icecreek

The PMS Integration Tier Map

Last updated: September 2026

The limit on what software can do in a hotel is rarely the model, the feature set or the price. It is whether the property’s systems let you in. Piers Thackray has mapped this problem from the hotel’s side. This map takes the other perspective: the vendor’s.

For each PMS the question is the same: what does it cost, in money, time and nerve, for a hospitality tech vendor to be live in production? The answer sorts every system into one of five tiers, from self-serve (create an API key, ship this week) to sealed (no API, no partner program, data goes in and never comes out). A separate column tracks the backdoors: middleware hubs that sell access to doors the PMS vendor keeps locked.

Everything here is compiled from public sources: developer portals, partner pages, published pricing. Each row carries its sources and a check date, and where conditions are not public, the map says so. Intransparency is itself a data point.

This is a living document. It launched with the eight platforms that matter most for European hospitality tech vendors; this revision adds six DACH systems that nobody had mapped before, and opens a short-term-rental block. What changed and when is in the changelog, and every row carries its own tier history. If your experience with one of these systems differs from what you read here, tell us: hello@icecreek.com. Corrections from practitioners make this map better.

  • 1 Self-ServePublic docs, self-signup sandbox, free, productive without an approval process. A developer is live in days.
  • 2 Open Partner ProgramRegistration required, but cheap or free. Weeks, not months. Docs public.
  • 3 Gated PartnerApplication, fees (setup and/or revenue share), docs sometimes only after an NDA. Months.
  • 4 Certification FortressPay-to-play: four- to five-figure certification costs, long queues, sometimes only via regional resellers. This is where deals die.
  • 5 SealedNo API, no program. Only file exports, legacy interfaces, or nothing at all.

Property self-service. Can a single hotel generate API credentials for a tool itself, without the hotel’s software vendor signing a partner agreement first? Where yes, the hotel holds the door. Seen at Cloudbeds (side door), Zeevou (one of two paths), ibelsa (primary path), apaleo (hotel-controlled OAuth scopes).

AI access. Does the PMS open a door for AI agents: an MCP server, or documented agent access to the data? An llms.txt that only indexes the documentation is noted in the row, not counted here; a machine-readable manual is not a key. The open systems build the door first; nothing from the gated ones. The column confirms the tiers rather than adding a dimension: an MCP server signs no NDA and pays no fee.

Sandbox cost. The room to test in: free and resettable (apaleo), metered per call including sandbox (Oracle), paid subscription (Guesty 500 USD/month, Sihot 10 EUR/month dedicated), or absent, you test in production (Hostaway, ibelsa trial hotel).

Plan-gating / hotel-side fee. Does the door depend on which plan the hotel bought (Guesty, HS/3 editions), or does the hotel pay a per-interface fee to open it (Sihot 0.62 to 1.66 EUR per room per month, Casablanca monthly, ibelsa one-off)? Either way the hotel’s software vendor can be shut out by the hotel’s contract, not by its own.

Structural extensions in this revision came from people who commented on the first release: Na'ím Anís Paymán (Zeevou self-report). Corrections welcome, same channel.

