The Tribii JournalThursday, October 22, 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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The latest dispatches

Fresh notes from the desk.

An AI assistant answers a question about a quiet hotel in Sitges with parking, and the independent property in its short list is highlighted with a Book direct button
Playbook·16 min

AI visibility for hotels: how to get your property recommended by ChatGPT, Gemini and Google

More guests now ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI Mode where to stay, and get a handful of names back. Most independent hotels are never one of them. Here is how AI picks hotels, and eight steps to get yours named and booked direct.

TribiiTribii
Oct 22, 2026
The words "Booked in the conversation" next to an AI chat where a guest asks for a quiet room and books it, with the hotel as merchant of record
Industry notes·14 min

UCP for hotels: the Universal Commerce Protocol and the future of online booking

Google and the biggest names in travel have written a shared language that lets AI assistants book a hotel room inside a conversation. It is called UCP. Here is what it is, who keeps the guest, and what independent hotels should do before it reaches Europe.

TribiiTribii
Oct 19, 2026
The words "One plug for every AI" next to hotel rates, rooms, reservations and guests connecting through one MCP plug to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity
Playbook·13 min

MCP for hotels: how AI assistants will find, sell and help run your property

ChatGPT, Claude and Google can now read live hotel prices, and some can take a booking. The standard behind it is called MCP. Here is what it is, what it changes for a small hotel's visibility and daily work, and what to do about it now.

TribiiTribii
Oct 15, 2026
Websites of Mokum Suites, Bago D'Ouro and Bij Isa & Max in three browser windows, three properties taking direct bookings with Tribii
Playbook·9 min

Hotels using Tribii: three real setups for direct bookings

A canal house in Amsterdam, a village guest house in the Douro and two apartments in Kampen all take commission-free bookings with Tribii. Each one set it up differently. Here is what they did, and how to choose the setup that fits your property.

TribiiTribii
Oct 12, 2026
A dictionary-style card defining "net rate", next to labels for other OTA terms such as commissionable, BAR, merchant model and narrow parity
Playbook·8 min

OTA terms explained: a plain-language glossary for independent hotels

Commissionable rate, net rate, merchant model, narrow parity. The words in your OTA contract, explained in plain language, with what each one means for your money.

TribiiTribii
Oct 09, 2026
The words "Growth tools, with a price" next to two price tags: Genius, 10% off on every Genius booking, and Preferred, 3 extra points on every booking
Playbook·8 min

Booking.com Genius and Preferred Partner: what they really cost a small hotel

Genius and Preferred Partner are sold as growth tools. Both are also a price. Here is what each one costs an independent hotel, how to test whether it pays, and what to decide before 2027.

TribiiTribii
Oct 06, 2026
The contributors

People who have done the work.

Every byline here belongs to someone who has either run an independent property or built the software that does. No outside agencies, no ghost-writers.

Tribii
Tribii
Editorial
23 filedRead
Daniel Vidal
Daniel Vidal
Founder
1 filedRead
The full register

Everything we've filed this season.

PlaybookThe real cost of an OTA booking: commission is only the first lineTribiiOct 03, 202608 min →Product diariesWhat's new in Tribii: September 2026TribiiOct 01, 202606 min →PlaybookHow much commission does Expedia take? The 2026 guide for independent hotelsTribiiSep 30, 202610 min →Industry notesRate parity is gone in Europe. How to price your direct rate for 2027TribiiSep 27, 202609 min →ManifestoOwn your guestsTribiiSep 16, 202617 min →PlaybookThe street outside is part of your hotelDaniel VidalSep 02, 202608 min →PlaybookFree booking engine with a payment gateway: what a small hotel should actually look forTribiiAug 31, 202608 min →PlaybookWhat is a hotel PMS? A plain-language guide for independent hoteliersTribiiAug 10, 202606 min →PlaybookOpen-source hotel software vs free SaaS: the real cost of self-hostingTribiiAug 06, 202606 min →PlaybookHow to move your small hotel off spreadsheetsTribiiAug 05, 202606 min →PlaybookIs there a truly free hotel PMS? What "free" covers in 2026TribiiAug 03, 202606 min →PlaybookHow much does a hotel booking engine cost in 2026?TribiiJul 31, 202606 min →PlaybookDo small hotels need a channel manager?TribiiJul 29, 202606 min →PlaybookCommission-free booking engine: what it really meansTribiiJul 27, 202606 min →PlaybookCloudbeds pricing for small hotels: what you will actually pay in 2026TribiiJul 24, 202606 min →PlaybookChannel manager vs booking engine: what a small hotel actually needsTribiiJul 22, 202606 min →PlaybookHow much commission does Booking.com take, and how to pay lessTribiiJul 20, 202607 min →Industry notesOTA Commission Rates: What Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb Really ChargeTribiiJul 18, 202607 min →
Independent is not a size. It is a decision about who owns the guest, the rate and the relationship. We built the software that backs it.
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