Who this is for: owners, general managers, and revenue managers at independent hotels, hotel groups, motels, resorts, and hostels who track competitor performance and pricing on a regular basis. Bed & Breakfasts and Parks can use a simplified version further down.
A competitive set, or comp set, is the group of 5 to 7 properties guests actually consider as alternatives to yours. It's not just the hotels nearest you on a map. This template tracks their rates, occupancy, amenities, and distribution. That way you see where you're winning and where you're not, instead of guessing from a few spot checks on a booking site.
What's Included in This Template
- A property and product profile for each competitor: identifiers, on-site assets, guest feedback
- Performance benchmarking using MPI, ARI, and RGI, the standard hotel industry indices
- A rate intelligence tracker for competitor pricing, restrictions, and promotions
- A distribution and digital visibility tracker, since rate isn't the only thing you compete on
- A completed example showing how the numbers actually get used
Property & Product Profile
Build this once per competitor, then update it quarterly. It changes slowly, unlike rates.
| Competitor Name | Brand Affiliation | Distance from You | Room Count | On-Site Assets | Review Score | Review Volume | Review Response Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Property Name] | [Brand / Independent] | [Miles/Km] | [Number] | [F&B, meeting space, fitness, parking] | [Score/5] | [Number of reviews] | [%] |
Essential KPIs
These four numbers turn raw competitor data into an actual performance comparison.
| KPI | Formula | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| MPI (Market Penetration / Occupancy Index) | (Your Occupancy % / Comp Set Avg Occupancy %) x 100 | Whether you're capturing more or less demand than your comp set. Above 100 means you're outperforming. |
| ARI (Average Rate Index) | (Your ADR / Comp Set Avg ADR) x 100 | Whether your pricing power sits above or below the comp set. |
| RGI (Revenue Generation Index) | (Your RevPAR / Comp Set Avg RevPAR) x 100 | Overall revenue performance vs. the comp set. Equal to MPI x ARI / 100. |
| Fair Market Share % | Your Room Count / Total Comp Set Room Count (including yours) x 100 | The occupancy share you'd expect based on size alone. This is the baseline MPI is actually measured against. |
Most comp set templates stop at MPI, ARI, and RGI. Fair Market Share is the number that makes those indices mean something. It shows what "average" should look like for a property your size, before you compare performance.
Performance & Market Share Tracker
Update this monthly using your own PMS data and estimated or STR-reported competitor numbers.
| Property | Occupancy % | ADR | RevPAR | MPI | ARI | RGI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your Property | [%] | $[Amount] | $[Amount] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| [Competitor 1] | [%] | $[Amount] | $[Amount] | [Index] | [Index] | [Index] |
| [Competitor 2] | [%] | $[Amount] | $[Amount] | [Index] | [Index] | [Index] |
Rate Intelligence & Pricing Tracker
Check this weekly for upcoming high-demand dates. Rate alone doesn't tell the full story, restrictions and promos shape it too.
| Competitor Name | Date | Weekday Rate | Weekend Rate | MLOS | Closed to Arrival | Promo / Package Noted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Property Name] | [MM/DD] | $[Rate] | $[Rate] | [Nights, if any] | [Yes/No] | [Free parking, breakfast included, etc.] |
Distribution & Digital Visibility
Two properties can have identical rates and still capture very different demand. It comes down to where they're visible and how easy they are to book.
| Competitor Name | OTAs Listed On | Metasearch Presence | Direct Booking Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Property Name] | [Booking.com, Expedia, etc.] | [Google, TripAdvisor: Y/N] | [Yes/No] | [Observations] |
Completed Example
Harbor View Inn, a 55-room independent hotel, tracks a 5-property comp set for a summer weekend.
| Property | Occupancy % | ADR | RevPAR | MPI | ARI | RGI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor View Inn | 82% | $189 | $155 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Comp Set Average | 76% | $201 | $153 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Harbor View Inn (Index) | 108 | 94 | 101 |
Harbor View Inn is outperforming on occupancy (MPI 108). It's under-pricing relative to the comp set (ARI 94). RGI of 101 shows the occupancy edge is currently offsetting the rate gap. There's room to raise rate before losing share.