System Tier API Sandbox Partner program Write Backdoor Self-service AI access Sandbox cost Plan-gating Short reasoning
Group A: the large ones
Oracle Opera Cloud (OHIP)at the border to 3Oracle Hospitality, Austin, USGroup A: the large ones 2 REST + streaming Metered, no free signup OPN, 500 USD/yr Full hapi No None Metered No Open docs and a plannable process, but pay-as-you-go with no free tier and mandatory OPN membership lift it past classic Tier 2.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
2 · Open Partner Program (at the border to 3)
Operator
Oracle Hospitality · Austin, US
Reasoning
Access via the Oracle Partner Network (500 USD/year) plus a Hospitality expertise track, then a self-service developer portal with 3,000+ REST endpoints; API specs are open source. But: pay-as-you-go only, no free tier, the partner carries all API costs, and the bill cannot be split per hotel or chain. Price from 10 USD per 10,000 REST transactions/month, and even sandbox calls are billed. Docs are open and the process is plannable, but the running costs and the OPN requirement lift it above classic Tier 2.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 2, at the border to 3 first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 2, at the border to 3 columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
REST plus streaming APIs (WebSockets, business events instead of polling).
Docs public
Yes (Oracle docs plus open-source specs on GitHub).
Sandbox
Shared sandbox via OHIP, not exclusive, billed by usage. No free self-signup. Oracle alternatives: paid consulting labs, or a deal with a hotel that has a non-production instance.
Partner program
Oracle Partner Network 500 USD/year, Hospitality track at no extra fee. Without OPN renewal there is no marketplace listing; existing installations keep running.
Write access
Full (reservations, profiles, cashiering, etc.).
Backdoor
hapi (officially on the Oracle Cloud Marketplace, binds via OHIP, real-time data access). Cost structure not public.
Property self-service
No. Access runs through the Oracle Partner Network and the OHIP developer portal.
AI access
None found for external agents. The MCP servers Oracle publishes cover Oracle Database (SQLcl, Database Tools, ORDS), not OHIP. OPERA Cloud Assistant, announced June 2026, is in-product AI with no external agent access, and the Oracle documentation host serves no llms.txt. The OHIP MCP bridges that exist are unofficial community projects.
Sandbox cost
Shared sandbox billed by usage; even sandbox calls are metered.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
No plan-gating; the partner carries all API costs.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
Oracle Opera 5 / Suite8 (Legacy)Oracle Hospitality, Austin, USGroup A: the large ones 4 SOAP / OXI / legacy none Approval-based Full via OXI hapi, hconnect No None None Hotel pays per door Certification 7,000-15,000 USD, no self-service, mandatory OPN and paid hotel interface licenses: the classic pay-to-play certification fortress.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
4 · Certification Fortress
Operator
Oracle Hospitality · Austin, US
Reasoning
Approval-based Oracle Hospitality Partner Integration Program, no self-service. Validation 7,000-15,000 USD one-off, sometimes certified staff required, OPN membership (500 USD/year) mandatory. No public sandbox access: options are paid consulting labs or a deal with a hotel that has a non-production instance. On top of that the hotel itself needs paid interface licenses (OXI/OWS). A substantial investment in both money and time with an uncertain outcome: the classic certification fortress.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 4 first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 4 columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
Legacy: OWS (SOAP web services), OXI (asynchronous XML on HTNG/OpenTravel basis), IFC8/FIAS for local hardware (door locks, PBX, minibar).
Docs public
Partial (glossaries and overviews yes, specs inside the partner program).
Sandbox
None. Options are paid consulting labs, or a negotiated deal with a hotel that has a non-production instance.
Partner program
Oracle Hospitality Partner Integration Program, approval-based, OPN membership mandatory.
Write access
Full via OXI, but each message type must be validated.
Backdoor
The strongest in the market. hapi has bound via OXI for years and gives vendors access to many Opera instances (on-premise and cloud) through a single endpoint, including two-way write-back into the legacy PMS. hconnect: a validated two-way OXI interface across all OXI message types. Cost structures of both hubs not public.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
None.
Sandbox cost
No sandbox; paid consulting labs or a hotel's non-production instance.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
The hotel needs paid OXI/OWS interface licences on top of the partner's certification.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
Mewsclose to 1Mews Systems, Prague / AmsterdamGroup A: the large ones 2 REST + webhooks Public demo Marketplace, free Full not needed Partial None Free No Connector API fully open and free, but production needs a 48h test run plus a manual review before a live token: textbook Tier 2.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
2 · Open Partner Program (close to 1)
Operator
Mews Systems · Prague / Amsterdam
Reasoning
Connector API fully open and self-service, free for partners and customers; a public demo environment anyone can use immediately without registration. Not Tier 1 because production has an approval step: a 48-hour test run in the demo environment, then a manual review by the Technical Partnerships team, and only then a production client token. Free, weeks, docs open: textbook Tier 2.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 2, close to 1 first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 2, close to 1 columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
REST (Connector API, Booking Engine API) plus webhooks.
Docs public
Yes (docs.mews.com, mirrored on GitHub MewsSystems/open-api-docs). The docs platform also serves an llms.txt index and answers natural-language queries at readme.md?ask=, so the documentation is machine-readable even though the API is not agent-accessible.
Sandbox
Public demo environment, self-service, immediate (gross and net pricing variants).
