Little bits of old, a lot of new, nothing borrowed with a splash of blue: all of these elements describe Skipper, the hotel group booking service formerly known as Jetaport before undergoing a company rebrand earlier this year. Skipper – still maintaining Jetaport’s mission – sets out to “redefine the way people book group travel” through accessibility, flexibility and exclusive offers for “the best possible accommodations” based on customers’ preferences. 

Skipper’s founders, former JPMorgan and hospitality alums, Jason Shames and Marcos Jaramillo found themselves constantly frustrated with the seemingly endless process involved in booking group trips. “No matter the occasion, group travel should be easy, carefree and personal, so we built this platform to help our customers achieve exactly that,” Jason Shames, Skipper’s CEO said. Whether rooms are for wedding guests, a bachelor party or group getaway, Skipper provides an average of 15% savings on group bookings at over 56,000 hotels in the United States and Canada with just a few clicks. 

In the evolve from Jetaport, Skipper gained four new features that are geared toward achieving the company’s goal more efficiently for everyone:

• Flexibility: Compared to other booking platforms, Skipper’s flexible payment options for all sizes of traveling groups is its standout feature. Users can pay upfront for all rooms or put them on hold at an exclusive, discounted rate – without putting a credit card down – and share a booking page with their group. No need to arrange money transfers or pre-vacation meet-ups, this option gives everyone in the group the opportunity to pay individually at their leisure.
• Skipper Score: Skipper uses a proprietary algorithm that calculates and displays a search ranking for properties based upon a customer’s needs. Also weighed into the equation are the desired location, price, guest experiences and expert reviews.
• VIP Status: Skipper Booking Advisors are group travel experts available to offer guidance and ensure a quick, hassle-free experience for customer’s during the booking process. Users in search of ten or more hotel rooms are paired with their own designated Booking Advisor who handles all the hurdles including liaising with hotels, negotiating contracts, and executing special requests.
• Skipper Room Calculator: This tool prevents users from over- or under-booking, saving groups from overspending or renegotiating rooms after check-in. The Skipper Room Calculator reviews the number of guests and their needs to estimate the numbers of rooms needed.

For more information on Skipper, visit hiskipper.com.