Hotel openings, reviews, loyalty programmes, and the accommodation news for travellers.
Permira-Backed Engine Buys Options Travel to Build Corporate Booking Tool
Engine, a hospitality startup backed by private equity firm Permira, has acquired Options Travel, a traditional travel management company (TMC). The m…
Accor and Treebo Call Off Deal in India: Scoop
Accor abandons its partnership with Treebo, the budget hotel operator, ending plans to accelerate expansion across India's secondary and tertiary mark…
AI Is Deciding Which Hotels Get Considered — Hospitality Revenue Leaders Need a Budget Response
Artificial intelligence tools are reshaping how travelers discover hotels, forcing hospitality chains to recalibrate their marketing budgets and strat…
Backpacking Destinations Like Bali but Cheaper & Less Touristy
Bali's golden age for budget travellers has dimmed. Canggu and Uluwatu now attract crowds and command prices that rival developed destinations. Hostel…
Best Backpacking Destinations for Digital Nomads
Digital nomads no longer face a choice between stable internet and authentic backpacking experiences. The latest travel trend blends remote work with …
Airbnb’s Next Act: Tickets, Then a Wallet
Airbnb moves deeper into travel services by building its own attractions ticketing platform after years of observing the market through its stake in T…
Sustainability Stories: From Police Station to Plastic-Free Hostel – How Madama Hostel & Bistrot Reduced Plastic, Reused Space and Built a Community in Milan
Madama Hostel & Bistrot in Milan transforms a decommissioned police station into a design-forward, plastic-free hostel that champions circular economy…
I Paid €24 To Stay In An 8-Bed Hostel In Brussels. What Was I Thinking?
A travel writer questions his decision to book an 8-bed hostel in Brussels for just €24 when luxury alternatives existed nearby. The budget choice rev…
Marriott Plans To Reward AI Travel Agents As It Fights To Control Your Hotel Bookings
Marriott is making a strategic bet on artificial intelligence to capture hotel bookings before competitors do. The hospitality giant is developing its…
Hyatt Pressured Over Delayed Openings as It Speeds Up Mid-Tier Buildout
Hyatt finds itself caught between ambition and execution. The hospitality giant relies on luxury properties for profits but desperately needs mid-tier…
Dorm vs Private Room in a Hostel: How to Choose
Backpackers choosing between dorm beds and private rooms at hostels face a classic trade-off between budget and comfort. The decision extends far beyo…
Hilton Cut What Hotels Pay Into Honors By Up To 32% — No Wonder Award Nights Cost So Many More Points
Hilton has slashed what hotel owners contribute to its Honors loyalty program by up to 32% across certain brands, a move that directly explains the es…
Google Is Leaning on Travel to Sell Its AI Ad Story
Google selected travel industry partners to demonstrate how artificial intelligence transforms its advertising and commerce platforms, positioning tra…
Hilton Cuts Fees to Rebuild Hotel Owners’ Margins as Costs Stay Sticky
Hilton Hotels is trimming franchise fees to ease financial pressure on hotel owners struggling with stubborn cost inflation that has eroded their prof…
IHG Joins Hilton and Marriott With AI Search
InterContinental Hotels Group joins Hilton and Marriott in deploying artificial intelligence search capabilities across its booking platforms. The cha…
Jay Carney to Exit Airbnb. Lime Veteran Appointed Policy Chief
Airbnb's leadership shift marks a notable turn toward hands-on regulatory engagement. Jay Carney, the former White House press secretary and Obama adm…
Airbnb Has Car Rentals Now. What Does That Make It?
Airbnb has expanded into car rentals by partnering with Expedia, fundamentally shifting its identity from accommodation platform to full-service trave…
This Napa Resort Connects to the Valley’s Oldest Winery, But There’s More to It Than Wine
Napa Valley's newest luxury resort delivers more than wine tourism through an innovative partnership with one of the region's historic wineries. The p…
Stay Inside the Steel House: Texas’ Most Extraordinary Vacation Rental
# Stay Inside the Steel House: Texas' Most Extraordinary Vacation Rental A striking steel structure in Texas offers travelers a rare opportunity to e…
Hyatt Guest Brought Tupperware To Clear Out Club Lounge — Just As Hotels Are Killing Them
A Hyatt Regency Tulsa guest witnessed a family arrive at the hotel's club lounge armed with grocery bags and Tupperware containers, proceeding to stri…
China’s Hotel Investment Surge Isn’t Just a Distress Sale Story
China's hotel market is experiencing a fundamental shift driven by regulatory changes that investors are only beginning to understand. The transformat…
This Todos Santos Hotel Is Rethinking What All-Inclusive Luxury Can Mean
Paradero Hotel in Todos Santos, Mexico rewrites the all-inclusive playbook by abandoning beachfront glamour for genuine connection. Located down a rem…
Mob Invades Hotel In Greece, Chases Out The Jews With Rifles
Israeli tourists fled a hotel in Crete early Monday morning after a violent confrontation with local residents armed with air rifles and bottles. The …
Bilt’s Next Rent Day Offer Unlocks Accor Hotel Status — Match Up To Platinum
Bilt Rewards launches an aggressive recruitment play for Accor loyalists this August. Members can transfer Bilt points to unlock Accor elite status, w…
Marriott Bonvoy Free Nights Can Cost Nearly $200 In Resort Fees — This Contradiction Is Cracking Hotel Loyalty Wide Open
Marriott Bonvoy members redeeming free night awards face a widening gap between promised value and actual costs. Hotels within the program now charge …
The kindness of strangers: When Mum was hospitalised on a family holiday, our hotel’s owners were heaven-sent
A family holiday in France turned into a medical crisis when the writer's mother suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while grocery shopping. The 10-year-ol…
Even Your Transferable Points Buy Less Now
Credit card loyalty programs are quietly eroding the value proposition that made them attractive to savvy travelers. Chase, Citi, and American Express…
Booked A Non-Refundable Hotel By Mistake? Here Are The Moves That Get Your Money Back
Travelers who accidentally book non-refundable hotel rooms have more options than they think, but success depends on speed and which booking channel t…
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Hotel openings, reviews, loyalty programmes, and the accommodation news for travellers.