the guest folio
• Processes payment through your payments platform
• Sends revenue data to your accounting software
• Updates guest spend inside your CRM

At checkout, there’s one accurate invoice. Behind the scenes, your reporting reflects total guest value, not just the room rate.

12 benefits of POS systems for hotels

Without a POS, staff add on-property charges to guest folios by hand. That eats time, invites errors, and hides the spending data you need for guest acquisition and marketing. 

A connected system fixes that across your PMS, booking engine, channel manager, and revenue management system.

1. Real-time synchronization

When a sale happens at the pool bar, the front desk should know before the guest walks back to reception.

2. Task automation

Automate the manual steps, from posting charges to end-of-day reconciliation. Add mobile ordering through QR codes, apps, or self-service kiosks, and you also cut the load on your team.

3. Data tracking

A POS captures sales patterns and guest preferences you can act on. Groups should look for multi-location management for clearer visibility across properties.

4. Expanded service

With mobile pos systems, staff take orders tableside, in the lobby, or at the spa. Wherever guests are, you can sell.

5. Upselling opportunities

Upsells represent a $28 billion opportunity for properties. Your POS can surface personalized add-ons using guest data, so upselling feels like service, not a pitch.

6. Seamless guest experience

Guests don’t want to carry a card around the property. Automatic room charge posting puts every purchase on one folio so they pay once, with their preferred method.

7. Real-time inventory management

From gift shop merchandise to bar stock, real-time inventory management prevents stockouts and overstock.

8. Stronger loyalty

A POS can support loyalty programs for guests and non-guests alike. Track repeat purchases at your bar or restaurant and reward them with personalized offers.

9. Improved billing

Less manual reconciliation means faster service and more accurate bills.

10. Streamlined transactions

Let guests pay their way: EMV cards, cash, gift cards, bank transfers, digital wallets, and mobile payments.

11. Useful reports

With every sale on a single room folio, you can see which guest profiles spend the most and which channels deliver higher-spending guests. Then you can put marketing dollars where they pay back.

12. Improved security

POS systems encrypt payment data and record every transaction, which helps if there’s ever theft or fraud.

Types of POS systems

POS systems have become more portable, more user-friendly, and more affordable. They fall into two categories.

1. Legacy POS systems

Legacy, or on-premise, systems install software on a local server. They demand a big upfront investment in licenses and POS hardware, take more training, and are hard to update. They can process payments offline, but you can’t reach them from other devices.

2. Cloud-based POS systems

A cloud-based POS system stores data online and works from anywhere. Inventory management, payment processing, and reporting are built in, updates arrive automatically, and integrations are easier. If you run a cloud PMS, a cloud-based POS solution is the natural match.

Formats of POS

There are a few different formats POS systems come in.

POS hardware components

Your POS hardware depends on what you sell and where. Common pieces include:

• POS terminals
• Tablets
• Card readers
• Receipt printer
• Cash drawer
• Barcode scanners and printers
• Signature capture pads
• Kitchen display system (KDS)
• Customer-facing display

A kitchen display system replaces paper tickets with a screen in the kitchen, so orders reach the line the moment they’re placed. Many properties pair KDS with a receipt printer at the bar or spa for the guest copy.

Features to look for in a POS system

Start with the basics: invoicing, order management, order customization, and billing. Then look for these.

PMS integration

Integration is one of the top reasons hotels buy POS software, according to Hospitality Tech’s POS software trends report. A strong PMS integration should:

• Validate guest details, like name and room number, in real time
• Handle room charge posting to the correct folio automatically
• Update the PMS the instant a transaction occurs
• Roll every outlet’s spend into a single invoice at checkout

Whether it’s called a room account or a room folio, the principle is the same: one guest, one bill.

Inventory management & ingredient tracking

Your POS should track stock and alert you when levels drop. For restaurants, look for ingredient tracking that deducts components as dishes sell, so you know your real food cost.

Payment methods & digital wallets

Hospitality guests expect to pay however they like. Your system should support credit and debit, cash, gift cards, and split bills for groups. It should also accept contactless payments, including digital wallets and mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Menu management

Change items across outlets, add seasonal dishes, update prices instantly, and manage modifiers and add-ons in one place.

