HotelPlanner is a leading travel technology company and hotel booking platform that specializes in individual, group, and corporate travel bookings. Here’s an overview of what the product does and its key features:
What HotelPlanner Does
HotelPlanner connects users directly with hotels and other lodging providers to secure the best possible rates and group booking policies. Founded in 2003, the platform has established enduring partnerships with major online travel agencies (OTAs), well-known hotel chains, individual hotels, online wedding providers, ancillary lodging providers, corporations, sports franchises, universities, and government agencies.
Key Features and Functionality
Group Booking Capabilities
- HotelPlanner allows users to book 10 rooms or more per night at competitive rates, often beating prices offered by other platforms. It includes tools like a rooming list builder and exposure to thousands of top hotels in seconds.
Automated Group Booking System
- The platform uses patent-pending technology to automate the group booking process, making it efficient and streamlined. Users can negotiate online by declining bids and access a database of hotel group reservations information, including deposit requirements and cancellation policies.
Personalized Service and AI Integration
- HotelPlanner has integrated advanced AI technologies, including voice-powered AI travel agents and ChatGPT for personalized recommendations and search assistance. The AI agents can engage in emotionally intelligent conversations, speak fluently in 15 languages, and provide tailored recommendations based on user requests.
Alexa-Enabled Booking
- Users can book discounted hotel stays using an Alexa-enabled feature that connects them directly to a live Hotel Planner agent, bypassing call queues and offering immediate discounted rates.
Loyalty Program
- The Hotel Buyers Club loyalty program, integrated with ChatGPT, offers exclusive discounts on over 1.4 million hotels and alternative accommodations, VIP-level customer service, and a bi-weekly newsletter. Members can use the ChatGPT-enabled search bar to ask property-specific questions.
Global Gig-Based Reservations and Customer Service
- HotelPlanner operates a 24/7 global gig-based reservations and customer service network, ensuring users receive localized advice and customized travel arrangements from a single platform.
Event and Meeting Planning
- Through its subsidiary Meetings.com, acquired in 2013, HotelPlanner provides comprehensive services for corporate and association meeting planners, including information on meeting and banquet venues worldwide.
User-Friendly Tools
- The platform offers free mobile apps for accessing hotel deals and managing accounts, as well as a free event website to send to groups. Users can also filter and qualify group hotel requests based on various criteria such as size, rate, and room night RFPs.
Partnerships and Integration
- HotelPlanner powers the group business for major OTAs like Expedia, Hotels.com, Priceline, and Trivago through white label applications, ensuring seamless management of group leads and sales processes.
In summary, HotelPlanner is a robust travel booking platform that leverages advanced technology, including AI and voice recognition, to provide users with personalized, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for their travel needs.