HotelTonight lands in Aus to disrupt OTAs
Have you ever been caught in a city without a room? Or decided too late that you’d like to crash in a crisp hotel bed?
HotelTonight, originally an American invention but today kicking off down under, is the app that will change all of this, disrupting the way we book hotels.
With 13 million downloads globally, the goal is simple: Plan less, live more.
Spontaneity is the foundation of this company, with savings of up to 50% off hotel rooms, which only goes downhill the later it gets, with hotels dropping the prices as the check-in date approaches and the room remains unbooked.
“We like to shake things up for people and make travelling a little more spontaneous and fun, and this is what people get hooked on when they start using the app,” regional director for Asia Pacific Stefan Cordiner said.
“We’re the experts in last minute.”
Speaking to Travel Weekly at a sneak preview launch earlier this week, Cordiner said the app was looking to change the way people booked hotels, with 90% of guests staying at hotels never having stayed there before.
“We’re not responding to any trends, we’re creating them.”
Only 15 hotels are showcased at any one time, with low prices, high quality and guest reviews determining which hotels will be on offer on any given day.
“In essence, HotelTonight curates the content for consumers to make sure that the hotels shown are not only the best offers currently available, but that they are also geographically relevant,” Cordiner said.
And while it’s great for the consumer, what about online travel agents operating in the same arena?
Cordiner is firm in the app’s role of disrupting the industry, and filling a gap for travellers the world over.
“Keeping a good relationship with OTAs has never been a goal at HotelTonight, we are here to disrupt that traditional model that has existed for so long,” Cordiner said.
“We focus on two key things: Providing hotels with a guaranteed income channel and the ability to sell their remaining rooms that would otherwise have gone unsold, and providing consumers a seamless, curated experience when looking for a last minute hotel or the ‘accommodation’ element of their spontaneous lifestyle.”
The app typically appeals to the leisure traveller, lost in a city without a funky place to stay, or looking for excuses to sneak away for the weekend, with hotels able to be booked anytime from tonight to seven days in advance, but as Cordiner emphasises, “The later you wait, the better the rate.”
But increasingly, the app is going after the business traveller, with elements such as easy last minute bookings, high quality hotels and independent control over the booking critical drawcards for corporates.
“We don’t like to put limits on who the HotelTonight lifestyle mantra can/could/should apply to,” Cordiner said.
“Our app appeals to weekend escape artists, people who need to change plans last minute, business travellers, all ages and demographics. Our app essentially makes spontaneous travel fun, easy and accessible to all.”
“But we increasingly see the individual business traveller taking more control of their experiences with hotels when travelling for work. They want to try new places, see new parts of the city they have to travel to, stay in a better class of hotel while not costing the company more money, be more flexible with their travel schedule, and these elements are catered for perfectly by HotelTonight.”
A range of features come with the launch of HotelTonight, including something known as a GeoRate tool that drops the price lower depending on the close proximity to a hotel.
You can ‘Watch’ a city with the Rate Track tool and get notified when prices drop, meaning bookers can snag even deeper discounts that increase as the day wears on.
And while there are a number of heavyweights in the industry, Cordiner insists the app’s mobile focus gives them the edge they need to compete.
“There are a number of very big players in the online hotel booking industry, and of course we compete for hotel bookings with them on a macro level,” he told Travel Weekly.
“However, we are mobile only, we were born mobile, we understand the needs of the mobile consumer and as a result of this laser focus on the mobile experience, the mobile user and last minute, we feel we stand very much alone in that arena.”
“What also sets us apart is our great relationships with hotels themselves. We do not have minimum room load quotas, we do not strong arm the hotels on pricing etc. The hotel has full control of what they load to HotelTonight, and at what price.”
While the app is currently only launching for the two major markets of Sydney and Melbourne, HotelTonight plans to roll out to the rest of the country, and even across the ditch to NZ, by the end of the year.
“We have already launched a new feature in Australia called ‘Escape’ that helps people identify great places to escape to tonight, this weekend or in a week’s time based on current offers available from hotels and distance from the user at that moment in time,” Cordiner adds.
“We are really excited to be leading the mobile revolution in the global and Australian hotel booking industry.”
HotelTonight is a free app, available for download from the App Store and suitable for iOS, Android and the Apple Watch.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
hotel bookings hoteltonight last minute mobile app online travel agentsLatest News
Voyages celebrates 40 years at Uluru with two new immersive experiences
No plans for celebrating your 40th this year? Here's a hot tip from us.