Employee management

Look for individual staff logins, role-based permissions, and discount controls. They cut shrinkage, simplify tip reporting, and give managers a clear view of who sold what.

Multi-outlet management and multi-location management

For groups and properties with multiple revenue centers, you need consolidated reporting across outlets and locations, plus outlet-level detail. That keeps pricing consistent and gives leadership the full portfolio picture.

Mobile ordering and upselling

With mobile ordering, guests order from a QR code at the pool or a link in your guest portal, and the sale lands on the folio. The upselling potential is real. 

Ted Horner, Managing Director at E. Horner & Associates, shared how a hotel chain in Australia increased its food & beverage spend by 8% by offering in-room QR codes and handheld terminals by the pool.

How much does a POS system cost?

Pricing usually includes:

• Software subscription fees
• Payment processing fees
• Hardware costs, if required
• Set-up or onboarding fees

Judge total cost of ownership, not the sticker price. A cheap POS without deep integrations can cost more in manual labor and missed revenue.

24 leading hotel POS systems

The following are 24 of the best hotel POS systems that offer comprehensive functionality and receive high ratings on platforms such as Softwareadvice, Capterra, and Trustpilot.

1. Cloudbeds

Cloudbeds POS is a native point of sale built into the Cloudbeds platform. Staff sign in with a PIN, take dine-in, takeaway, counter, and room service orders from a smartphone or tablet, and send tickets straight to the kitchen. Menus come from your Cloudbeds catalog, so taxes and fees match, and every sale posts to the guest folio the moment the check closes. Offline mode keeps service moving when the connection drops. 

Cloudbeds also integrates with the POS systems below.

2. 2TouchPOS

2TouchPOS is designed to optimize inventory management and enhance customer interactions, empowering businesses to increase operational efficiency and reduce errors.

3. Accesso

Accesso Point of Sale solutions seamlessly streamline operations, improve transaction accuracy, and ensure real-time data exchange.

4. Ágora

Agora integrates with hotels to search and retrieve rooms, post charges directly to guest rooms, upload invoices during daily cash closure, and manage cancellations and refunds, enabling seamless POS and hotel system connectivity.

5. Aloha

Aloha POS streamlines F&B operations, ensuring real-time data exchange and automatically posting all restaurant bills to the guest folio.

6. Cegid Revo

The Cegid Revo ecosystem of solutions for restaurants and retail is centered on its native iOS point-of-sale applications for F&B (restaurants) and retail services (swimming pool, gym, spa…), and it leads the Spanish market for tablet POS software.

7. Dish

Dish is a smart, cloud-based POS with offline capabilities that streamlines operations and maximizes revenue for restaurants.

8. EposNow

EposNow is an all-in-one hospitality POS system that allows hotels to save time and satisfy their customers.

9. GlowPOS

Elevate guest service quality with GlowPOS, a solution that integrates seamlessly with self-service kiosks, digital menus, and mobile ordering. 

10. Infrasys POS

Infrasys Cloud POS offers the flexibility and scalability to provide a seamless digital guest experience across a hotel’s F&B outlets, driving revenue and enhancing operational efficiency.

11. INVUPOS

INVUPOS is a cloud-based POS solution that offers hoteliers comprehensive and easy-to-use tools to simplify selling and information gathering.

12. Last.app

Last.app is an all-in-one restaurant software solution that includes a restaurant POS system, delivery integrators, an online store, reservations, and more. 

13. Lightspeed

Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS provider offering a complete hotel restaurant technology suite. It helps you verify a guest’s occupancy status and add restaurant charges to their room.

14. Loyverse POS

Loyverse POS enables hotels to turn their smartphone or tablet into a powerful POS to manage sales, inventory, and employees with ease.

15. Oracle Micros Simphony

Simphony is a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform that unifies data by synchronizing revenue and payments directly with Cloudbeds.

16. Papaya

Papaya is an AI-powered POS with QR ordering that lets guests order, pay, and even charge meals to their room.

17. Poster

Poster’s cloud-based POS system combines solutions for the front office, onsite restaurants, inventory, finances, analytics, and CRM.

18. Soft Restaurant

Soft Restaurant is the leading point of sale software for restaurants in Mexico and Latin America, allowing restaurants to improve operations and increase sales.