How Do You Build and Use a Comp Set Analysis?
Build the comp set from guest perspective, not from convenience.
- Pick 5 to 7 properties guests would actually compare you to, not just the closest ones geographically.
- Build the property profile once, then focus ongoing updates on rate and performance data.
- Check rate intelligence weekly for upcoming high-demand dates, not just today's rate.
- Calculate MPI, ARI, and RGI monthly using actual occupancy and rate data, not estimates.
- Review distribution and visibility quarterly, since OTA and metasearch presence changes slower than rate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Building a comp set from nearby properties instead of properties guests actually compare you to.
- Tracking rate without tracking restrictions, so a "cheaper" competitor isn't actually more available.
- Never calculating Fair Market Share, so MPI numbers have no real baseline.
- Ignoring distribution and visibility, and competing on rate alone.
- Letting the comp set go stale, never revisiting which properties actually belong in it.
Competitive Set Templates by Property Type
Every property type benefits from comp set tracking, but on-site assets and distribution channels differ enough to change what's worth tracking.
This applies at full detail to Independent Hotels, Hotel Groups, Motels, Resorts, and Hostels below. Bed & Breakfasts and Parks get a simplified version instead, since they typically compete on fewer channels with fewer on-site assets to compare. Independent Hotels use the template above as-is.
Hotel Groups Comp Set
Adds the specific property being benchmarked, since a group may run a different comp set per property.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Group / Brand Name | [Hotel Group Name] |
| Specific Property Being Benchmarked | [Property Name, City, State] |
| Comp Set for This Property | [List of 5-7 competitor names] |
Use the same Property Profile, KPI, Rate Intelligence, and Distribution tables above for each property's comp set individually. Comp sets rarely match across properties in different markets.
Resort Comp Set
Adds package and amenity comparison, since resort guests weigh amenities more heavily than at a limited-service property.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Property Name | [Resort Name] |
| Package / Amenity Comparison | [Spa, dining plan, activities offered by each competitor] |
Use the same tables above, adding a package/amenity column to the Property Profile.
Hostel Comp Set
Replaces room-based metrics with bed-based ones, and weighs OTA presence more heavily, since hostel bookings skew toward OTAs.
| Property | Bed Occupancy % | Rate per Bed | Beds Available | OTAs Listed On |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Hostel Name] | [%] | $[Amount] | [Number] | [Hostelworld, Booking.com, etc.] |
Motel Comp Set (Simplified)
Drops on-site amenity comparison, since most motels compete on rate and location rather than amenities.
| Property | Occupancy % | ADR | Distance from You | Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Motel Name] | [%] | $[Amount] | [Miles/Km] | [Score/5] |
Bed & Breakfast Comp Set (Simplified)
Drops rate-restriction and distribution tracking, since B&Bs rarely use MLOS rules or heavy OTA distribution.
| Property | Rate per Night | Review Score | Notable Amenity |
|---|---|---|---|
| [B&B Name] | $[Amount] | [Score/5] | [Breakfast style, garden, etc.] |
Parks Comp Set (Simplified)
Tracks by site type instead of room type, matched to how campers actually compare parks.
| Property | Site Type | Rate per Site | Review Score | Notable Amenity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Park Name] | [RV / Tent / Cabin] | $[Amount] | [Score/5] | [Pool, store, hookups, etc.] |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many properties should be in a hotel's competitive set?
Most properties use 5 to 7 direct competitors. Larger markets sometimes extend to 10, but a larger set gets harder to track meaningfully.
2. What's a good MPI score?
Above 100 means you're capturing more than your fair share of comp set demand. Below 100 means competitors are outperforming you on occupancy.
3. How is RGI different from just comparing RevPAR?
RGI expresses your RevPAR as an index against the comp set average, so it's comparable across time periods and rate changes, not just a raw dollar figure.
4. How often should competitor rates be checked?
Weekly at minimum for upcoming high-demand dates. Daily checks make sense during peak season or major local events.
5. Can I build a comp set analysis without STR data?
Yes. Direct rate shopping and public OTA listings cover most of what's needed. STR reports add verified occupancy and ADR data if your property subscribes to one.
