HotelQuickly

HotelQuickly was a hotel booking website and smartphone app.[1][2][3] The company was bought and lead by Rising Sun Jerome Cle in August 2017 The company then ceased operations in December 2018, cancelling thousands of bookings without providing refunds.[4]

HotelQuickly
IndustryTravel, Lodging, Tourism
FateCeased operations in 2019
FoundedDecember 2012 (2012-12)
FoundersTomas Laboutka, Christian Mischler, Michal Juhas, Mario Peng, Raphael Cohen
HeadquartersHong Kong
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Jérôme Clé (CEO)
ServicesHotel booking
ParentRising Sun Merchant Services Pte Ltd
Websitehotelquickly.com

History

HotelQuickly was founded in December 2012 by Tomas Laboutka (CEO), Christian Mischler (COO & CMO), Michal Juhas (CTO), Mario Peng (CFO), and Raphael Cohen (CSO).[5][6]

The following March, HotelQuickly launched service in six Asian markets, eventually growing to sixteen markets.[7][8]

HotelQuickly secured US$1.15 million in angel funding in August 2013,[9] and US$4.5 million in Series A-1 funding in Spring 2014, bringing the total funds raised to US$5.65 million.[10]

In early 2017, the founders of HotelQuickly sold the business to Singapore-based Rising Sun Merchant Services, whose owner and CEO Jérôme Clé took over as company CEO[11][12]. Following the acquisition, the company was largely restructured, resulting in dwindling employee satisfaction and an exodus of talent.[13]

Company shutdown

In December 2018, HotelQuickly shut down abruptly, cancelling prepaid reservations and leaving travellers stranded without accommodation or refunds.[14][4] In April 2019, a credit card processor filed a RICO lawsuit against HotelQuickly and Jérôme Clé in US Federal Court.[15]

References
  1. Yap, Jacky. "HotelQuickly was launched in 6 countries, and booked curated hotels". e27. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  2. Wee, Willis. "HotelQuickly Books Your Hotels Really Quickly, Launches in 6 Asian Countries". Tech In Asia. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  3. Yeoh, Siew Hoon. "Same-day hotel booking space heats up as HotelQuickly joins fray". Web In Travel. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  4. "HotelQuickly cancels bookings and says no cash refunds". The Independent. 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  5. "Investment Bank Defectors Fuel Startup Scene in Hong Kong: Tech". Businessweek. 29 January 2014.
  6. Walter, Christian. "Hotel Quickly receives a US$1.16 million investment". Bangkok Startup. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  7. "HotelQuickly arrives in Vietnam". Web In Travel. 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014.
  8. Summers, Nick (8 May 2013). "HotelQuickly launches its same-day hotel booking app in Australia with Sydney and Melbourne listings". The Next Web.
  9. Prabu, Karthick (September 24, 2013). "The last-minute hotel market is alive and kicking, HotelQuickly raises $1.2 million funding". Phocuswire.
  10. O'Hear, Steve (9 July 2014). "HotelQuickly Raises $4.5 Million To Double-Down On Last Minute Hotel Booking In Asia-Pacific". TechCrunch.
  11. "What Happened to the HotelTonight Clones?". Skift. April 1, 2019.
  12. Tunya, Thidawan (2018-09-13). "Jérôme Clé Chief Executive Officer, Rising Sun Merchant Services Pte. Ltd Executive Chairman, HotelQuickly, eOasia and travelbook". Destination Thailand News.
  13. "Working at Hotel Quickly". Glassdoor.
  14. "Thousands of bookings canceled by HotelQuickly with no refund".
  15. "ATLANTIC-PACIFIC PROCESSING SYSTEMS, INC. v. RISING SUN USA INC. et al". Law360.
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