17 Aug 2017
Luxury Accommodation Provider, Luxico, Acquires Technology Startup, Hello Scout

Wanderlust Union

Luxico, Australia's leading supplier of luxury homes, has out-innovated competitors in the prestige "home-hotel" sector by acquiring Hello Scout, a personalisation and text messaging technology for hotels. The acquisition underlines Luxico's commitment to delivering sophisticated concierge solutions to travellers staying at their premium holiday homes. The terms of the deal are undisclosed and Luxico plans to start using the technology immediately.

Hello Scout was founded by David Temple and Matt Sperling in 2014 to help travellers discover more personalised and unique local activities via text message and iOS apps. Luxico will use the award-winning technology to create efficiency and agility for their teams of local experts who currently provide high-touch, white glove service for their rental properties.

Luxico guests will receive an email on confirming their reservations and are invited to download the app. They can choose to contact their local expert via SMS or the app itself to access memorable local attractions.

Unlike in-lobby concierges, the Hello Scout development allows guests to use the service even when they aren't in their accommodation. And there is no danger of being restricted to a shady network of concierge-commission establishments. Luxico's 20 concierge assistants will be savvy, street-wise experts, sensitive to guest demographics, who can deliver a genuine local experience.

This may involve steering a Luxico guest to a landmark restaurant, a secret picnic spot, or a memorable craft beer trail - a raft of insider experiences that will allow the guest to share the favourite experiences of well-informed locals.

The Hello Scout technology takes Luxico guest experience to a new level by further expediting guest and owner-guest communication. Its spontaneity and agility will give the guest seamless access to the Luxico team and its services.

“Hello Scout is a great fit for us”, says Alex Ormerod, Managing Director of Luxico. “We are highly focused on using technology to deliver best-in-class service in a variety of locations. By further enabling our concierges to deliver timely and high-touch service, Hello Scout's technology accelerates our growth and allows us to expand to even more markets.”

"Luxico is under no illusion that a great holiday experience is not limited to just beautiful accommodation," Alex continued. "We have created partnerships with other luxury service providers to offer guests truly unique, local insider experiences."

David Temple, cofounder of Hello Scout, says “We are thrilled that our technology will continue to help thousands of travellers to have more unique, personalised and off-the-beaten-path holidays. We have been so impressed with the Luxico team and vision, and we can't wait to see where they take this in the years ahead.”

Established in 2013, Luxico gained the trust and recognition of the travel industry by immediately re-shaping the future of the top end of the market. The variety and quality of product options tailored to specific guest requirements, the range of customised experiences and the efficiency of its full-service 24/7 concierge service, created a new benchmark.

Luxico is the only Australian holiday accommodation provider integrated with wholesale travel agent networks, providing affluent travellers with the option of an alternative to luxury hotels.

It is the preferred supplier of Australian villas to Abercrombie & Kent, Quintessentially/Q-Travel, and a number of boutique travel trade partners worldwide.

Luxico exclusively manages approximately 150 properties in Sydney, Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, Palm Beach and Byron Bay with further Queensland and regional destinations coming online.

For more information on Luxico visit http://luxico.com.au/

END

ABOUT LUXICO:

LUXICO is Australia's first 'Home Hotel' offering VIPs, families, and affluent travellers access to Australia's best homes with hotel-style 24/7 concierge support. Combining the personalized service of a five-star concierge with the space, privacy and amenities of a luxury family home, Luxico delivers sophisticated solutions for the needs of modern travellers. With the amenities and services of a five-star hotel but the space and privacy of a real home, Luxico is pioneering a new standard of luxury service.

Guest are greeted on arrival (in English, French, Spanish, Chinese or Italian) by a friendly Superhosts. These are the people who leave quietly when they're not needed, but are always at the other end of the phone if a guest wants transport, tours, shopping or even something more extravagant such as in-house dining with a top chef.

Whether it's a quirky terrace house in the heart of the city, a modern waterfront villa or an ultra modern penthouse, every Luxico property exudes character and charm and is furnished and maintained to meticulous standards to ensure our guests enjoy a truly memorable stay.
For more information, visit www.luxico.com.au

ABOUT HELLO SCOUT

Hello Scout has built apps and text messaging solutions to help travellers looking for unique experiences to connect with local experts. The company has worked with great brands like Viceroy, Provenance and Joie de Vivre, as well as being named the 2016 Most Innovative Startup at both HITEC and PhocusWright. Hello Scout was founded in January 2015 by David Temple and Matt Sperling, with investment from General Catalyst, Launch Fund, Slow Ventures, and Social + Capital. For more information, visit www.helloscout.com

For further information, interviews photography and famil opportunities:

Katie Cahill
katie@wanderlustunion.com.au
M: 0439 775 656

Sophie Baker
sophie@wanderlustunion.com.au
M: 0438 442 323

Cookie Policy

We use cookies to provide you with the best possible experience. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies.
Find out more how we use cookies.