What is Cloudbeds used for?
Cloudbeds is an all-in-one hospitality platform: PMS, channel manager, booking engine and related operations tools. Independent hotels often evaluate Cloudbeds when they are replacing a front-desk system, not when they only want a Google listing. Google connectivity is one feature of that platform.
How is Hotels Connect different?
Hotels Connect does not manage rooms, guests, housekeeping or OTA reservations. It reads the rates already shown on the hotel's booking website and delivers an ARI feed to Google Hotel Center. The hotel keeps its current PMS — or continues without one.
| Cloudbeds | Hotels Connect | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | PMS + channel manager platform | Google rate-publishing service |
| Replaces the front desk? | That is the point | No |
| OTA distribution | Yes | No |
| Google Hotel Center | A platform channel | The only destination |
| What you migrate | Operations onto Cloudbeds | Nothing — booking site stays as-is |
| List price | Cloudbeds subscription (varies) | $15 per month per hotel |
When is Cloudbeds the better fit?
- The hotel needs a new PMS, not only a Google feed.
- The team wants reservations, channel management and the booking engine in one vendor.
- Google is one channel among OTAs the property already sells on.
When is Hotels Connect the better fit?
- The booking website already works and the hotel does not want a PMS migration.
- The immediate job is Free Booking Links and Hotel Ads eligibility.
- A five-minute setup at $15 per month is preferable to a platform implementation.
Google's own materials describe Hotel Center as a feed problem, not a PMS problem. See the Hotel Prices developer documentation and what an ARI feed is.
Can a Cloudbeds hotel also use Hotels Connect?
Not for the same Google feed. Hotel Center should receive one ARI source per property. If Cloudbeds already supplies Google, keep that path. Hotels Connect is for properties that are not moving their operations onto Cloudbeds solely to unlock Google.
Questions people ask
Is Hotels Connect a Cloudbeds alternative?
No, not as a PMS. Hotels Connect only publishes direct rates to Google. Cloudbeds is an operations platform. Compare them only if the hotel was about to buy Cloudbeds just to get onto Google.
Does Cloudbeds include Google Hotel Ads?
Cloudbeds can connect properties to Google as part of its channel stack. Hotel Ads budgets are still billed by Google. Hotels Connect likewise publishes the feed and is not an ads agency.
How long does Hotels Connect take versus a Cloudbeds go-live?
Hotels Connect setup is about five minutes per property after the hotel joins. A PMS and channel-manager go-live is an operations project measured in days or weeks. Google still reviews a new Hotel Center feed after the first delivery.