MCP (Model Context Protocol)

An open standard that lets an AI assistant connect to an outside system and use it, rather than just being told about it in a prompt.

A PMS vendor runs an MCP server that exposes a set of tools, each one a specific action such as "list reservations for a property" or "unlock a smart lock". An AI client, for example Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT Desktop, connects to that server and can then call those tools when you ask it something in plain language.

For an operator, the practical difference is between an AI that can talk about your business and an AI that can act on it. Asking "which of my properties have a lock below 30% battery before Friday's arrivals?" only works if the assistant can actually query the PMS and the lock provider.

Two things are worth checking before switching one on:

• What the tools can change, not just read. A tool that pulls a report is low risk. A tool that opens a door, cancels a booking or moves money is not.
• Who can reach the client. Permissions usually sit on the PMS account, not on the individual person using the AI client, so anyone with access to that client inherits whatever the account can do.

Several PMS vendors shipped MCP servers through 2025 and 2026, including Apaleo and Hospitable.