Accommodation only website launched
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A new website, roomguide.co.uk, has been launched to focus purely on accommodation bookings. Director Pete Halsey told Travel Daily the website will make partnerships in the future, but it will only sell hotel rooms. “We had the opportunity to incorporate car rental and flight options but our expertise is in accommodation,” he revealed. “We’ve not made any partnerships so far but have some under review.” He explained that the website was not a comparison site but provided a place for customers to book a room in 95,000 different types of accommodation. “People can book direct but we own a relationship with customers as well. Ideally, we want feedback and reviews from them after,” added Halsey. He said the website would concentrate on an easy-to-use format and low rates: “Rates are secured through our hotel partnerships and we have a contact centre that does random tests to check them”. Looking towards the future, Halsey revealed that the site would welcome a new friend, the RoomGuide Ferret, in the next few weeks that will form the basis of the website’s new search options. “RoomGuide Ferret will find the right room at the right price and it will also build a unique search facility,” explained Halsey. “Searches could be conducted by events, destination, activities (such as the World Cup) or theme parks. We hope customers will find hotels nearer to these requirements.” He added that more searches and filters will be added into the future to provide instant answers. Meanwhile Halsey was also able to disclose what UK customers had been looking for on the website. “Based on activity, staycations aren’t prominent and UK customers mainly look for hotels in Western Europe,” he revealed. “Around 75% of July’s activity is for this region for stays in July and August. It feels like the market is settling down to how it was ten years ago”. He said the idea for the website had come from the same period. “I launched a new booking system for Travelodge and felt I could do the same in the future,” he said. “We became hooked on the market and felt there was space.”
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