What Is It?
@hotel (formerly TripScout) is a travel booking platform built for the social media generation. Founded by Konrad Waliszewski and Andy Acs, TripScout rebranded as @hotel to bring hotel booking directly to Instagram, TikTok, and its own website.
Here’s how it works: travelers message the word “hotel” to the @hotel Instagram account, and a chatbot (named “Scout”) responds with an exclusive booking link. The platform claims some of its rates are 25% to 75% below publicly listed prices.
The @hotel team negotiates discounted deals with thousands of hotels through a network of suppliers. Their 24/7 traveler concierge helps guests over Instagram DM, WhatsApp, live chat, or email.
Because the business is deeply embedded in TripScout’s social media ecosystem (with a reach of tens of millions of followers across Instagram and TikTok), the model uses content, community, and conversion in a loop: inspiring travel on feeds, then turning that inspiration into real-world bookings.
Why Is It Cool?
- Seamless Social Booking
No more hopping between booking sites. You discover a destination on Instagram or TikTok, message a DM, and get a private booking link. For many, it feels like the holy grail of social commerce.
- Authenticity Over Ads
@hotel leans on creator-driven content, not flashy ad campaigns. The travel inspiration comes from real people, real places, and real creators, making the whole booking journey feel less transactional.
- Accessibility for Smaller Creators
Because the platform taps into TripScout’s deep content network, micro-influencers can participate, driving meaningful reach and bookings. This gives hotels a broader and more diverse creator ecosystem to work with.
- Community-First, Content-First
Rather than treating booking like a cold transaction, @hotel nurtures a community. It’s built around shared travel content: guides, videos, destination stories, making booking an extension of discovery.
Why Does It Have Future Growth Potential?
- Social Commerce Is Travel’s New Frontier
As younger generations rely on Instagram and TikTok for trip ideas, @hotel offers a native booking channel tailored to how they actually travel.
- Performance-Based, Not Inventory-Based
Brands only pay for actual bookings, not reach. That makes this model more efficient than traditional advertising and better aligned with ROI.
- The Loop of Engagement
Users discover a hotel via creators, book, stay, then post about their experience, and the cycle continues. This user-generated content becomes fuel for more bookings.
- Concierge & Loyalty Possibilities
Who says the chatbot stops at booking? In the future, @hotel could layer in loyalty, concierge chat, or even custom content recommendations based on where people stay and who they follow.
- Trust-Building Via Transparency
With its social-native presence, @hotel can lean into transparency: sharing the stories behind the properties, the origin of its deals, and the creators who drive them. That builds trust in a way that old-school OTAs struggle to match.
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