SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 10, 2015) - HotelTonight, the leading last-minute hotel booking app, today launched the latest innovation to empower spontaneous travel: Escape. This inspiring new feature highlights the best getaway deals for the weekend ahead and for that very moment. From those who found their dream hotel at a 'can't miss' rate to those thinking about a weekend trip but needing inspiration for where to go, Escape encourages people to take advantage of the serendipity of life -- and to grab a great deal to make it happen.
"In this mobile era, people are becoming increasingly spontaneous in their travel habits," said Sam Shank, co-founder and CEO, HotelTonight. "We see huge numbers of people using HotelTonight (HT) for spontaneous trips and weekend getaways -- booked from a week ahead to minutes before arrival -- and we wanted to make it even easier for them to discover the best spots with the best prices. Escape scours the universe of exclusive HT deals to find the absolute best getaway offers available on a mobile device, including hidden gems you might never have discovered otherwise."
While booking a great hotel on HotelTonight is already tremendously easy, Escape makes it even easier to discover convenient getaways. Waiting to book a trip until the week-of makes perfect sense and gives you ultimate flexibility -- you have a better sense of your plans, what you're in the mood for, the upcoming weather -- and booking an escape via HotelTonight saves you both money and time. Built seamlessly into the HotelTonight app (just swipe right when you open the app, or tap the globe tab), Escape reveals a curated list of hotels in destinations nearby that currently offer the best savings and deals for that night or the weekend ahead. Look for Escape deals:
- Tonight: "Tonight" destinations feature the best hotel deals for that day in driveable locales, ideal for those who need a quick getaway right now. For example, someone in San Francisco might see deals in nearby Marin County or Napa, at rates up to 30 percent off.
- This Weekend: For the Friday through Sunday ahead, Escape features hotels perfect for a weekend getaway. That same person in SF might see the best deals in Carmel, Calif., Santa Barbara or Portland, while someone in New York could find great rates for hotels in Philadelphia or Washington, DC.
HotelTonight works directly with tens of thousands of top-rated hotel partners worldwide to secure exclusively low rates -- the best last-minute deals available anywhere. The innovative new Escape feature helps guests discover amazing properties while creating demand and helping these hotels fill their unsold rooms with new, incremental guests who likely would not have otherwise booked a room that day.
HotelTonight has also updated and expanded GeoRates, its exclusive location-specific discounts (formerly 'Rate Drop' and 'Bonus Rate'). GeoRates provide unprecedented savings not found through any other travel app or website -- with additional discounts of up to 40 percent off HotelTonight's already-discounted rates. Because these discounts are specifically targeted to specific regions and times, GeoRates offer hotels a higher level of control and flexibility, and the ability to reach new customers, while filling rooms. Since the feature was launched in January, HotelTonight has seen significant interest from both consumers and hotels: more than 25 percent of hotels are now offering these localized offers through HotelTonight, and these deals account for one in five rooms currently booked on HT.
Find GeoRates in the app (rates will be in green and indicated with a GEORATE logo):
- After noon, local time, when you are within a few miles of a hotel for same-day bookings (look for even steeper discounts after 6 pm)
- Any time you're in a place hotels are looking to get more bookings from, like airports, train stations, or cities outside the hotel's location (to encourage you to come visit!)
For more information on Escape, GeoRates or HotelTonight, visit https://www.hoteltonight.com or follow HotelTonight on Facebook (HotelTonight), Twitter (@HotelTonight), Instagram (HotelTonight) or SnapChat (HotelTonight).
How HotelTonight Works
- Book rooms on HotelTonight for tonight or up to a week out, at over 15,000 hotels in more than 500 destinations across the globe.
- Hotel rooms can be easily booked via the app in less than 10 seconds -- just three taps and a swipe from app launch to completed booking.
- All hotels are vetted by the HotelTonight team, given a style category (like Basic, Hip or Luxe) and showcased by mobile-optimized hotel photos.
- As the check-in date approaches and rooms remain unsold, hotels drop their rates. HotelTonight plays matchmaker between these hotels and guests who are looking for a great deal at a great hotel.
- HotelTonight also offers exclusive, localized rates that are customized to a specific city or neighborhood, offering even greater discounts to spur spontaneous adventures.
By building strong relationships with hotel partners and guiding them in offering exclusive, unprecedented discounts to travelers, HotelTonight is continuing on its never-ending quest to make the travel and booking experience simple, fun and useful for all parties. Download the app for free on iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone and Tablet, and Android here: www.hoteltonight.com/now.
About HotelTonight
Founded in 2010, HotelTonight is a mobile app for booking hand-selected hotels at exclusively low prices, from tonight to up to seven days in advance. HotelTonight helps consumers plan less and live more, by offering incredible convenience and amazing value at hotels vetted by the HT team. For hotels, HotelTonight is a strategic partner for filling rooms that would otherwise remain empty. HotelTonight is currently available in more than 500 destinations across the globe. Based in San Francisco, Calif., HotelTonight is backed by top venture firms including Coatue Management, GGV Capital, U.S. Venture Partners, Accel Partners, Battery Ventures, First Round Capital and leading travel-industry pioneers. Visit www.hoteltonight.com for more information and to download the free app.