Partner program
Mews Marketplace, registration form, free.
Write access
Full (reservations, customers, rates, spaces, orders, accounting).
Backdoor
Not needed; hubs such as Omniboost exist more as a convenience layer (mainly accounting).
Property self-service
Partial. The property self-serves the access token: it connects the integration in the Marketplace, reads the token under My Subscriptions, and can disable or delete it at any time. The partner's client token still comes from Mews after the certification review, so the hotel chooses and revokes but cannot open the door for an uncertified hospitality tech vendor.
AI access
None. No MCP server, and the Mews MCP servers on offer are unaffiliated community projects. docs.mews.com does serve an llms.txt, with a natural-language query endpoint for agents on top of it, but both come with the GitBook documentation platform and they reach the documentation rather than the hotel. The AI work Mews does announce (Mews Agent, May 2026) runs inside the platform.
Sandbox cost
Public demo environment, free, immediate.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
No connection fees for partners or customers.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
apaleoapaleo GmbH, Munich, DEGroup A: the large ones 1 REST + webhooks Self-signup apaleo Store Full none needed Yes MCP + llms.txt Free No Free self-signup trial, the same credentials work immediately via Swagger. A developer is live in days: exactly the Tier 1 definition.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
1 · Self-Serve
Operator
apaleo GmbH · Munich, DE
Reasoning
Free trial account via self-signup, the same credentials work immediately for the API via Swagger. Sandbox with sample data, resettable at any time, self-provisioned API keys explicitly without contacting support. All APIs free and open for third-party apps per apaleo, store listing optional. A developer is live in days: exactly the Tier 1 definition.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 1 first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 1 columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
REST (Swagger/OpenAPI) plus a Webhook API.
Docs public
Yes (apaleo.dev).
Sandbox
Self-signup, free, resettable, with sample data.
Partner program
apaleo Store; listing free as far as visible.
Write access
Full, via hotel-controlled OAuth scopes.
Backdoor
Superfluous; Make is officially listed in the apaleo Store, which points more to an iPaaS partner status than to a backdoor.
Property self-service
Yes. The property grants per-app OAuth consent with scopes and can revoke; self-provisioned API keys without support contact.
AI access
Both, public and self-serve. A curated llms.txt at apaleo.dev/llms.txt with its own AI integrations section, and documented MCP server docs at apaleo.dev/mcp-docs: endpoint mcp.apaleo.com/mcp, OAuth 2.0 with no client ID or secret to request, around 230 tools across booking, finance, inventory and operations, in open beta with self-serve access. A published Claude connector sits on the same server.
Sandbox cost
Free, resettable, with sample data.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
All APIs free and open; store listing optional.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
Planet / protel (protel Air and on-premise)leaning 4, conditions intransparentPlanet (weareplanet.com); protel origin Dortmund, DE, Ireland / UKGroup A: the large ones 3† Async XML / SOAP On request Approval + fee Scoped by contract hapi, TigerTMS No None Unclear Unclear Approval-based program with stacked hurdles (NDA, business case, upfront certification fee not public, pilot-customer requirement). Documented end to end, but fee intransparency pushes it toward 4.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
3 · Gated Partner (leaning 4, conditions intransparent)
Operator
Planet (weareplanet.com); protel origin Dortmund, DE · Ireland / UK
Reasoning
Approval-based partner program with several stacked hurdles: registration at store.protel.io, NDA, detailed use-case description, a list of customers/prospects to make a business case, an Integration Agreement, then a certification fee invoiced upfront whose amount depends on the protocol and is not public, followed by per-message validation, a kickoff with an integration specialist, and a 14-day zero-issue pilot phase that restarts on any issue. RapidEye's June 2026 scorecard classifies protel/Planet as partner-gated with cost not disclosed. This is more than "form, moderate hurdle, plannable" (Tier 3), but the process is at least documented end to end, unlike Opera Legacy. Fee intransparency plus the pilot-customer requirement push it toward 4. Marked as conditions intransparent.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 3, leaning 4, conditions intransparent first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 3, leaning 4, conditions intransparent columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
protel.I/O enterprise service bus: asynchronous XML messaging (HTNG/OTA influenced), SOAP/Bearer. In 2026 Planet announced an upgraded Open API framework for protel Cloud with sandbox environments; whether it changes the partner gate is not evident, and the developer hub remains partner-gated.
Docs public
Partial. The legacy protel.I/O Confluence (developer guide, onboarding, process) is publicly readable, content migrating to confluence.weareplanet.com. Message-level specs sit behind partner registration.
Sandbox
On request via the partner program; dedicated sandbox environments announced 2026, no self-signup found.
Partner program
protel Marketplace / Integration Partner program. NDA plus Integration Agreement plus an upfront certification fee (amount not public, protocol-dependent). Categories with predefined message scopes: RMS, CRM, Kiosk, CRS, Upsell.
Write access
Possible via I/O message types (reservations, profiles, postings, per category), but scoped per use case in the Integration Agreement, so effectively limited by contract; full breadth unclear.
Backdoor
Yes. hapi lists protel among its supported PMS. TigerTMS iLink middleware carries certified protel interfaces, mainly telephony/guest-tech. Hub cost structures not public.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
None found.
Sandbox cost
On request via the partner program; dedicated sandboxes announced 2026, cost not public.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Interface scope is contracted per use case; hotel-side fees not public.