SkyDeck: The inflight entertainment you could never have imagined
Forget those external cameras you can live stream while in the air... With SkyDeck you can check it out for yourself.
Second Boeing whistleblower dies of ‘mystery infection’
Joshua Dean died from a fast-growing mystery infection on Tuesday.
Aussie winners of American Airlines ‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ announced
Show me the money! For the winners, Sell Your Way to the USA was worth getting involved in.
ANZCRO celebrates 30th with special edition of iconic New Zealand Book
Choice bro! ANZCRO celebrates its 30th with a special edition of its iconic New Zealand Book. Chur!
Room to move at Cairns Harbourside Hotel with ‘spacious’ new family package
Moody teens can eat two-minute noodles while younger brothers and sisters get to eat free with mum and dad. Win, win!
A&K unveils lavish around the world wildlife adventure in private jet
The kind of holiday that if you need to ask the cost, you probably can't afford it.
Flight Centre and Reforest hit one million trees target early
Nice one Flight Centre, we think you've earned an early Friday knockoff.
New cruise options spearhead stacked APT 2025 program
Just in case you thought you were running out of cruise itineraries, APT's here with a fresh batch.
Travel Weekly announces a new team to helm Australia’s No.1 travel trade title
Some shameless self-promotion from us, but we thought you needed to know who's bringing you the news.
IHG reveals plans for Brisbane’s first Kimpton in 2028
Just another reason to book that trip to Brisvegas. But don't jump the gun, it's not open until 2028.
Cruiseabout’s first store in five years opens in Perth
Perth gets a break from being behind the rest of the country with the addition of the first Cruiseabout store.
ATAS complaints process acknowledges non-economic loss
A High Court case win over 'disappointment and distress' on a cruise gone wrong prompts ATIA complaints change.
Cunard previews new Queen Anne
Yep, this one does exactly what it says on the tin.
Bunnik Tours unveils latest expansion to Iceland
Just as the Icelandic vikings did many years ago, Bunnik is expanding into new territories.
Australia’s first glamping retreat turns 25
25th anniversary gifts usually come in silver. Ours comes in the way of a news story.
Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun
If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]
Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs
Turnbull hints her new role will see her staying in the tourism and hospitality industry and who can blame her?
DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign
If agents can put the foot down quick enough and get involved, there are some great prizes to be won.
Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern
Unlike those dodgy scam phone calls you're getting more and more of, there's no strings attached to this deal.
Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips
Can you call it a sober holiday if you enjoy a few glasses of red on the flight? We think yes.
Travel DAZE Exec Agenda REVEALED: top execs to speak on airline competition
As the industry reels from Bonza's implosion, it is more important than ever to ask the big questions.
TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips
The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]
Skroo says Rex will need deep pockets to fill lost Bonza slots
The door is open for Rex, and anyone else who wants to launch a regional Aussie airline...
Sno’n’Ski Holidays unveils 2025 mega famil to Colorado!
Let the games begin - this is certainly not a famil that you will want to miss!
Walk Japan launches Kyoto: Mountains to the sea walking tour
There are two types of people, one who enjoys walking on holiday and another who enjoys sipping Mojitos by the pool.
Which destination had a 48% boost in bookings following 10 MILLION TikTok views?
Here's a clue: it's not Malabar Beach.
Asher Telford appointed General Manager of SeaLink Whitsundays
Telford has plenty of reasons to smile after SeaLink doubles down and makes him GM after buying his tourism operation.
Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak
Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]
Hilton Expands Presence in North Queensland with the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Townsville
Heading to a North Queensland Cowboys clash? Hilton Garden Inn Townsville is set to open, but not until 2026.
Rail Europe ANZ: making dream journeys come true
Rail Europe's running a lottery! You're not going to win millions, but you might just snag a free holiday.
UPDATE: Bonza hole deepens as administrators investigate financial affairs
Administrators dig deeper as struggling airline unlikely to be revived.
Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa
Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]
Nielsen Data reveals brands spending big to attract Aussie tourists
Trip A Deal, Virgin and Ignite Travel walk into a bar, blow their cash on travel advertising instead of the pokies.
Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]
Jetstar offers 200,000 return for free flights to celebrate 20th anniversary
Jetstar hits 20 and everyone else gets the presents with free return flights to domestic and international destinations.