Lastminute.com.au's Secret Hotels App
// OCTOBER 30TH, 2014
Australia'sย lastminute.com.auย has just released their firstย iPhone app, bringing to the mobile market their popularย Secret Hotelsยฎย product in an enhanced format.
The concept is pretty simple: your access to 5 star hotel stays in selected cities across Australia at 3 star pricesโฆ or, put another, no-less-tantalising way, a chance to save up to 40% on last minute accommodation. The catch โ you donโt know the name or exact location of your hotel until after the transaction is done, and your card has been charged.
Here's how it works...
Secret Hotelsยฎย the desktop way
For the last few yearsย lastminute.com.auย have offered, with great success, theirย Secret Hotelsยฎย product as an option on hotel searches within Australia. When you perform a search in a given city, you are presented with potentially hundreds of hotel options often including one or moreย Secret Hotelsยฎย โ options where the identity and exact location of the hotel is concealed, allowing for savings of up to 40% to be offered.
In the example below, theย Secret Hotelย listed could be any of the dozens of 5-star properties listed below it.
A lot less guesswork with the Secret Hotelsยฎย app
The newย Secret Hotelsยฎย iPhone appย takes this concept to the next level offering you a "sneak peek" of the 5 hotels you have the chance of "landing" should you choose to book the Secret Hotel on offer.
Yes, thatโs right! โ your odds of landing a great deal at a hotel you really want just got a WHOLE LOT BETTER!
1. Search
Search for a hotel you can book and check-in to over the next 3 days (tonight, tomorrow, or the night after).
2. Evaluate your hotel deal options
Check out the 5 great hotel deals served up and available for instant booking, as well as theย Secret Hotelย which is GUARANTEED to be one of the 5 hotels listed on-screen at a super special rate โ up to 40% off!
View the 5 properties in the map view to make sure they are within the area thatโs applicable to your requirements.
If the room rates are still a bit pricey for you, you have the option to switch to the "Modest" search results for a more affordable set of hotel options.
If you like the look of all 5 hotels and theyโre all located in a part of town that works for you, then BINGO! โ selecting theย Secret Hotelย means YOU CANโT LOSE!
3. Select a room
If you decide the savings being offered by selecting theย Secret Hotelย is for you, and let's face it, why wouldn't you, double check all the hotel details the app is able to provide you with, select a room and proceed to the simple booking form.
4. The big revealโฆ
It would be wrong of me to spoil the surprise of how yourย Secret Hotelย is revealed to you. Instead, why notย download the free app, have a play around and save a bunch on your very ownย Secret Hotelsยฎย booking.
Oh, and by the way, another nice advantage to using theย Secret Hotelsยฎย app? NO BOOKING FEE. None. Nada. Nice.
Let me know what you think
As the designer on the team that developed and released this app, I'd love to hear what you think about it. The best thing you can do for us isย rate the app in the App Store, and provide some feedback, good or constructively not-so-good (it all helps us build a better app), via a review of your experience.
Thanks a bunch!
