Saving In Style

Club 1 has fashioned itself into the market leading members-onlydiscounter for luxury travel

- Harvey Chipkin

Club 1, a members-only luxury travel club, has managed to become a dominant force in selling four and five-star hotels in the two years since it was launched, providing significant savings to frequent travelers in particular. The company claims to be the world’s largest supplier of wholesale hotel rates and boasts an inventory of over 870,000 hotels and resorts in 162 countries and 15,000 destinations. Members in over 200 countries can save up to 70 percent on travel, even when comparing prices to online travel agencies like Expedia and Booking.com.

According to Pierce Hutchings, senior vice president and partner, Club 1 was founded by a team of industry veterans who were able to use their connections to generate attractive deals with suppliers all over the world. The company has more than 30 international B2B and B2C partners and a total partnership audience of over 160 million.

Hutchings says Club 1 offers lower rates than any other discounter in the marketplace. The company says it is able to offer these rates because it pre-purchases over $650 million in room nights annually at partner hotels. Club 1 rates are not available anywhere except on the company’s own website and app.

As a result of its volume purchasing, Club 1 can offer wholesale rates not made available to the public, no blackout dates, guaranteed savings on bookings made outside of seven days of arrival and last room availability (in most cases). Because of its ability to offer “insider” prices and benefits, Club 1 has the lofty ambition to be the Costco or Amazon Prime of travel.

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