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The Top 5 Duve (Wishbox) Alternatives for Vacation Rentals in 2022
While Duve is a solid guest management and communication solution, it’s designed as much for hotels as it is for vacation rentals, so it doesn’t home in on all the unique needs property managers have.
For example, Duve lacks some key features that vacation rental property managers need in a guest management system, such as in-app guest stay extensions.
Discover our top Duve alternatives in 2022, with RueBaRue as our top option for vacation rental property managers.
What is Duve (formerly Wishbox)?
Duve is a guest management system that helps hotels and vacation rentals communicate with guests and give them tailored recommendations about the area. This solution allows property managers to manage guest communication and create a custom experience for their visitors.
What features does Duve offer?
Duve offers a variety of features that streamline communication with guests and allow you to upsell your services and provide helpful information to them. Among these features are:
- Digital check-in, check-out, and early check-in
- SMS and WhatsApp messaging
- Pre-scheduled messages and automated replies
- Branded Guest App (web app - no app download required)
- House manual
- Visual aids within guides (videos, images, and maps)
- Mobile keys
- Late checkout upsell
- Other built-in upsells
- Room upgrades
- Credit card processing
- 14 supported languages
Many of Duve’s features help you save time, like pre-scheduled messages and digital check-in/check-out. Others allow you to create a curated, personalized stay for your visitors, like house manuals and visual aids within guides.
But be aware that some features, like room upgrades and mobile room keys, are more geared towards hotels and their workflows, and key features that property managers need, like extend-stay upsells, are lacking.
What integrations does Duve have?
Duve allows you to integrate with dozens of booking engines, payment platforms, and PMS and channel managers. You can find a full list of integrations on Duve’s website, but here are a few examples:
- PMS and channel managers: Booking.com, Cloudbeds, Guesty, Hostaway, Lodgify, Myvr
- Payment platforms: Concardis, Stripe, Payoneer, Pelecard, Worldline
- Smart locks and keys: Dormakaba, Keyless, Keynest, LockVue, Salto, Vikey
- Tours: Bokun, Rezdy, TourCMS
How much does Duve cost?
Duve offers four pricing options: Basic, Pro, Premium, and Enterprise. Pricing starts at $6/month per room for the Basic plan, $7.50/month per room for the Pro plan, $10/month per room for the Premium plan, and custom options for the Enterprise plan.
The Basic plan includes online check-in capabilities plus the customizable Guest App. With the Pro plan, you upgrade to built-in communication capabilities, and with the Premium plan, you can offer custom upsells to your guests.
With Duve, you can choose from three pricing plans, as well as an enterprise option for large organizations.
Why it’s so important for vacation rental managers to select the right type of guest management platform
As a vacation rental manager, it's your job to ensure each guest has an outstanding experience, and you need a guest communication platform to make that happen.
Duve is designed for both vacation rental managers and hotels, meaning it isn’t designed specifically with the complexities of vacation rental management in mind, like filling in booking gaps across multiple properties and property access issues.
So although Duve does offer a variety of useful features, property managers need a solution that’s targeted toward the unique issues they face. For example, it won’t automatically search for gaps on your booking calendar to strategically offer guests the ability to extend guest stays, and it doesn’t have built-in guest survey capabilities.
And while reviews are important for hotels, they are absolutely critical for vacation rentals. That’s why a guest management platform that offers guest review and survey capabilities should be at the top of your list.
RueBaRue is the leading Duve alternative thanks to its seamless guest communication capabilities, customizable Digital Guestbooks, pricing, and amazing range of features.
The top 5 alternatives to Duve for vacation rental property managers
Now to walk you through the top Duve alternatives and show you why RueBaRue is the ideal all-around Duve alternative for a vacation rental guest management platform.
H3: 1. RueBaRue
RueBaRue is tailor-made for vacation rental property managers. It’s not just a general hospitality tool, like Duve, but rather is specifically designed for VR managers and their unique needs. It is an end-to-end guest management platform, as it takes guests all the way through their journey, from pre-check-in to post-check-out.
RueBaRue helps vacation rental managers seamlessly communicate with guests and provide them with customizable resources, all while utilizing their existing property management software and automating time-consuming processes, like filling in booking calendar gaps and requesting guest reviews.
This translates into better stays for guests and more time for property managers. In the words of one RueBaRue user, "we’re now able to save time and money by going digital and giving guests the information they need to plan their vacation before they arrive. Great product, great service."
Give your guests step-by-step instructions on how to run everything at your property with RueBaRue’s Digital Guestbook, complete with custom images and videos.
RueBaRue’s features include:
- Customizable Digital Guidebooks so you can walk your guests around the property without even having to be there
- Area Guides so you can fill guests in on your favorite places in town
- Image, video, and PDF capabilities within Digital Guestbooks and Area Guides
- Automated SMS text messaging capabilities
- Automated post-check-out review and survey follow-ups
- Ability to easily extend guest stays
- Multiple language capabilities
- Seamless integration with various PMS/channel managers
One of RueBaRue’s unique features is that its Digital Guidebooks and Area Guides can be accessed by guests without having to download a mobile app or use a tablet at the property.
RueBaRue also integrates with a dozen PMS/channel managers, like Guesty, Hostaway, Myvr, and more.So you can continue to use your current software while seamlessly working RueBaRue into your daily processes.
Integrations allow you to continue working with your current vacation rental software while adopting RueBaRue’s advanced features with ease.
