BOOKWELL TRAVEL

Paying-It-Forward During Trying Times

By Seth Paul

Last year, when the pandemic hit, Brian Gates—founder of Bookwell Travel—recognized a need to help the community. His stance has always been to be involved and support your neighbor. So, when the director of Always Home, an at-risk youth shelter, reached out to Brian for help feeding its residents during such trying times, he was happy to help.

Even though his own business was forced to close, he happily brought his kitchen staff back and cooked for Always Home for some three months. He was able to provide enough meals so that no one went hungry. Doing this had a significant impact on Brian and the whole team at the luxurious Spicer Mansion, which he owns and operates in Mystic, CT. He then spent the next few months putting together a network for partners that all shared his philanthropic views.

As a hotelier, he also recognized the need for a business that supports boutique properties and has its best business practices in mind. Brian wanted to create a solution that eliminates those issues. Hence, the birth of Bookwell. During the shutdown, while many businesses were forced to close, Bookwell Travel hit the ground running

Bookwell Travel’s mission is to provide a first-class, personalized booking experience for travelers while partnering with properties that share the commitment to delivering exceptional service and the mission to feed the less fortunate. For every night booked, they donate 20 meals to help feed the less fortunate. To date, they have donated 641,500 meals along the Eastern seaboard and a goal of 16 million meals by the end of 2021

“The hospitality industry was built on the idea of service with a smile. But that is fast becoming a thing of the past. Hotel corporations and impersonal booking sites leave customers with fewer choices and even less control, compromising the user experience for bigger profits. People today are demanding more quality for their dollar and more social goods from their brands. Bookwell Travel delivers on both.” says Gates.

Want to know how you can do your part? It’s simple, visit BookwellTravel.com and visit the millions of properties that are on the platform. Here, you will find properties available through their partnership with Booking.com on Bookwell All Travel or the boutique properties available through Bookwell Boutique Travel.

They have the destination for you.