BTN interviews Ruben Vanhees, Founder of SplitStay, the platform was inspired by his own travel experiences and aims to make accommodation more affordable, social, and sustainable. SplitStay connects travelers heading to the same destination so they can safely share hotel rooms or apartments, using verified profiles, secure payments, and compatibility filters. It helps reduce costs, fosters real human connection, and supports hotels in maximizing occupancy. Positioned as “BlaBlaCar meets Booking.com,” SplitStay redefines modern travel by turning accommodation into a shared, community-driven experience that’s both cost-efficient and environmentally conscious.

BTN - What inspired the idea for SplitStay, and what gap in the market are you solving?

The idea for SplitStay came directly from my own travel experiences. I was an early Couchsurfing member and have hosted and stayed with hundreds of people around the world. One day, when my Couchsurfing host canceled, I ended up booking a hotel room with a twin bed setup. That moment sparked a simple question:

“We can share rides with strangers through BlaBlaCar — so why can’t we share hotel rooms, apartments, or villas when we travel?”
SplitStay was born from that realization. The platform connects travelers heading to the same place — whether for events, business, or leisure — and helps them share accommodations safely, transparently, and affordably.

We’re addressing a growing need in travel today: rising accommodation costs and increasing social disconnection. By matching travelers with overlapping itineraries, SplitStay turns empty beds into opportunities for connection, community, and cost savings.

BTN - How does SplitStay work in practice – for both travelers and accommodation providers?

For travelers, SplitStay functions like a social marketplace. You can post your trip, see others with overlapping itineraries, and match to split hotel rooms, apartments, or villas. You both save money and meet someone attending the same event or visiting the same place.

For accommodation providers, SplitStay creates new demand from an underserved market — solo travelers who might otherwise book cheaper or stay outside the main area. Hotels and hosts can list rooms or inventory with dynamic pricing and gain higher occupancy while supporting a new wave of social, experience-driven travel.

BTN - Who is your core audience, and what trends are driving demand for shared stays today?

Our core audience includes solo travelers, digital nomads, and event-goers who seek connection and affordability when traveling for experiences that matter — whether it’s a festival, conference, or concert.

The demand for shared stays is fueled by three global shifts:

Rising accommodation prices — especially around major events. For example, Skift recently reported that hotel prices in cities hosting Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour skyrocketed by up to 60%, with some destinations generating hundreds of millions in additional travel revenue. This kind of surge highlights the need for more flexible, affordable lodging options like SplitStay.

The social travel trend — today’s travelers value experiences and human connection over luxury. SplitStay aligns with this mindset by turning accommodation into a shared social experience.

Sustainability — sharing rooms reduces the environmental footprint per traveler, fitting perfectly within the new conscious travel movement.

In short, SplitStay sits at the intersection of rising costs, social connection, and sustainability, making it both relevant and necessary in today’s evolving travel landscape.

BTN - How do you ensure safety, trust, and compatibility between people sharing accommodation?

Safety is non-negotiable at SplitStay.

That’s why profiles are ID-verified, payments are secured on the platform, and peer reviews build reputation over time. Both travelers add a payment card for accountability and transparency.
We’re designing SplitStay with the same safety standards as online travel agencies, but adapted for the unique dynamics of shared stays.

Beyond that, we’re integrating a profile verification system and compatibility layer — allowing travelers to filter matches by shared interests, event type, and preferences. We’re also partnering with established accommodation platforms that already have strong safety infrastructures.

Over time, SplitStay will include reviews, AI-driven compatibility matching, and identity verification to make shared stays feel natural, safe, and trustworthy from the very first booking.

BTN - What kinds of partnerships or integrations are you pursuing with hotels and booking platforms?

Our go-to-market is events.

For travelers, SplitStay makes attendance more affordable and social by helping them find shared accommodations near venues. For organizers, we help them stand out, grow attendance, and monetize deeper with ticket-plus-stay bundles that enhance the overall event experience.

We’re in early discussions with event organizers, event management platforms, and ticketing providers to integrate SplitStay as a “shared-stay” layer for major conferences and festivals.
Once embedded, we aim to become the default solution for both sides — travelers gain affordable lodging, while organizers unlock a new engagement and revenue channel.

Beyond events, we also see strong potential for partnerships with coworking chains, destination marketing organizations, and travel communities that want to offer attendees and members more inclusive, social, and cost-effective lodging options.

And with global events drawing hundreds of millions of travelers into a hotel crunch each year, the opportunity is massive.

BTN - How does SplitStay support sustainability and affordability within the travel ecosystem?

Environmentally, shared stays mean shared resources — less land use, fewer new hotels needed, and lower per-person energy consumption, cleaning, and waste. By helping travelers share resources instead of duplicating them, we reduce the environmental footprint of travel without compromising comfort or convenience.

Socially, SplitStay helps fight the loneliness epidemic by making travel more inclusive, affordable, and connected. It opens doors for people who might otherwise skip trips due to cost, while fostering genuine human connection along the way.

Ultimately, SplitStay is more than a travel-tech product — it’s a movement toward smarter, greener, and more human travel.

BTN - You describe SplitStay as “BlaBlaCar meets Booking.com.” What key innovations set you apart from traditional OTAs and sharing platforms?

Traditional OTAs focus on individual bookings. SplitStay introduces a new category — shared bookings.

Our innovation lies in combining event-driven social matching with existing accommodation infrastructure. We don’t replace hotels or hosts; we make them more efficient by helping multiple guests share stays that would otherwise be booked separately.

In short, SplitStay adds a “social layer” to the hospitality ecosystem — connecting travelers before they arrive, while ensuring hotels benefit from fuller rooms and longer stays.

BTN - What challenges have you faced in building user confidence and scaling adoption?

The main challenge is changing perception. Many travelers haven’t yet considered sharing hotel rooms the way they share rides or workspaces. Our approach is to make it trusted, frictionless, and benefit-driven — focusing first on event-based travel where shared purpose naturally builds comfort and connection.

We’re also validating partnerships with communities to show social proof — once travelers see it works safely and easily, adoption scales exponentially.

BTN - What’s next for SplitStay – new markets, funding, or technology milestones?

We’re preparing for our soft launch with early event partnerships, followed by a mobile app rollout in 2026.

We’re also in talks with investors to scale development and integrations. Technologically, we’re enhancing our matching algorithm, trust features, and event integration tools to make shared stays seamless at global scale.

BTN -  Finally, how do you see the shared-stay model shaping the future of hospitality and travel?

We believe the future of travel is shared, social, and sustainable.

Just as car-sharing changed transportation and co-working changed offices, shared stays will redefine hospitality. It’s not only about saving money — it’s about belonging anywhere you go.
Hotels and travelers alike are recognizing that connection is the new luxury — and SplitStay is building the bridge between technology, affordability, and human experience to make that vision a reality.