And on top of facilitating a seamless check-in process, RueBaRue allows your guests to extend their stay with ease, meaning fewer gaps in your booking calendar and more revenue for your business—crucial for optimizing your occupancy rates. /p>
View all your bookings in one place and allow guests to extend their stay at the click of a button with RueBaRue.
Plus, RueBaRue offers various pricing options: Starter, Professional, and Enterprise. That way, you know you’re getting the right plan for your needs, whether you manage two properties or 200.
Choose just the right pricing plan for you when you sign up for RueBaRue’s guest management platform.
And RueBaRue is much more than just a guest communication tool. They are constantly updating their offering based on customer feedback to provide users with an all-around tool that addresses their complex needs.
For example, RueBaRue just launched the Contacts feature, which allows property managers to communicate with not only guests but also owners, housekeepers, maintenance staff, and vendors. RueBaRue really listens to its users to ensure they have access to the most comprehensive solution on the market.
2. TouchStay
Another guest management alternative to Duve is TouchStay. This solution allows you to create customizable vacation rental guidebooks that are delivered to guests via a convenient web app. This means they don’t have to download a new mobile app or access information on a smart device at the property.
Create custom welcome guides and share personalized recommendations with TouchStay.
TouchStay’s features include
- Customizable digital welcome guides
- Unlimited photos and videos within customizable guidebooks
- Programmable email and SMS messages
- Multiple language capabilities
TouchStay doesn’t allow you to extend guest stays or automatically request guest reviews and surveys after they check out. Plus, this guest communication platform is also designed for hotels, meaning it isn’t uniquely developed for vacation rental managers.
So if your main goal is to create personalized guidebooks for your guests, then TouchStay could be a good option for you, though it’s lacking in some of the features that other Duve alternatives offer, like guest surveys and review reminders.
3. Hostfully Guidebooks
With Hostfully Guidebooks , you can design and share custom guidebooks with your guests in minutes via a convenient website link. This means they don’t have to download a mobile app to access your information.
Share curated information so your guests know just what to do on their vacation with Hostfully Guidebooks.
Hostfully’s features include
- Self-check-in capabilities
- Customizable house manuals
- Post-check-out review and survey features
- Ability to upsell products and services
- Multi-language capabilities
Be aware that some users complain that Hostfully allows limited space for photo and video content in their guidebooks. Additionally, the software doesn’t offer SMS capabilities, as you can only send your guidebooks via email, and you can’t offer guests the option to extend their stay.
Hostfully Guidebooks is more than just a digital guidebook, thanks to its upselling and review features. But it still lacks the SMS communication capabilities that property managers should look for in the ideal guest management solution.
4. GuestView Guide
GuestView Guide is unique from our other Duve alternatives as it is an in-property digital concierge display that guests can use to access helpful information like house guides, weather information, and local area recommendations.
Share helpful information on an interactive display inside your property with GuestView Guide.
GuestView Guide’s features include
- Welcome screen and check-in survey when guests arrive
- Local restaurant and activity recommendations
- Real-time communication with guests
- Interactive guest check-out
Keep in mind that the GuestView Guide display screen is located within the property. This means that guests don’t have access to helpful information when they are out exploring the area. Plus, GuestView Guide is certainly a more expensive option, as prices start around $35/month per display, though volume pricing options are available.
So if you are looking for an in-property solution, GuestView Guide can be a good option, but be sure to consider the disadvantages that can come with this type of guest communication system.
5. YourWelcome
YourWelcome is an in-property tablet solution that allows you to create a comprehensive digital guide for your guests. You can share information about the property and the local area, as well as promote your brand, all on a handheld tablet.
Communicate helpful information about the local area with YourWelcome Tablet.
YourWelcome Tablet’s features include
- Welcome videos and video guides
- Guest messaging capabilities
- Branding opportunities
- Upselling capabilities like late check-out and local partner offerings
- Extensive PMS integration capabilities
Like GuestView Guide, the YourWelcome Tablet can only be used within the property, so guests can’t access any of your carefully curated information when they are out exploring the town. Plus, you don’t know who is using the tablet, which is a fragile piece of equipment that could easily be broken by a child.
On the plus side, YourWelcome does offer free equipment replacements if you send the original damaged tablet back to them. And while it does offer guest messaging capabilities, this doesn’t include SMS messaging, as all communication is done via the tablet.
Conclusion: The best Duve alternative in 2022
Here are the best Duve alternatives for vacation rentals:
- RueBaRue
- TouchStay
- Hostfully Guidebooks
- GuestView Guide
- YourWelcome Tablet
RueBaRue is our number one Duve alternative in 2022 for property managers. The software is designed specifically with vacation rentals and their guests in mind, and it addresses the unique needs of busy property managers who want to stay on top of keeping their visitors happy.
Provide your guests with unique, curated information about local areas with RueBaRue.
With its varied features, like Digital Guestbooks and Area Guides, plus upselling capabilities and extended guest stays, RueBaRue helps you offer a more enjoyable experience to your guests while making your life easier.
FAQs about guest management platforms
What is a guest management platform?
Guest management platforms help property managers seamlessly communicate with guests and manage all of their needs while integrating with their existing property management system/channel manager. Most importantly, they allow property managers to communicate with guests and tend to their needs remotely.
What are the benefits of a guest management platform?
The benefits of a guest management platform center on saving property managers time while enhancing the guest experience and increasing revenue. This means streamlining communication with guests and offering them upsell options and personalized recommendations with little to no extra effort required.
What features should a guest management platform have?
A guest management platform should include features that facilitate communication with guests, like automated messaging and responses. It should also allow you to create digital guestbooks and guidebooks, and help you to manage your guest reviews.
