The Tribii JournalMonday, September 7, 2026 · AmsterdamFree to read · Free to share
Notes from the independent house

Notes from the independent house.

A working journal for independent hoteliers, written by people who have stood at the desk, set the rates, and balanced the books. Read, share, argue with us.

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Results for “Direct bookings”.

A laptop and card terminal on the reception desk of a small independent hotel.
Playbook·8 min

Free booking engine with a payment gateway: what a small hotel should actually look for

Three business models hide behind the word "free", and only one of them leaves your direct bookings alone. Plus the payment question most vendors would rather you didn't ask.

TribiiTribii
Aug 31, 2026
What is a hotel PMS? A plain-language guide for independent hoteliers
Playbook·6 min

What is a hotel PMS? A plain-language guide for independent hoteliers

Not a definition from a brochure. What the software actually does between 7am and midnight at a twenty-room property, and which words mean what.

TribiiTribii
Aug 10, 2026
How to move your small hotel off spreadsheets
Playbook·6 min

How to move your small hotel off spreadsheets

The spreadsheet got you here, and it is not stupid. But there are four specific places it fails, and each one costs you money quietly.

TribiiTribii
Aug 05, 2026
How much does a hotel booking engine cost in 2026?
Playbook·6 min

How much does a hotel booking engine cost in 2026?

Published prices, hidden tiers, and per-booking fees. What the market actually charges a small property, with every figure sourced and dated.

TribiiTribii
Jul 31, 2026
Do small hotels need a channel manager?
Playbook·6 min

Do small hotels need a channel manager?

The honest answer is sometimes. Here is how to work out which sometimes you are in, using your own numbers rather than a vendor's.

TribiiTribii
Jul 29, 2026
Commission-free booking engine: what it really means
Playbook·6 min

Commission-free booking engine: what it really means

Every booking engine calls itself commission-free. The phrase is doing different work in each case, and only one version means what you think.

TribiiTribii
Jul 27, 2026
Cloudbeds pricing for small hotels: what you will actually pay in 2026
Playbook·6 min

Cloudbeds pricing for small hotels: what you will actually pay in 2026

Cloudbeds does not publish a price. Here is what is known, what is estimated, what to ask on the sales call, and when a small property is overpaying.

TribiiTribii
Jul 24, 2026
Channel manager vs booking engine: what a small hotel actually needs
Playbook·6 min

Channel manager vs booking engine: what a small hotel actually needs

The two tools get sold together and confused constantly. One sells rooms on other people's websites. The other sells rooms on yours.

TribiiTribii
Jul 22, 2026
Twelve ways to get more direct bookings at a small hotel
Playbook·7 min

Twelve ways to get more direct bookings at a small hotel

Ordered by return on effort, not by how impressive they sound. Most of these cost nothing and several take an afternoon.

TribiiTribii
Jul 14, 2026
A hotelier at the front desk working on a single calm screen instead of a wall of open laptops and tabs
Industry notes·11 min

One system, not twenty: the case for running your hotel on a single screen

How independent hotels ended up juggling a dozen disconnected tools, and what it looks like to put the whole house, guests included, on one.

Daniel VidalDaniel Vidal
Jun 27, 2026
A small independent hotel reception welcoming two guests
Manifesto·7 min

Welcome to Tribii: a fairer deal for independent hotels

Who we are, where the idea came from, and why we're building a commission-free way for independent hotels to win direct bookings. A hello from the Tribii team.

Daniel VidalDaniel Vidal
Jun 01, 2026
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