In September 2025, Apaleo announced the launch of its MCP server, becoming the first property management platform to connect AI agents directly with hotel systems. The move is more than a product release – it signals a shift in how hotels can approach technology: open, flexible and built for the age of AI.
To explore what this means in practice, we caught up with Florian Montag, VP of Business Development at Apaleo at The Annual Hospitality Conference in Manchester.
Read on to discover what MCP actually is, why it matters, and how it will change the way hoteliers interact with both their guests and their technology stacks.
Simplifying MCP (Model Context Protocol)
For those unfamiliar, MCP (or Model Context Protocol) can sound abstract. Florian offered a straightforward analogy:
“An MCP server is essentially a translator,” he explained. “Hotels already have APIs that power everything in their systems, but they’re often too complex for non-technical people to use. MCP makes those APIs understandable to AI agents. Instead of building lengthy integrations, you can simply prompt an AI agent and it will know how to interact with the system.”
In other words, the MCP server allows hoteliers to create agents that understand Apaleo’s system “out of the box.” Tasks that once required weeks of development can now be set up in hours – with simple authentication and prompting, in a not dissimilar way to how you would prompt ChatGPT.
Smoother Operations, Happier Staff
The operational benefits are immediate. With MCP, hotels can create specialised AI agents that support staff by pulling guest information, updating profiles, or syncing data across systems. “It’s like adding virtual employees to your team,” Florian said. “They handle the repetitive, behind-the-scenes work, so staff can focus on delivering memorable guest experiences.”
This shift, he added, moves hotels from simply “automated” to more “autonomous.” Instead of rigid workflows that can’t adapt to exceptions, AI agents can operate within hotel-defined rules, making smarter, context-aware decisions that enhance service delivery.
Cutting Through Complexity
One of the biggest frustrations hoteliers face is dealing with fragmented systems that don’t talk to each other. Apaleo’s MCP server addresses this by enabling an “agent layer” that sits above the PMS, CRM, and other platforms.
“Traditionally, integrations were point-to-point. Each system had to be individually connected to another,” Florian explained. “Now, agents act like virtual employees. They pull data from one system, update another, and keep everything in sync. That means you’re not locked into a single vendor anymore. You can build the stack you want.”
Marketing with Intelligence
From a marketing perspective, MCP also opens powerful new possibilities. By ensuring data flows seamlessly between systems, hotels can build a complete view of the guest journey and automate campaigns with precision.
“MCP itself doesn’t run campaigns,” Florian clarified, “but it enables hotels to build agents that enrich guest data, update CRMs, and trigger the right messages at the right time. That makes it much easier to personalise marketing at scale, without adding more work for staff.”
Looking Ahead: The Agent Factory
Perhaps the most exciting development, Florian noted, is Apaleo’s new Agent Factory. This initiative allows hotels to co-design AI agents tailored to their own needs, sharing templates covering everything from revenue optimisation to guest communication.
“We don’t believe in just building solutions for our customers and handing them over,” he said. “With Agent Factory, hotels can bring us their ideas, and together we help design and launch agents. Some even become open-source templates for others to use. It’s about enabling the industry to innovate together.”
The Bigger Picture
For Florian, MCP is not just about technology, but about shifting the balance of power. Independent hotels, often at a disadvantage against large groups or OTAs, can now compete on more equal footing. “With MCP, you’re no longer waiting for a vendor to build what you need – you can create it yourself, often in hours.”
Looking Ahead
Apaleo’s MCP server represents a fundamental change in hotel technology. By bridging AI agents with core systems, it promises not only greater efficiency but also a more creative, adaptable approach to innovation.
For hoteliers, the opportunities are clear: streamline operations, empower staff, run smarter campaigns and experiment with new ideas faster than ever before. As Florian put it, this is just the beginning: “We see a future where hotels move from static, closed systems to dynamic, AI-driven infrastructures. And for independents especially, that means a chance to finally compete on a level playing field.”