† Lifecycle
Acquired by Planet; partner-facing docs mid-migration to confluence.weareplanet.com.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
CloudbedsCloudbeds Inc., San Diego, USGroup A: the large ones 2 REST + GraphQL On request Free dev account Broad Property self-serve API Partial None Free No Docs fully public, free partner dev account (team-enabled), evaluated by Partnerships before certification. Free, documented, weeks not months: textbook Tier 2.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
2 · Open Partner Program
Operator
Cloudbeds Inc. · San Diego, US
Reasoning
Docs fully public (REST plus GraphQL reference plus changelog), free partner dev account, but the account must be enabled by the Cloudbeds team, the integration is evaluated by the Partnerships team before development/certification, a dev account does not guarantee marketplace access, and partnerships may require signing a mutual NDA. RapidEye scores it partner-gated with a free dev account. Free, documented, weeks not months: textbook Tier 2.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 2 first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 2 columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
REST (v1.2/v1.3) plus GraphQL, webhooks; API keys for marketplace partners, OAuth 2.0 as an alternative.
Docs public
Yes, plus an llms.txt index at developers.cloudbeds.com, one of only three platforms in RapidEye's 13-system audit to publish one. It is a documentation index generated by the docs platform, which is why it counts here and not under AI access: an agent can read the manual end to end and still has no way in.
Sandbox
Partner test account with dummy data on request via partners@, explicitly requestable before the partnership review. Not self-signup, but low-friction.
Partner program
Cloudbeds Marketplace (400+ integrations advertised). No public fees; RapidEye lists cost to build as free. Marketplace listing requires Partnerships approval.
Write access
Broad (reservations, guests, rooms, rates, payments, housekeeping; 50+ API calls advertised). Exact scope caps per partner category unclear.
Backdoor
Largely unnecessary, but two side doors: (1) a property-level self-service API lets an individual hotel generate its own credentials without a partner agreement (the hotel-granted-access mechanism, a door the vendor gate keeps shut); (2) TigerTMS iLink carries a certified Cloudbeds interface for telephony/guest-tech. hapi does not list Cloudbeds.
Property self-service
Yes as a side door, and it carries write access. A property administrator holding the "API and Integration" role creates credentials under Account, Apps and Marketplace, selects from the same read and write scope catalogue partners use (reservation, guest, rate and so on), approves them with their own login and receives an x-api-key. The key is revocable at any time and keeps working as long as it is used once every 30 days; scopes are fixed at creation, so widening them means deleting the key and issuing a new one. One tick extends a key across several or all properties of that user. No partner agreement anywhere in the flow.
AI access
None. No MCP server and no documented agent access to the API. The llms.txt at developers.cloudbeds.com is a docs index generated by the documentation platform: it makes the reference machine-readable, it does not open a door to the property. Recorded under Docs public instead.
Sandbox cost
Partner test account with dummy data on request, free.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
No public fees; not plan-gated.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
Guestline / Rezlynx PMSconditions intransparentAccess Hospitality (The Access Group), UK (Guestline origin Shrewsbury)Group A: the large ones 3† REST Unclear No public program Partial TigerTMS No None Unclear Unclear Public API portal with readable docs, but no self-signup, no published program, no pricing, credentials only via a Guestline rep. Certification exists in practice: Tier 3 by structure, intransparency flagged.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
3 · Gated Partner (conditions intransparent)
Operator
Access Hospitality (The Access Group) · UK (Guestline origin Shrewsbury)
Reasoning
A public API portal exists (developers.guestline.com) with readable REST documentation for Rezlynx, but there is no self-signup, no published partner program, no pricing and no onboarding process page. Credentials must be obtained from your Guestline representative. The former partner page now redirects to an Access Group marketing page with no partner content. Certification of third-party integrations exists in practice (e.g. xnPOS). Gate plus certification plus zero public conditions: Tier 3 by structure, with intransparency flagged as a data point. Nothing public suggests Tier-4 fees, but nothing rules them out either.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 3, conditions intransparent first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 3, conditions intransparent columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
REST (improved authentication and REST endpoints, consolidating older Rezlynx endpoints); portal scope explicitly Rezlynx only, hardware integration docs "coming soon".
Docs public
Yes for reading (developers.guestline.com), no access path documented.
Sandbox
Unclear, request needed. No public sandbox or test-account offer found.
Partner program
Exists de facto (500+ marketplace integrations claimed). Name, cost and process not public. Post-acquisition, the partner-facing web presence has been absorbed into Access Group corporate pages.
Write access
Partial confirmed (check-in/check-out, housekeeping status per the public endpoint docs; two-way certified interfaces exist, e.g. xnPOS billing). Full breadth (reservations write, rates) unclear.
Backdoor
No dominant hub known. hapi does not list Guestline. TigerTMS iLink has a certified Rezlynx interface (telephony/guest-tech). Vendors like Duve integrate directly, which suggests the direct gate is passable but says nothing about conditions.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
None found.
Sandbox cost
Unclear, request needed.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Unclear.
† Lifecycle
Acquired by The Access Group 2023; partner-facing web presence absorbed into corporate pages.
Sources

