RoomKey, operating from the domain RoomKey.com, was a hotel search engine founded in 2012 by a consortium of major hotel chains, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), and Wyndham. It aimed to provide a direct booking alternative to online travel agencies like Expedia and Booking.com, allowing hotels to avoid paying high commission fees.
RoomKey shut down on June 8, 2020. One of the main reasons for its closure was its lack of a competitive advantage. Despite being backed by major hotel brands, RoomKey failed to gain significant traction among travelers.
The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated its decline; with travel demand plummeting in 2020, the already struggling business model became unsustainable.
Registered in 1999, the domain eventually expired and dropped. A three day auction at DropCatch ended today, which attracted several bidders. DropCatch user “Finder” won the auction with a $10,500 dollar bid.
In the lucrative world of hospitality, $10k is considered “peanuts.”
The stylized ROOMKEY trademark is still active but there’s no indication that it will be renewed.
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