What would you be willing to do in order to cut your next hotel bill in half? How about sharing the space with a stranger? That’s the idea behind a new startup that aims to bring people together and lighten the strain on their wallets.
The Seattle-based Winston Club website appears to bring the convenience and cost savings of ride-sharing to hotel lodging, allowing travelers to hook up with others staying in the same city to split the cost of a hotel room, The Los Angeles Times reports.
The program, which is free to join, chooses a roommate for users using biographical information provided by members. They can then reject or accept the roommate suggestion.
Bryon Shannon, Winston Club founder, says the program is geared more toward business travelers, especially those who are self-employed or wooers of startups who might be on a tighter budget.
Additionally, he says that while saving money is the main objective of the program, it also helps travelers meet new people.
“We’ve noticed that business travel is one of the loneliest things,” Shannon said. “It’s a great option for people who are frustrated by that.”
So far, he says the option has been popular, but he declined to provide specific user numbers.
Winston Club currently operates in hotels in Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, OR, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.
Travel site arranges a roommate for your next trip [The Los Angeles Times]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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