Kayak Is Opening Its First Hotel in Miami Beach — and It's Going to Be So Futuristic
The travel search site Kayak is making its first foray into the hospitality business with a new Miami Beach hotel that’s opening later this spring.
The new Kayak Miami Beach will serve as an innovation lab for technologies like touchless check in, digital door locks, and a robust mobile app that will let guests connect with hotel staff virtually through their phones. (No more calling downstairs for more towels!)
"This is Kayak's first hotel launch," says Steve Hafner, the CEO of Kayak, in an email to Travel + Leisure. "It's something we have been thinking about for a couple years and COVID-19 has accelerated the need for innovation for independent hotels."
Miami Beach was a natural fit, Hafner says. "[It's] one of our top 10 search destinations, it's a fun market for us — and for anyone — to enjoy year round," he said. "We found a beautiful building in a great neighborhood that fit our vision; we want this to be a locally rooted experience."
Plus, Hafner adds, "flight searches to Miami are down only 24 percent compared to pre-COVID versus the national average of 50 percent."
