Lodge software for Kenya.
For lodges in Laikipia, Nanyuki, Naivasha, the Mara, Amboseli and the Rift Valley: one system for bookings and folios, the restaurant and bar, buying, stores and the books, in KES and with M-Pesa on the bill.
The best lodge software in Kenya handles what lodges there actually deal with: full and half board posted with each night and agent on the booking with its voucher reference, lead time per supplier, and accounts in KES with M-Pesa payments recorded and matched. Tivuzo puts the PMS, POS, procurement, stores and accounting in one browser-based system for $13 per user per month; a lodge with 6 users pays $78 a month.
Lodges in Kenya
In Kenya, lodges are concentrated in Laikipia, Nanyuki, Naivasha, the Mara, Amboseli and the Rift Valley. The wider market is a mix of Nairobi business and conference hotels, coast resorts, and safari lodges and camps that sell mostly through tour operators. Most lodge guests arrive through agents on full board. The PMS must post meals with every night, bill the agent at net rates and keep drinks and extras with the guest.
What matters, module by module
| Module | For lodges in Kenya |
|---|---|
| PMS | Full and half board posted with each night; Agent on the booking with its voucher reference |
| Procurement | Lead time per supplier; Orders grouped by supply run |
| Inventory | Stores for food, bar, fuel and workshop; Minimums that cover the supply run |
| Accounting | Agent invoices with terms and ageing; Cost per guest night from stores and purchases |
| POS | Charge to room as the main payment; Bar and boma dinners as outlets |
Buying and stores
A lodge far from town plans its buying around supply runs. A missed item can mean a week without it, so orders must be consolidated by supplier and sent in time. Lodge stores carry everything: food, drinks, fuel, gas, amenities and workshop spares, and they must last until the next delivery.
- Stores for food, bar, fuel and workshop
- Minimums that cover the supply run
- Fuel issued by the litre to generator and vehicles
- Counts before each order
Money in KES
Lodges sell through agents on credit and buy in cash and on account. The accounts need agent receivables, cost per guest night and park fees that are not revenue. In Kenya, guests and companies pay by M-Pesa, Airtel Money, card and bank transfer. Each method has its own journal in Tivuzo, so the folio, the till and the statement agree. VAT is applied per room type, meal plan and item (standard rate 16%). KRA eTIMS e-invoicing is not built into Tivuzo yet. Keep your eTIMS device or system for tax invoices and ask us where the link stands before you subscribe.
Who logs in, and what it costs
At a typical lodge the people who log in are the manager, front office, storekeeper, bar and accounts: 6 users, $78 a month or $748.80 a year. Rooms, guests and bookings are never charged. See pricing.
Read more: lodge and safari camp software, hotel software in Kenya, and in Kenya: safari camp software, resort software, guest house software, hotel management software. Lodges elsewhere: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana.
Lodge Software in Kenya: questions
What software do lodges in Kenya use?
Many still use a booking diary, Excel and a separate accounting package. Tivuzo replaces them with one system: PMS, restaurant and bar POS, procurement, stores and accounting, in KES.
Can a lodge PMS bill the agent and the guest separately?
Yes. The room and meals go to the agent's invoice; drinks and extras stay on the guest's folio.
How should a remote lodge plan purchasing?
Set reorder levels that cover the time to the next supply run plus a margin, and consolidate orders by supplier and route.
Can lodges in Kenya record M-Pesa?
Yes. M-Pesa is a payment method with its own journal; each payment is recorded with its reference and matched to the statement.
Does Tivuzo work with weak internet?
The restaurant and bar tills keep selling offline; the PMS, stores and accounts need a connection, and light use works on mobile data or satellite.
How much does lodge software cost in Kenya?
Tivuzo is $13 per user per month, every module included, with a 14-day free trial and no card.
Last updated by the Tivuzo team.