New Booking.com App Wants To Become The Uber Of Finding Impromptu Hotels

On account of the fact that “Uber” is a thing, I guess we need to start calling anything that follows a similar service mechanism “Uber-esque”. So, we’ll do just that with Booking Now, a brand-new Apple App Store app that appeals to those who fail to plan prior to passage.

Website Booking.com is behind this app, which aims to help people find a local hotel that’s offering an attractive last-minute deal. When hotels have vacancy, it sometimes means that they are willing to let the empty rooms go for discounted prices, and that’s where this app shines – it takes almost all of the hassle out of finding such an accommodation.

If you don’t need a room within the next 48 hours, this app is not for you. Says Booking.com’s CMO Paul J. Hennessy, “If you’re a long-term planner, this app is not for you“. Because all of the hotels included in Booking Now are Booking.com affiliates, it could be that not all of the hotels surrounding you will be included. So in the event the app doesn’t help you, for some reason, you may still need to resort to calling around.

Nonetheless, it goes without saying that Booking Now could prove to be a boon to those looking for a hotel at the last minute – I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation where it would have been useful. In fact, Expedia has found that about a quarter of those who search for hotels on its site need it that very day, or the next. That’s impressive.

Unfortunately, Booking Now is only available as an iOS app for the time-being, but Android versions should be coming in the next couple of weeks. Beyond that, if you’re outside of the US, you’ll want to skip over this app for now.