SEATTLE -- Startup companies have proved there's a strong marketplace for what's called the sharing economy. But would you be willing to share a hotel room with a stranger in order cut the cost in half? A group of young Seattle entrepreneurs hope you'll say yes.
There isn't a service around quite like it -- a website that matches you with a fellow traveler planning a trip to the same city at the same time. Once matched, two strangers make a hotel reservation at WinstonClub.com for one room and hope for the best.
"We really started Winston Club out of personal frustration," said founder Bryon Shannon. "We felt like there was a gap in the marketplace."
Shannon is one of three people behind what he hopes will be the next big name in the world of lodging.
"What we give you the opportunity to do is tell a little bit about yourself, tell your story and give someone else the opportunity to say yeah I think this is somebody I'd get along with," said Shannon.
The first-of-its-kind site allows users to build profiles and vet potential roommates but, for many people, there's still a lot of hesitation.
"I wouldn't share a hotel room with somebody that I didn't know and meeting them online doesn't bring me any source of comfort," said one Seattle tourist.
Shannon admits hotel sharing isn't for everyone. In fact, his company research shows only 1-in-10 people in United States and the United Kingdom have used hostels or couch-surfing options. He's hoping those same people will also be willing to share a hotel room.
The service is set to launch in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas in March at WinstonClub.com.
