Split the Cost of a Hotel and Bunk With a Stranger
The latest development in the sharing economy? Splitting your hotel room with a stranger. Winston Club, a new online booking service, hopes this emerging concept will be the next big thing.
If Uber can introduce a ride-share option that lets strangers split an Uber, the launch of a service that lets strangers share a hotel isn’t all that unexpected. Here’s a little more information about Winston Club.
The hotel booking website functions like a travel agent site: users reserve hotel rooms and Winston Club takes a commission. The obvious difference? Winston Club caters to travellers in need of affordable, but comfortable, lodging. Members just have to be willing to bunk with a stranger.
And yes, the service requires a membership. The Toronto Star reports that applicants need to provide photo ID, pass video screening, and disclose their age and gender. When members book a hotel, they can request a same gender roommate and offer details about when they usually wake up or if they snore.
Winston Club’s service certainly won’t appeal to everyone. Critics worry that the concept pushes health and safety boundaries. However, some argue that sharing a hotel room with a stranger isn’t any more risky than sharing a hostel with five strangers. No matter where you travel or what your accommodations are like, taking the proper precautions, like buying travel insurance, is always recommended.
Bryon Shannon, the Winston Club CEO, is confident that travellers are going to be excited about this rooming option. After all, other untraditional accommodation services, like Airbnb, have entered the scene and are doing well.
Winston Club is planning a March launch in five major U.S. cities: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Las Vegas.
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