public + practitioner-reported (API heterogeneity across areas, credit pending)

Checked
2026-08-02
StayntouchStayntouch Inc. (MCR Hotels), Bethesda MD, US; EU office Aalsmeer, NLGroup A: the large ones 2 REST + OAuth 2.0 After NDA Free, NDA-gated Read + write hapi, Omniboost No None Free (after NDA) No Full API reference public without login and a vendor commitment to free, fast certification, but an NDA gates any sandbox touch: Tier 2.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
2 · Open Partner Program
Operator
Stayntouch Inc. (MCR Hotels) · Bethesda MD, US; EU office Aalsmeer, NL
Reasoning
The full API reference is public without login, and the docs state that Stayntouch Connect provides third-party apps read and write access, with all vendors signing an NDA before sandbox access. Marketing commits to free, swift certification with no charges for connections or support. NDA-gated but explicitly free and fast, docs open: Tier 2. RapidEye reads it as partner-gated with cost not disclosed, stricter than Stayntouch's own no-fee claims; weighted here toward the vendor's explicit public commitment plus the open specs.
Tier history
  1. 2026-08-02 Tier 2 first release
  2. 2026-09-15 Tier 2 columns added (property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating)
API type
REST (Connect API v2), OAuth 2.0, a strong webhook layer (reservation lifecycle, housekeeping room status, inventory, end-of-day, guest and group events).
Docs public
Yes (api-specs.stayntouch.com/v2; overview at stayntouch.com/developers).
Sandbox
After NDA; a sandbox or a live customer environment is offered.
Partner program
Stayntouch Integration Hub / partner network; no fees per the vendor's own pages; process is contact-initiated (no self-signup form found).
Write access
Read and write per the official API docs (reservations, guests, accounts, groups, housekeeping, addons).
Backdoor
Available but not necessary: hapi has an official Stayntouch collaboration (a single endpoint to Stayntouch plus 100+ other systems). Omniboost is Stayntouch's official accounting-sync partner, file/SFTP-based rather than API-level. Hub costs not public.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
None found.
Sandbox cost
Free after NDA; sandbox or live customer environment.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
No charges for connections, certifications or support per the vendor.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-08-02
Group B: DACH batch
Sihot (SIHOT.PMS)two tracks: Connectivity Program is Tier 2, Full Integration Program (channel managers, RMS, BI) is Tier 3 with a paid package, amount not publicGUBSE AG, Schiffweiler, DEGroup B: DACH batch 2 REST + SOAP Free shared / 10 EUR dedicated Two tracks, 160 EUR cert Full, scoped by cert TigerTMS No None Free / 10 EUR Hotel pays per door Every fee published down to the 10 EUR sandbox. Connectivity track: form, free docs, 160 EUR certification call, then production: textbook Tier 2. Full Integration track is a paid package, amount not public.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
2 · Open Partner Program (two tracks: Connectivity Program is Tier 2, Full Integration Program (channel managers, RMS, BI) is Tier 3 with a paid package, amount not public)
Operator
GUBSE AG · Schiffweiler, DE
Reasoning
The most fully published access model in the map so far, two tracks on partner.sihot.com. Connectivity Program: online application, qualification by the SIHOT team, public documentation, a shared free test environment without SLA (dedicated 10 EUR per month), no technical support foreseen (250 EUR per hour on request), certification call 160 EUR invoiced upfront. Full Integration Program, mandatory for channel managers, revenue management and business intelligence: introductory call, commercial proposal for an integration package, price not public, subject to resource availability. Connectivity is textbook Tier 2 with a flat fee; Full Integration is Tier 3. The hotel-side per-room interface fee and the mandatory certification call before any production credentials keep the row off Tier 1.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 2, two tracks: Connectivity Program Tier 2, Full Integration Program Tier 3 first release
API type
SIHOT@360 Open API, REST and SOAP from V2.0, XML-based objects, notifications; legacy SXML interfaces still documented; separate POS and Payengine APIs.
Docs public
Yes, fully readable without login (partner.sihot.com).
Sandbox
After application qualification. Shared standard environment free, non-exclusive, no SLA, may be suspended without notice; dedicated 10 EUR per month (Connectivity); dedicated free for 12 months then 10 EUR per month (Full Integration).
Partner program
SIHOT Integration Programs. Connectivity Program: online application, qualification, free docs and shared test environment, no support (250 EUR per hour on request), certification call 160 EUR invoiced upfront, "Certified Ready" after the call, "Certified Proven" after three pilot customers. Full Integration Program (mandatory for channel managers, RMS, BI): commercial proposal for an integration package with support hours, price not public, subject to resource availability. No re-certification on version updates.
Write access
Full per SIHOT ("access to all functionalities and data"); in practice scoped to the use cases submitted for certification, unimplemented cases are listed as limitations.
Backdoor
TigerTMS iLink lists SiHot (telephony/guest-tech). hapi not found on public lists. No dominant hub; none needed at this door price.
Property self-service
No. The hotel orders the interface from its SIHOT sales agent, accepts the fees, SIHOT configures it and hands URL and credentials to the partner.
AI access
None found (no MCP, no llms.txt, no agent docs).
Sandbox cost
Shared free without SLA; dedicated 10 EUR per month.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Not by plan. The hotel pays a one-off configuration fee (higher on-premise than SaaS) plus 0.62 to 1.66 EUR per room per month per interface.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-09-14
HS/3 HotelsoftwaresunsetHS3 Hotelsoftware GmbH & Co. KG (a Mews company since May 2024), Detmold, DEGroup B: DACH batch 5† Legacy per-category None None public Unclear none No None None Yes No API docs, no program, no sandbox, per-category legacy interfaces built with HS/3, partly file-based: the scoping definition of Tier 5. The product sunsets in spring 2027; the successor door is Mews.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
5 · Sealed (sunset)
Operator
HS3 Hotelsoftware GmbH & Co. KG (a Mews company since May 2024) · Detmold, DE
Reasoning
No developer portal, no public API documentation, no partner program page, no pricing, no sandbox. Integration works the classic on-premise way: HS/3 sells the hotel interface modules per category, and third-party vendors build against HS/3 with HS/3, in at least one documented case via a shared file-exchange directory rather than an API. SiteMinder connected via its own pmsXchange. That is Tier 5 by definition: no API, no program, legacy interfaces only. The sunset makes the tier moot for new integrations: a vendor certifying today ships into a product that stops receiving updates in 2027. Consolidation with the opposite sign to Planet and Access: here the acquirer replaces a Tier-5 door with a Tier-2 door.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 5, sunset first release; sunset announced (support ends spring 2027, replacement door Mews)
API type
Legacy per-category interfaces (file exchange, local protocols); no REST or SOAP layer documented publicly.
Docs public
No.
Sandbox
None.
Partner program
None public. Interfaces negotiated and built with HS/3 per vendor; the hotel buys the interface module. Existing partnerships continue through the transition; nothing published about new partners.
Write access
Unclear, request needed. Partner docs show POS-to-room posting and check-in status out; nothing on reservation write.
Backdoor
None at API level. hapi and TigerTMS do not list HS/3. Channel-manager doors (SiteMinder pmsXchange, DIRS21, CultSwitch, D-EDGE) are distribution-only.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
None.
Sandbox cost
Not applicable, no sandbox exists.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Yes, by edition (Basic, Professional, Premium). Interfaces are edition-bound modules; the door depends on what the hotel bought.
† Lifecycle
Acquired by Mews in May 2024. Support ends spring 2027; Update 2026 is expected to be the last. The replacement door for these ~3,500 hotels is Mews (Tier 2, close to 1).
Sources