19. Storehub

StoreHub is an all-in-one platform that enables retailers and restaurants across Southeast Asia to automate and grow their businesses.

20. Tabology

Tabology is an integrated cloud technology suite that includes EPOS, stock management, staff scheduling, booking, deposit handling, and online ordering on mobile devices.

21. Tevalis

Tevalis is an award-winning EPOS that can be adapted to multiple areas across a hotel venue, such as FnB, leisure, and retail, through to an integrated PMS. 

22. Toast

Toast is a POS system uniquely designed to meet the needs of hotel restaurants. With robust PMS integrations, Toast empowers lodging operators to streamline operations, increase revenue, and deliver great hospitality with a best-in-class room charge experience for guests and staff.

23. WINTOUCH

WINTOUCH Restaurant Solution is a market-leading reference for the hospitality industry, including Restaurants, Bakeries, Bars, Nightclubs, Catering, and F&B Management.

24. Zone Soft

ZS rest is a cloud-based POS solution built for restaurants, bars, and other outlets. It offers fast order management, detailed reporting, and operational control — all from an easy-to-use and scalable platform.

How to implement a POS at your hotel

Choosing the right system is only half the battle. Here’s how to make it a revenue driver instead of a headache.

1. Audit your current workflows

Map how transactions move today:

• Where are charges entered manually
• Where do billing errors happen
• Which outlets run independently

2. Define integration requirements

Confirm how your POS will connect to your PMS for real-time folio posting, your payment processor, your accounting software, and your CRM or loyalty platform. Test every connection before go-live.

3. Configure menus, outlets, and permissions

Set up menu items and pricing, modifiers, tax rules, user roles, and outlet-level reporting. For groups, standardize naming and reporting across locations before launch.

4. Train staff by role

Generic training fails. Run sessions by role for front-of-house teams, managers, and finance.

5. Test before full launch

• Process sample transactions
• Validate room-charge posting
• Confirm payment reconciliation
• Review reporting outputs

When it’s done right, staff stop re-entering charges, guests get one accurate invoice, finance closes faster, and your commercial team sees total guest value.

How does a POS system work with Cloudbeds?

Cloudbeds hoteliers have two paths to a connected point of sale:

1. Use Cloudbeds POS, our native point of sale
2. Integrate a certified POS partner

Both keep every on-property transaction flowing into the guest folio in real time.

Option 1: Cloudbeds POS

Cloudbeds POS is built on one idea: your outlets shouldn’t operate like a separate business. It connects food, beverage, spa, retail, and other on-property sales directly to the guest stay, so your team spends less time passing charges between systems and more time serving guests.

Here’s a walk-through of a service the way staff experiences it:

Behind the scenes, restaurant revenue lands in the same night audit as your rooms, and reporting splits room revenue from outlet revenue down to the individual check. Managers set up outlets and menus from the desktop, staff run the floor from a phone or tablet, and finance sees hotel and outlet revenue in the same reports.

Because it’s native, there’s no middleware and one fewer vendor to manage. This is the unified platform difference: your POS shares a data model with your PMS, payments, CRM, and reporting, so a bar tab can inform the next guest campaign.

Option 2: Integrated POS partners

For properties with a preferred POS provider, Cloudbeds integrates with some of the top systems. The POS validates guest information in real time, posts charges to the right folio, and syncs transactions to the PMS, with revenue flowing to reporting and accounting.

How The One Hostel turned cashless wristbands into revenue

When The One Hostel opened in Hanoi, the team wanted to test and fine-tune its technology as it grew. Its 204-bed property features a rooftop pool, a tiki bar, and NFC-tagged wristbands that guests use to open rooms and lockers, order food and drinks, and even book tours.

Through the Cloudbeds API, every wristband purchase syncs to the guest folio. As General Manager Daniel Fillion explains:

The payoff goes beyond convenience. “It increases profitability when your guests are not thinking about the cash they’re spending,” says Fillion.

Make every sale seamless

Your guests aren’t just buying a bed. They’re buying every drink, dish, and experience along the way. A modern POS keeps it all connected so service feels effortless and every purchase flows straight to your bottom line.

You’ll deliver the kind of smooth, elevated experience guests expect from the big brands, without losing the personality that sets you apart.