Travel search platform Kayak set to open its first ‘tech-forward’ hotel in Miami Beach on April 11

Kayak, a platform that can be used to search for flights, trains, stays, packages and more is expanding into the hotel business, the company announced Tuesday.

The Kayak Miami Beach will open its doors on April 11, Kayak CEO Steve Hafner told USA TODAY in a statement.

It was developed in partnership with Life House and housed in the hotel chain’s Collins Park property, which closed last March during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Life House will be managing hotel operations and running the property day-to-day,” Rami Zeidan, founder and CEO of Life House, told USA TODAY in a statement. “Kayak will be primarily focused on the tech behind-the-scenes.”

The move from Kayak to enter the hotel business comes nearly two decades after its founding.

“In 2004, we set out to change the travel industry by reimagining how travelers search for flights,” Kayak said in its announcement. “We’re reimagining the in-travel experience as well.”

The Miami Beach hotel, which Kayak said will be “tech-forward,”  features a wrap-around public rooftop, bar, pool and a restaurant called Layla, featuring modern Mediterranean cuisine.

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With their first hotel, the company is exploring the intersection of hospitality, design and tech. 

At that intersection, hotel guests have capabilities on the Kayak smartphone application such as the ability to message hotel staff on a 24-hour basis, requests room upgrades, unlock their room’s door and control room features. With the app, guests will also be notified about hotel events and receive room-ready alerts.

But the app won’t be the only technology guests will be privy to: Lobby kiosks will offer a quick check-in and will allow guests to browse dining options. And rooms will feature “a mix of tech-forward amenities from connected TVs to Marshall speakers.”

Those who check in will also have access to hotel bikes, custom dominoes and Le Labo products in guest bathrooms. 

Kayak Miami Beach includes local touches, too. “We’ve also dug deep into our surrounding community, drawing inspiration from local architecture to art to fashion to food,” Kayak said in its announcement, noting the hotel is situated on the Collins Canal.

Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Kayak pointed out in its announcement that it is adhering to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and local authorities. It will take safety measures including staff temperature checks, initiate deep cleanings and will require face coverings for all staff members in public spaces. Guests will also be required to wear masks in public spaces though they may be removed when seated in restaurant areas or communal spaces, Hafner said. 

Bookings are open now. A “cozy king” goes for around $230 at the standard rate.

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