How to choose a PMS for an independent hotel
Build a PMS shortlist around real hotel tasks, compare evidence from the same demo scenarios, and record the full cost before choosing.
The essentials
- Pass mandatory workflows before comparing weighted scores or price.
- Give every provider the same sample stay and record shown, partial or not shown.
- Agree the complete scope, ownership and cost before committing to a system.
Start with the work your hotel must complete
Write down how one booking becomes a completed stay at your property. Include arrival, room assignment, a change of dates, a housekeeping update, a service request and the final balance. Name who performs each step. A small team may use the same person for several jobs, but the software still needs to support the handovers.
Separate mandatory requirements from preferences. A required accounting export, language or distribution connection is a pass-or-fail check. A preferred calendar layout can be scored later. Ask which tasks require another subscription, provider or manual step.
Make a shortlist using operating constraints
| Constraint | Question | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Rooms and properties | Can the proposed configuration represent our actual inventory? | Room types, physical rooms and sample reservations |
| Guest sales | Which booking and distribution steps are included? | Working guest flow and confirmed connection requirements |
| Team | Who can change, review and approve important records? | Role-based walkthrough with agreed test accounts |
| Data and exit | What can we import, export and retain? | Written data scope and a sample export |
| Support | Who owns a problem across connected services? | Named responsibilities and escalation process |
Use the same scenario with each provider
Prepare a fictional two-night stay for two guests. Ask the demonstrator to assign a physical room, change the departure date, record a service request and review the balance. Then ask housekeeping to mark the room ready and have reception find the updated state. Only submit test bookings in a setup agreed with the provider.
Score evidence after mandatory checks pass
Hypothetical example: a 24-room independent hotel gives daily workflows 40 points, onboarding and support 25, total cost 20, and reporting and data access 15. These are example weights, not a ranking of vendors. Set your own weights before demonstrations so a polished presentation does not move the goalposts.
| Demo result | Score out of 5 | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Shown | 5 | The agreed task worked with the supplied test data |
| Partial | 2 | What remains manual or requires another module |
| Not shown | 0 | The unanswered question and person responsible |
Multiply the score divided by five by the criterion weight. Keep failed mandatory checks outside this total: a high overall score cannot replace an essential missing workflow. Record uncertainty rather than turning a sales assurance into a demonstrated result.
Compare complete configurations
Ask for the same rooms, modules, billing period, setup, training and connected services in each quotation. Record recurring and one-time charges separately. Identify the conditions under which either can change, including extra properties, transaction volume, interfaces and data exit.
Agree ownership and acceptance before signing
- Keep the demo evidence sheet and a written list of unresolved requirements.
- Confirm the data owner, configuration owner, training participants and escalation contact.
- Agree a test and acceptance plan before choosing a launch date.
- Check the contract, service scope and exit arrangements with the people responsible for those decisions.
Plan the implementation from configuration to launch
Explore Stayelier reservation, front-desk and housekeeping workflows
