Relais & Châteaux and HotelSwaps Form New Partnership

LONDON, March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Relais & Châteaux and HotelSwaps have formed a partnership to provide customised hotel room exchange services to Relais & Châteaux's affiliated hotels worldwide.

Each year, over a billion hotel rooms stand empty around the world and HotelSwaps is an online marketplace where high quality hotels can turn part of this unused asset into a valuable Points currency.

Through the programme, Relais & Châteaux hotels can now earn HotelSwaps Points by accommodating other hotel members in their property free of charge during periods with available room capacity. The Points can hereafter be used by the hotels to book free business travel, offer executive staff incentives or allow Relais & Châteaux hotel owners to experience other member hotels free of charge.

Preben Vestdam, Founder & Managing Director of HotelSwaps said, "HotelSwaps is an innovative way for hotels to create value from the part of their room inventory which stays unoccupied during mid and low-season." He continued, "Relais & Châteaux hotel owners will not only be able to share experiences at other Relais & Châteaux properties but they can also reduce their operating expenses through savings on business travel and executive staff incentives."

He added, "HotelSwaps is the hotel industry's answer to the sharing economy where value is created from an under-utilized asset by sharing this with other likeminded hoteliers. We are pleased to offer all 520 Relais & Châteaux members a privileged access to our membership programme."

HotelSwaps, which operates under http://www.hotelswaps.com, was launched in 2013 and now counts 175 high quality member hotels in 42 countries.

About Relais & Châteaux 

Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of more than 530 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants managed by a family of independent owners, innkeepers and chefs that has set the standard for excellence in hospitality since 1954. Together they open up new horizons for upscale hospitality by focusing on distinctive and personal experiences through which our guests are invited to experience the fine 'Art of Living' on all five continents.

From the vineyards in Napa Valley to the beaches of the Indian Ocean, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa and traditional Japanese hot spring Ryokan, Relais & Châteaux offers all the stops on the finest route for discovering each region, culture and country. Enchantment with the world and appreciating the beauty of our planet with a fresh view is the vision of Relais & Châteaux.

Through each individual property, Relais & Châteaux wishes to convey a message of preservation of nature and biodiversity, World Heritage of cuisine and customs and to share the beauty and unique offerings of the local terroirs with the greater world.

Our vision: "Making a better world through cuisine and hospitality."

For more information, visit http://www.relaischateaux.com

About HotelSwaps 

HotelSwaps is the world's first hotel room exchange programme which allows hotel owners and operators to barter / exchange their unused hotel rooms among one another based on a digital point currency. Launched in 2013, HotelSwaps today counts over 175 high quality hotel members in 40 countries. Detailed programme features can be found on http://www.hotelswaps.com. HotelSwaps is operated by HotelSwaps LTD which is based in London, United Kingdom.

Pictures: 

Relais & Chateaux logo: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D6389043_69599686_7431163

HotelSwaps logo: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D6389043_69599686_7431171

Preben Vestdam photo: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D6389043_68970862_9542617

SOURCE HotelSwaps Ltd