China: Hong Kong-based startup YourNewBase has launched and aims to be “the singular platform for finding and booking serviced apartments”.
The company says: “YourNewBase is more than just a listing aggregator – it’s a new way for travellers, expats, and relocation companies to connect with the properties that best suit their needs”.
YourNewBase was founded by Nikita Andreev, who after working in five different cities across three continents “saw the need for a better way to book short-term accommodation”. After a career in ad technology, he embarked on a 15-month journey around the world as a “digital nomad”. “Equipped with a first-hand understanding of what the modern traveler looks for in terms of furnished housing options, Nikita decided to build YourNewBase.com and change the industry for good,” says the company.
Andreev said: “Anyone that has been on an overseas assignment understands just how tricky it can be to find a good serviced apartment. First of all, there’s no single platform that combines all the listings out there – so companies often have no choice but to go through a relocation service just to see the available options. On top of that, there’s no place to read reviews by previous tenants-and this is the kind of transparency consumers are increasingly demanding from any business with an online presence.”
YourNewBase says its platform allows users to see all the available serviced apartment options in each city. Every building is overlaid on a map (which also features the locations of the city’s main co-working spaces). Inside each listing, users will find a list of the location’s facilities, details about the in-room amenities, and prices for each available room type. Users of the platform can also see property ratings and reviews from previous tenants.
“It’s no secret that this sector is lagging behind other categories in the travel industry. We’re all used to booking hotels and air tickets in seconds – but it can still take days just to get a price estimate for a serviced apartment. Something has to change,” said Andreev.
YourNewBase.com features 127 property listings across 16 cities in Asia and Australia. While the initial focus has been on Asia Pacific, the startup aims to expand to every major serviced apartment hub. It also plans to build its own booking engine – as well as a mobile app for added convenience.
YourNewBase is headquartered in Hong Kong. Prior to launching the site, Andreev worked in digital marketing and data analytics for online ad technology startups out of Toronto, San Francisco, New York, and London.</p