NEWS: Priceline’s CEO questions long-term viability of online hotel booking startups

Are Room 77 and HotelTonight different enough from their competitors to make it as  successful businesses in the long term?

Skift recently took a look at Room 77′s differentiation and the growing ranks of HotelTonight’s competitors, and Priceline CEO Jeffery Boyd separately chimed in on the issue yesterday during a presentation at the Goldman Sachs Lodging, Gaming, Restaurant and Leisure Conference at New York City University.

Boyd fielded a question about his take on the slew of travel startups, including Hotel Tonight, Room 77, and Hipmunk, and his answer focused on HotelTonight and Room 77.

In essence, Boyd argued that despite their original visions, both Hotel Tonight and Room77  are turning into hotel metasearch companies, and they might not be unique enough to justify the “substantial investment” that would be required to compete with larger metasearch businesses such as Priceline’s Kayak and Expedia-controlled Trivago.

“There is a lot of metasearch out there,” Boyd said. “To me, that is the question about those businesses [HotelTonight and Room 77].”

Boyd said HotelTonight and Room 77 are “very small right now,” and the only way they will make it is through substantial investment, with the implication being that it would take a lot more funding than the roughly $35 million and $43.8 million, respectively, that HotelTonight and Room 77 have raised.

For more http://skift.com/2013/06/04/priceline-ceo-boyd-questions-viability-startupsroom-77-and-hoteltonight-are-different-enough/ 

Internet charges by hotel

Accor: Last year announced that it was moving to free basic Internet access across properties in the Asia/Pacific region, and also indicated it was taking a tiered pricing approach.

Best Western: Internet access is free in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, regardless of loyalty program status.

Carlson: Internet is free for all loyalty program members at Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide.

Choice: Internet is free across all U.S. hotels, with the exception of a few Ascend Collection properties, and most properties in other regions, regardless of loyalty program status.

Hilton: For those with Gold Status, in-room Internet access is complimentary at Waldorf-Astoria, Conrad, Hilton, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites and Hilton Grand Vacations properties.

Hyatt: Complimentary Internet is available to Platinum members. Hyatt notes that access "may be wired or wireless and varies by property," and that "upgrades to premium service may be available for an additional fee."

IHG: Basic Internet access is free for Gold members globally as of July and will be extended to all members as of 2014.

Marriott: At Gold level, Internet is complimentary at "participating" Marriott brand and Ritz-Carlton hotels.

Omni: Complimentary 3mbps Wi-Fi service is available to those at the Gold Level, which is the entry level. This also extends to the Global Hotel Alliance Discovery Program, which includes such brands as Kempinski, Pan Pacific, the Doyle Collection and Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts.

Starwood: In-room Internet access is complimentary at Platinum level.

 Wyndham: Free high-speed Internet access is available at the "welcome level." The Wyndham brand is the only one in the portfolio that charges for Internet.

With thanks to http://www.businesstravelnews.com/Hotel-News/Hotels-Changing-Internet-Pricing-Rules/?ida=Hotel%20Chains&a=proc

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