public

Checked
2026-09-14
CASABLANCA hotelsoftwareleaning 2, conditions not publicCASABLANCA hotelsoftware GmbH, Schoenwies (Tirol), ATGroup B: DACH batch 3 REST (OpenAPI) After request, permanent Certified Partner, fees not public Yes (bundles) none No None Free (unverified) Hotel pays per door Partner-gated end to end (request, token, gated docs, mandatory certification, fees not public), but a July 2026 permanent self-service sandbox and one public vendor voice calling fees reasonable pull it toward 2.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
3 · Gated Partner (leaning 2, conditions not public)
Operator
CASABLANCA hotelsoftware GmbH · Schoenwies (Tirol), AT
Reasoning
Access is partner-gated end to end: after a request a token is issued, API documentation sits in a partner portal, certification is mandatory, and fees exist but are not published (the company itself describes the previous test model as cost-intensive, time-limited test kits; a public vendor review calls integration fees and API costs reasonable). Application plus non-public fees plus gated docs plus certification is Tier 3 by definition. Leaning 2 because of the 2026-07-17 relaunch: a permanent, isolated developer sandbox with self-managed keys, reset on demand, seed data and interactive OpenAPI docs, which removes the sandbox cost and the ticket loop. Conditions not public; here it is a modern portal behind a request, not post-acquisition drift.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 3, leaning 2, conditions not public first release
API type
REST, OpenAPI-specified, HTNG/OTA-based data model, push and pull. Three bundles on the new sandbox so far: POS API, Booking Engine API (headless), Voucher API (reverse flow). Older surface covered reservations, stays, availability, guests, check-in/out, invoices, accounts, payments.
Docs public
No; interactive OpenAPI docs live in a partner portal after request. Customer documentation is public.
Sandbox
After partner request. Since 2026-07-17 a permanent, isolated Developer Sandbox with self-managed API keys, reset without ticket, generated seed data and a logic-validation layer, replacing paid, time-limited test kits.
Partner program
"CASABLANCA certified Partner" across channel management, POS, telephony, payment, web, revenue, locks, accounting, kiosks and more. Token issued after request; certification mandatory; fees exist ("reasonable" per one public vendor review) but are not published.
Write access
Yes for the documented bundles (POS postings, reservation creation via the Booking Engine API, check-in/out in the older surface). Full breadth per partner category unclear.
Backdoor
None known. hapi and TigerTMS do not list Casablanca.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
No MCP, no llms.txt. The company states the sandbox is built for machine-speed testing by partners' AI agents; that is AI-readiness of the test surface, not agent access to the door.
Sandbox cost
Was paid (time-limited test kits); since July 2026 implied included for admitted partners, no price stated. Unverified.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Not by plan. Hotels pay recurring monthly module and interface fees (a DEHOGA Bayern partner discount names them), amount not public.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-09-14
ibelsa.roomsno developer sandbox; partner-level endpoints by emailibelsa GmbH, Saarbruecken, DEGroup B: DACH batch 1 REST + Zapier None (trial hotel) None needed, free Broad not needed (Zapier) Yes None None Hotel pays per door Public docs, no fees, no certification: the hotel generates the key and the key is production. Tier 1 through the hotel's door; the missing developer sandbox and the emailed partner key are footnotes, not gates.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
1 · Self-Serve (no developer sandbox; partner-level endpoints by email)
Operator
ibelsa GmbH · Saarbruecken, DE
Reasoning
The door is the hotel. Public REST documentation without login; the API key is created by the hotel itself, one per third party, revocable; the integration is free on ibelsa's side and there are no prerequisites. No certification step sits between the hotel's key and production. That is the Tier 1 definition and the purest property-level self-service in the map so far. Two qualifications: no developer sandbox exists (the room to test in is a trial hotel, the Hostaway pattern), and some endpoints need a partner system key requested by email. Neither gates the data door.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 1, no developer sandbox; partner-level endpoints by email first release
API type
REST, JSON over HTTPS, header authentication (hotel API key, optional partner system key), asynchronous rate import, developer newsletter for breaking changes. Zapier connector since 2022.
Docs public
Yes, fully (rooms.ibelsa.com/api/doc and rooms.ibelsa.com/doc/api).
Sandbox
No dedicated sandbox. The room to test in is a 30-day full-version trial hotel, set up by ibelsa.
Partner program
No formal program, no fees. Optional registration for the public integrations list; a partner "system key" for some endpoints (external UI embedding) on request by email; Zapier as a listed channel.
Write access
Broad, documented as "write access required": contacts, rooms on reservations, products, invoices (close, split, pay), rates and restrictions, kiosk payment, product catalogue. The hotel decides scope per key.
Backdoor
