Could hotel rooms booked by the hour finally become mainstream? App offers top hotels for 'short term' stays (but it claims to be aimed at business travellers)
- Hotel rooms often sit empty during the day and this app aims to fill them
- Offers bookings in several hour blocks for those looking for a rest or nap
- Currently only available in New York City area, but plans to expand soon
Since many hotel rooms sit empty during the day, it simply makes economical sense for them to be rented by the hour to weary travellers.
While there is still a bit of a social stigma attached to booking rooms for a very short-term stay, there's now a startup, called HotelsByDay, looking to change all that.
According to the app, such booking schedules will likely appeal to business travellers looking to take a nap or work between meetings, while families may simply want a quiet place to wait for a flight with their kids.
Despite the stigma attached to booking hotel rooms during the day, HotelsByDay is aiming to change this
But will the public embrace it?
Speaking to Mashable, HotelsByDay co-founder, Yannis Moati, said: 'We think there is a stigma in the industry and we've structured the whole company around moving away from this.
'We don't sell hourly rates,' he clarified.
The new app allows weary travellers the ability to check in to a hotel for a block of time during the day
The app's co-founder explains that such an option is great for holidaying families en route to the airport
Instead, the app allows you to book a hotel for a block of hours, usually beginning in the morning and running through the afternoon or early evening.
Moati also points out that the rates are about 40 per cent less than a normal rate on the room.
'We don't sell nights, so the conversion is actually [booking] commission free,' Moati explained. 'We're the only sharing economy tool that drives business back to hotels.'
Such a feature would also benefit weary business travellers who are only in town for several hours
Not only that but the sleek and stylish app is actually extremely easy to use.
Just type in your location and filter hotels by area, check-in times and dates.
You can also search for specific amenities and price points, provided you live in - or are visiting - New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, or Washington.
The company does plan to expand to Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta, among other top US destinations, soon.
The app is currently available for free download on Google Play and in the App Store.
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