KAYAK, the company that pioneered flight metasearch in 2004, is reimagining the in-travel experience. with the opening in April 2021 of KAYAK Miami Beach bringing the power of the KAYAK app to the guest stay.
“We see a big opportunity to apply our audience and technology to the accommodations space to level the playing field for independent hotels,” said Steve Hafner, CEO of KAYAK. “Our Miami Beach property will serve as our hotel design lab and deepen our knowledge of hospitality and showcase our growing capabilities.”
Guests of KAYAK Miami Beach will enjoy numerous innovations during their stay. All check-ins/outs are contactless through either KAYAK’s mobile app or a digital lobby kiosk. The KAYAK app will provide 24/7 access to hotel staff and support, notifications of on-property events, room-ready alerts, itinerary management, housekeeping requests and more. Every room features a mix of tech-forward amenities from connected TVs to Marshall speakers.
Located in Miami Beach’s cultural hub of Collins Park and housed in a 1934 landmark art-deco building, the hotel’s design draws inspiration from the local Streamline Moderne architecture with bold design elements that marry the Deco-esque patterning with aerial crop and flight patterns, a modern nod to KAYAK’s history.
A wrap-around public rooftop area contains the on-property modern Middle Eastern bar and restaurant concept, Layla. Powered by KAYAK’s sister brand OpenTable, the restaurant will introduce diners to the latest advances in restaurant technology.
Behind the scenes, the property is a design lab for KAYAK to build and refine its accommodation technology. The backend software, currently in early development, is intended to help independent hotels leverage the KAYAK app and capitalize on the latest advances. It will include integrations to cloud-based property management systems, wireless lock and access controls, and sophisticated distribution channel management. KAYAK will incorporate consumer and pricing insights from the billions of travel queries that it processes annually.
The technology is being developed in partnership with Life House, a vertically-integrated hotel brand and management company. Life House will help shape the on-site guest experience, manage hotel operations, and enable guests to interact with staff as much or as little as they prefer.
“Our mission is to create value for independent lifestyle hotels and their owners,” said Rami Zeidan, Founder and CEO of Life House. “Together with KAYAK, we can accelerate our leadership in this quickly evolving space.”
Reservations are bookable now for stays starting on April 11, 2021 with introductory pricing. Standard rates are around $229 for a Cozy King. Additional information for KAYAK Miami Beach, including full buyouts of the hotel, can be found at http://www.kayakmb.com.
KeiKei is a London-based award-winning journalist and videographer with a degree in Broadcast Media and Journalism from the University of the West of Scotland and an extensive reporting background in news, entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
KeiKei has travelled the globe interviewing, reporting and reviewing. Her work has been published in worldwide media outlets including, The New York Post, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Daily Mail, National Geographic and Conde Nast publications.