Not needed. Zapier is the sanctioned iPaaS door. hapi and TigerTMS do not list ibelsa.
Property self-service
Yes, primary path. The hotel creates a user group with API permission and generates one key per third party under Integrations, revocable individually. ibelsa is not in the loop.
AI access
None found (no MCP, no llms.txt).
Sandbox cost
No sandbox; trial hotel free.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
No plans, one flat rate (4 EUR per room per month). Small one-off setup fee per activated connection on the hotel side, amount not public.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-09-14
gastrodat Hotelsoftwareconditions intransparentgastrodat GmbH (simplify hospitality group, with lodgit and Front Office Cloud), Salzburg, ATGroup B: DACH batch 4 Proprietary (on-prem API server) Unclear None public Unclear none No None Unclear Unclear An API exists (central developer keys, per-app whitelist, per-hotel assignment) but no public docs, program, fees or sandbox anywhere. A gate with zero published conditions: 4-intransparent by the scoping rule.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
4 · Certification Fortress (conditions intransparent)
Operator
gastrodat GmbH (simplify hospitality group, with lodgit and Front Office Cloud) · Salzburg, AT
Reasoning
The only technical description is a 2019 company wiki page: a central API server with a security layer of session, application, consumer and developer keys; each app is allowed only specific functions, centrally controlled, and assigned only to specific hotels. No endpoint documentation, developer portal, partner page, fees, sandbox or application form exists on the current sites; the public interface pages list 20 categories and partner logos with placeholder text. Structurally a gate, not a wall, so not Tier 5. With zero public conditions and nothing showing the "form, moderate hurdle, plannable" shape of Tier 3, the scoping rule places it at 4-intransparent. Intransparency is the finding.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 4, conditions intransparent first release
API type
Proprietary API server installed per hotel, key-based (session token, application, consumer and developer keys). Nothing else public.
Docs public
No.
Sandbox
None found; unclear, request needed.
Partner program
None public. Developer keys are issued centrally and apps are assigned to specific hotels by gastrodat; no application form, no fees, no process.
Write access
Unclear, request needed.
Backdoor
None known. hapi and TigerTMS do not list gastrodat.
Property self-service
No; keys and app assignments are central.
AI access
None.
Sandbox cost
None found.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Unclear; interfaces are paid add-on modules on the hotel side.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-09-14
ASA HOTELconditions not public, mutual-customer gateASA KG, Kaltern (South Tyrol), ITGroup B: DACH batch 3 Proprietary + AlpineBits Unclear Form, customer count required Partial (per partner) none (AlpineBits) No None Unclear Unclear A public marketplace with per-partner scopes and a simple API contact form, but docs behind a partner login, no fees or process published, and a mandatory "number of interested customers" field: Tier 3 with a mutual-customer gate flagged.
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
3 · Gated Partner (conditions not public, mutual-customer gate)
Operator
ASA KG · Kaltern (South Tyrol), IT
Reasoning
ASA publishes a marketplace listing what each integration exports and imports, and an API contact form as the only documented access path. That form requires the number of interested ASA customers, a de-facto mutual-customer requirement on first contact, the same structural gate that pushed Planet/protel toward 4. Documentation sits behind a partner login; no public API reference, no fees, no sandbox, no process page. Placed at 3 rather than 4 because the path is documented and simple, scopes are public, and there is no evidence of fees or NDAs. Conditions not public. For distribution-type data an open standard door exists via AlpineBits.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 3, conditions not public, mutual-customer gate first release
API type
Proprietary interfaces plus AlpineBits (open Alpine-region XML standard for availability, rates, inquiries; ASA is AlpineBits Gold certified).
Docs public
No (partner login). Per-partner export/import scopes are public on the marketplace.
Sandbox
None found; unclear, request needed.
Partner program
Technical partnership via api@asahotel.com or the API contact form, which requires interface type, use cases and the number of interested ASA customers. No name, no fees, no process published.
Write access
Marketplace pages show imports of rates, services, payments, comments, reservation requests and newsletter sign-ups; POS posts to rooms; guest apps do pre-check-in and check-out. Breadth for arbitrary partners unclear.
Backdoor
None at hub level; AlpineBits is a standard, not a hub. Nevotek appears as a guest-tech integrator (TV, PBX, locks). hapi and TigerTMS do not list ASA.
Property self-service
No.
AI access
No MCP or llms.txt. AI receptionists (AiDA, AllgaeuGPT via AlpineBits, Joorna) are listed as partners; agent products go through the partner gate like everything else.
Sandbox cost
None found.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
Unclear; interfaces are modules, hotel-side pricing not public.
Sources

