When it comes to technology, independent hospitality brands often feel they are competing against a stacked deck. Large, national brands simply outgun them with their teams of data analysts and enterprise-level artificial intelligence and revenue management platforms.
As a result, independent properties leave as much as 30% or more of their revenue on the table while trying to keep pace. Some estimates put more than 90% of independent stays, for example, still pricing their rooms manually and relying on outdated rules and gut instincts.
Of course, every stacked deck has a wild card. For independent hotels, that’s the ability to move quickly.
Big chains weighed down by legacy systems can take months or years to change out their infrastructure or deploy new tools. Smaller properties, without that baggage, can try new tools with far less risk and cost. That agility gives independents an edge in adopting rapidly emerging technology like AI, which is moving so quickly that waiting often means falling behind.
What follows is a four-step path toward basic AI modernization that doesn’t require the “lift” of enterprise deployments.
Teach love languages
The easiest entry point is also one of the most eye-opening. Open a large language model like ChatGPT or Gemini and type in the kinds of queries your guests might use when searching for a stay in your area. Ask something like “romantic inn near hiking trails in Asheville” or “boutique hotel with stargazing in Santa Fe.” See what comes back. Are you there? Are your competitors? The answers will tell you a lot about how visible you are in the new search landscape.
Once you see where you stand, ask the same tool what you could add or change on your website to show up more often in those searches. Independents have a natural advantage here. Updating a website to clearly state that you offer “dark sky stargazing” or a “five-minute walk to the trailhead” is something you can do quickly, without layers of corporate approvals in the way.
Transfer daily chores
From there, AI can start to ease day-to-day operations. Many innkeepers already manage budgets and menus through spreadsheets. Feeding one of those files into an AI assistant and asking it to clean up formulas or spot trends can save hours of manual work.
At the same time, properties can use a simple AI chatbot to answer common late-night questions, such as the Wi-Fi password or directions to nearby coffee. The bot handles routine requests instantly and passes anything more complex to a human. Guests get quicker service, the team gets better rest and the inn keeps its personal touch intact.
As properties experiment more, privacy becomes a necessary focus. Free tools often use your data to train their models. That may be acceptable for drafting a blog post, but not for guest records, staffing schedules or revenue information. Paid business-grade subscriptions ensure your data remains private and separate, which protects both your property and your guests. Paid subscriptions also often provide more advanced features and models.
Pull back the covers
Once independents are comfortable with small wins and mindful of data security, they can explore AI tools designed specifically for hospitality. One Midwestern inn that had long struggled with occupancy provides a good example. The owners had always set rates by intuition and were hesitant to raise them.
When they tried an AI-driven pricing system, the software quickly detected that their guests were willing to pay more on certain high-demand dates. Rates went up without occupancy slipping, which meant more revenue without extra effort. On quieter weekends, the system nudged prices down just enough to fill rooms that would otherwise have gone empty. The owner described it as finally having clarity on when to hold steady, when to push and when to adjust.
Analyze your spend
Marketing platforms are another category that has matured. Instead of guessing which channels deserve attention, AI can analyze past performance and recommend where to invest. For a small property with limited dollars, this kind of guidance makes one’s marketing spend far more efficient. What used to require a corporate revenue team is now accessible to independents through tools that are affordable and simple to adopt.
The path is straightforward: Start by testing your visibility in AI search, then update your content so these systems can find you. Move into small operational uses that save time and reduce waste. Protect your data with business-grade tools. Then, as confidence grows, explore purpose-built platforms for pricing and marketing that directly grow revenue. Each step builds on the last, and each one is well within reach for independent properties, all while big brands are still unpacking their next enterprise-wide deployment.
