SIx hotel chains, including IHG, have joined forces to launch a new hotel search engine

Room Key, a new venture owned by six of the world’s leading hotel companies, has launched www.roomkey.com, an innovative new online hotel search engine.

Founded by Choice Hotels International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International and Wyndham Hotel Group, Room Key will, according to the chains “provide the simplicity, transparency and breadth of choice consumers expect from a search engine, while delivering the flexibility, accuracy and assurance consumers expect from the hospitality industry”.

The chains say roomkey.com “provides travellers a search and book experience tailored for ease of hotel shopping through an uncluttered and trustworthy site”.

“It will give consumers confidence that they have made the right choice by providing accurate hotel information straight from the source… from searching through to booking directly with the hotel, www.roomkey.com enables consumers to search, book and relax,” the chains said in a statement.

The new website will initially be available to United States travellers and soon after it’s expected to be rolled-out in English-speaking regions globally.

“Finding the right hotel is complex and, unlike booking a flight or reserving a car, it is a personal decision process – one which no one understands better than hoteliers,” said Chief Executive Officer of Room Key, John F. Davis III.

“We believe Roomkey.com will provide consumers with an innovative resource that will give them unprecedented confidence in their booking decisions by fulfilling their hotel search needs, with comprehensive and trusted content, and over time, through additional features such as the ability to connect and share their plans with family and friends – all provided through a simple and flexible site experience.”

InterContinental Hotels Group’s Senior Vice President, Distribution and Relationship Marketing, Steve Sickel added: “IHG is always seeking new ways to innovate in order to consistently deliver a world class experience for guests, from the moment they choose to book one of IHG’s seven hotel brands, through to the quality of their stay and beyond.

“Like so many of IHG’s online innovations, Roomkey.com is another industry first, offering guests breadth of choice alongside all the benefits from booking directly through our own websites,” he said.