public

Checked
2026-09-14
STR block
Zeevousingle-property path Tier 1; Marketplace path Tier 2 (same-day certification before the production app, the Mews rule)Zeevou Ltd, London, UKSTR block 1 REST, OAuth2 Auto-created on sign-up Free, same-day cert Unclear not needed Yes MCP, self-serve Free AI door only Two doors kept apart: Marketplace vetting with same-day certification (Tier 2), and property-generated live credentials with no human step (Tier 1).
Details, sources and check date All columns, sources and check date
Tier
1 · Self-Serve (single-property path Tier 1; Marketplace path Tier 2 (same-day certification before the production app, the Mews rule))
Operator
Zeevou Ltd · London, UK
Reasoning
Marketplace path: form, automatic sandbox and OAuth2 app, certification by Zeevou, then the production app; a human step before the production token places it at Tier 2 by the same rule as Mews, faster than Mews. Single-property path: the property generates its own live credentials on its Account page, no certification, no fee. Zeevou keeps marketplace vetting (the discovery surface) and API gating (the door) apart; most systems at Tier 3 and above couple them. Founder statements verified against the two support articles and the sign-up page; two live public pages describe the single-property path differently, placed by the newer article.
Tier history
  1. 2026-09-14 Tier 1, single-property path Tier 1; Marketplace path Tier 2 first release from Na'ím Anís Paymán (self-report, verified against public support pages)
  2. 2026-09-16 Tier 1, single-property path Tier 1; Marketplace path Tier 2 AI access updated: MCP self-serve (was: credentials via support). Plan-gating updated with it: the AI Connector Module is a purchased add-on, so the agent door now carries a hotel-side fee the API door does not. from Na'ím Anís Paymán (reported on the v1.1 release post, verified against public pages)
API type
OAuth2 (authorization code for Marketplace apps, client credentials for single-property apps); REST.
Docs public
Partial (support articles and sign-up page public; API reference not verified).
Sandbox
Marketplace path: the sign-up form automatically creates a sandbox host account plus an OAuth2 app and emails credentials within minutes. Single-property path: the property itself generates live credentials.
Partner program
Marketplace integration: form, automatic sandbox, develop, Zeevou certifies ("we try to turn around on the same day", founder-reported), then production app. No fees anywhere (founder-reported).
Write access
Not verified against public docs.
Backdoor
Not needed; iCal assumed as the floor.
Property self-service
Yes. A Zeevou user generates Client ID and Client Secret on the Account page ("OAuth Credentials" card) for custom applications outside the Marketplace (support article 751, 2026). An older article (290) and the sign-up page still describe manual issuance by Zeevou; superseded, footnote.
AI access
Publicly documented MCP server ("Connect AI Agents to Zeevou via AI Connector (MCP)", support article 752): OAuth against https://mcp.zeevou.com/mcp, read/write on bookings, guests, properties and financials. Self-serve since September 2026: the property adds that URL as a custom connector in Claude, signs in with its Zeevou login and grants consent on a Zeevou consent screen; Claude Code discovers the server from the URL alone. The AI Connector Module must be purchased and enabled first, and other MCP clients (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek) still go through Zeevou Support. The agent door no longer needs a support ticket for Claude, but it is not the free door the API is. Zapier MCP exists as a second, sanctioned agent path. Support articles carry "Copy for LLM" buttons.
Sandbox cost
Free.
Plan-gating / hotel-side fee
The API door carries no plan-gating and no hotel-side fee. The agent door does: the AI Connector Module has to be purchased and enabled per account before the MCP server can be used (support article 752, prerequisites). No public price.
Sources

public + founder-reported

Checked
2026-09-14

Backdoor lifecycle. Backdoors exist until they do not: Airbnb’s private mobile API ran close to a decade, then only the PMS door remained. When no hub has the key, the next stage is an agent driving the PMS user interface: unsanctioned, fragile against UI changes, invisible to the partner program. The replacement is always the PMS.

Standards. Data models referenced across rows: HTNG, OpenTravel (OTA), and in the Alpine region AlpineBits, an open standard for availability, rates and inquiries between PMS, channel managers and portals.

† Lifecycle and sunset marker. Product end-of-life announced; the tier describes the door as it exists today, the footnote says when it closes and what replaces it.

Last updated: September 2026. Fifteen systems live, Guesty and Hostaway next. Want a note when the map changes? Email hello@icecreek.com with subject “map updates”.

Every row lists its public sources and check date in its detail section. Ratings reflect public documentation and general market knowledge as of the check date, and are corrected as systems change.

Changelog

  1. v1.1.1 16 September 2026 Zeevou AI access updated

    • Zeevou MCP is now self-serve for Claude clients: the property adds the connector URL, signs in with its Zeevou login and grants consent, with no support ticket. Previously credentials came from Zeevou Support. Re-checked against support article 752 and the new public connector listing (Glama, com.zeevou.mcp). Reported by Na'ím Anís Paymán on the v1.1 release post, verified against public pages.
    • The same article moved Zeevou's plan-gating cell: the AI Connector Module has to be purchased before the MCP server works, so the agent door carries a hotel-side fee the free API door does not. The tier is unchanged; it follows the API door.

  2. v1.1 15 September 2026 DACH batch, extension columns, STR block

    • Rows added Sihot (SIHOT.PMS), HS/3 Hotelsoftware, CASABLANCA hotelsoftware, ibelsa.rooms, gastrodat Hotelsoftware, ASA HOTEL, Zeevou.
    • Columns added property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating.
    • Group B: DACH batch. Six systems from Germany, Austria and South Tyrol; the batch spans Tier 1 to Tier 5 again.
    • Four new columns for every row: property self-service, AI access, sandbox cost, plan-gating and hotel-side fees. Group A rows re-checked for these columns only; their tiers are unchanged.
    • HS/3 carries a sunset marker: support ends spring 2027, the replacement door is Mews.
    • STR block opened with Zeevou; Guesty and Hostaway follow.
    • New footnotes: backdoor lifecycle, standards (HTNG, OpenTravel, AlpineBits), sunset marker.
    • Per-row tier history and this changelog added.
    • Credit Na'ím Anís Paymán: Zeevou self-report.

  3. v1.0 2 August 2026 First release

Your experience differs?

If you have integrated with one of these systems and hit different walls (or open doors), we want to know: hello@icecreek.com. Every correction makes the map better, and is credited if you want it to be.