Laterooms ramps up extranet for hoteliers

Laterooms.com has announced a range of new tools on its supplier extranet to help hoteliers fill more rooms in the downturn.

Laterooms.com has announced a range of new tools on its supplier extranet to help hoteliers fill more rooms in the downturn.

The TUI Travel-owned bedbank now features a version of Secret Rooms, where visitors book without knowing the name of the hotel. Lastminute.com has a similar offer known as “top secret hotels”.

Lee Rainford, laterooms.com account manager, said chain hotels had asked for the function. “We have a lot of chain hotels with strong brand values who want to maintain rate parity, but they are also keen to explore pricing which will work in the current market,” he said.

He added that laterooms.com differs from lastminute by keeping its secret-rooms search separate from the basic hotel-search functions. “It’s a dedicated channel so there is no chance a laterooms customer will abandon a normal booking to try for a secret room deal,” said Rainford.

Hotel groups are the main user of the channel, but independent hotels in London are also exploring the option, he said.

The laterooms site now also allows hoteliers to bid for keywords that would see a display advert appear on relevant searches. “This can work for small guesthouses as well as major chains,” said Rainford.