Mr. & Mrs. Smith coming to US
The British hotel booking site and travel service Mr. and Mrs. Smith is headed for the US with its service that goes beyond online bookings to offer an in-house travel team available 24 hours a day by telephone.
“The site also features original content and destination guides in Smith’s witty signature style, more than 850 carefully selected hotels, villas and properties, all of which are anonymously reviewed by Smith and then by artists, writers, entrepreneurs and bold names such as Stella McCartney and Cate Blanchett, who supply tongue-in-cheek accounts of their stays,” says a press release, which adds the new office is in New York City.
Smith secures a commission from the hotel for every booking. Membership can be free but they also have a three tier membership option. Users can buy a Blacksmith card that ranges from US$20 to $499 a year.
Anyone can access the website for free, get recommendations and book their hotels, but paying members have access to added travel perks including money back and exclusive hotel deals.
The company was started in the UK in 2003 after founders James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy had a lackluster hotel experience and became determined to help like-minded travelers avoid off-the-mark hotel stays. Said Lohan:
“We go to extraordinary lengths to select the world’s best boutique hotels, and then we anonymously review all of them so we’re certain it’s the most passionately discerning collection on the planet.”
Smith does not make recommendations without visiting a hotel at least twice; first by an accredited team member and then by an anonymous tastemaker couple. The company says that ensures quality, consistency and that hotels fit the Smith profile.
In-house staffs of experienced journalists make up the global editorial department and every destination guide (over 300 internationally). No work is syndicated or done by others.
By David Wilkening
David
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