The Journal

Writing for people who run the place themselves.

Practical notes on running a B&B or small hotel, winning direct bookings, and staying on the right side of the paperwork. No fluff, no jargon.

Latest

How-to guides

UK Tourist Tax for B&Bs and Small Hotels: 2026 Guide

Wales now requires every provider to register, Cardiff charges from April 2027, Edinburgh's 5% is live and England's levy is on the way. What applies where, and how to show it on rates and invoices.

Harris·27 October 2026·9 min read

More from the Journal

SVHow-to guides
How to Switch PMS Without Losing Bookings (UK Guide)
Moving to a new property management system? The order that protects your forward book: what to import, when to change over, and an 11-step checklist for UK independents.Harris·22 October 2026·9 min read
How-to guides
B&B Cancellation Policy UK: Deposits That Hold Under Consumer Law
A "non-refundable" line on your website does not make it enforceable. What UK consumer law actually allows you to keep, how to write a stepped policy, and how to keep OTAs and direct in step.Harris·29 September 2026·6 min read
Buying guides
Booking Engines for a B&B Website: What the "Book Now" Button Has to Do
A booking engine lets a guest see which nights are free, pick them, pay and get a confirmation — without you touching it. What the button has to do, what the shift to direct is worth on a five-room house, and the two UK rules that catch owners out.Harris·24 September 2026·11 min read
Buying guides
Serviced Apartment Booking Systems: What You Need When There's No Front Desk
Three to thirty apartments and nobody at the desk. What a booking system has to get right for serviced apartments: unit-level sync, automatic arrivals, changeovers and the 28-day VAT rule — plus ten questions to ask before you sign.Harris·23 September 2026·10 min read
How-to guides
Holiday Let Availability Calendars: One Calendar, Every Channel, No Gaps
One calendar every channel reads from: how to sync availability across Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and your own website without double bookings or unsellable gap nights.Harris·22 September 2026·8 min read
Buying guides
Small Hotel Booking Systems: What a 5–40 Room Hotel Actually Needs
What a booking system must do for a 5–40 room UK hotel: room allocation, rate plans, a desk more than one person uses, card guarantees and a price that scales.Harris·21 September 2026·9 min read
Buying guides
Guest House Reservation System: What Changes When It Is Not Just You
A bed and breakfast is one pair of hands on the diary. A guest house is two or more — and that single fact changes what software you need more than the room count does.Harris·17 September 2026·10 min read
How-to guides
The Pre-Arrival Message Sequence: What to Send, When, and Why Most Templates Don't Work Here
Most pre-arrival email templates assume you have your guests' email addresses. On OTA bookings you don't. Here are the five messages a small UK property should send instead, when to send each one, and where a service message becomes marketing.Harris·16 September 2026·12 min read
Buying guides
Digital Welcome Books: What a Small Property Actually Needs, and What It Should Cost
Printed folders are the most common thing hosts do and the least wanted thing guests receive. Here is what a digital welcome book actually costs in a year, the eight questions to ask before you buy, and the three features you can safely ignore.Harris·16 September 2026·9 min read
How-to guides
The VAT Threshold for B&Bs and Small Hotels: How to See It Coming, and What Crossing Really Costs
The £90,000 test runs on any 12 months, not the tax year — and you cross it in the month you beat last year by more than your headroom. How to see it coming, and what crossing really costs.Harris·11 September 2026·11 min read
How-to guides
Hotel Reports for Independents: The Five to Open on a Monday Morning
Five reports, not fifty: the twenty-minute Monday routine for a 5–40 room independent, and why most weeks only one of the next six needs you to act.Harris·10 September 2026·11 min read

Writing for people who run the place themselves.

Latest

UK Tourist Tax for B&Bs and Small Hotels: 2026 Guide

More from the Journal

How to Switch PMS Without Losing Bookings (UK Guide)

B&B Cancellation Policy UK: Deposits That Hold Under Consumer Law

Booking Engines for a B&B Website: What the "Book Now" Button Has to Do

Serviced Apartment Booking Systems: What You Need When There's No Front Desk

Holiday Let Availability Calendars: One Calendar, Every Channel, No Gaps

Small Hotel Booking Systems: What a 5–40 Room Hotel Actually Needs

Guest House Reservation System: What Changes When It Is Not Just You

The Pre-Arrival Message Sequence: What to Send, When, and Why Most Templates Don't Work Here

Digital Welcome Books: What a Small Property Actually Needs, and What It Should Cost

The VAT Threshold for B&Bs and Small Hotels: How to See It Coming, and What Crossing Really Costs

Hotel Reports for Independents: The Five to Open on a Monday Morning