Why We Built Hotels and Deals

Hi, I’m Curran—the guy behind Hotels and Deals. At 31, I’ve spent most of my youth chasing entrepreneurship. I’m an engineer, a pilot, and currently working towards gaining philanthropic status for animal welfare. That last part? It’s a long journey that requires a lot of funding, but it’s close to my heart.

Back in 2018, I stumbled across a news article that changed my life. Written by none other than Dick Smith, it highlighted how overseas booking websites were suffocating the Australian economy and our local hoteliers. He criticised these platforms for charging exorbitant commissions and dodging taxes—up to $750 million AUD annually, as reported by the Australian Tourism Association.

I was struck. I thought, What if I could solve this problem?

I jumped headfirst into building a platform to compete with these giants, giving local hotels a fairer, Australian-owned alternative. What I didn’t realise was just how hard that journey would be.

The Struggles of Building Something Bigger

This venture almost ruined me.

I sold my pride and joy—a Ford Mustang GT—to fund it. I spent my savings, I had a non-existent social life and missed the chance to spend time with a special someone. By 2023, after battling COVID-induced losses, co-founder exits, technological challenges, slow growth, and funding hurdles, I had nothing left.

One of the hardest moments was telling my mentor—a hotelier who had believed in my vision, helped develop the original product, and even became an evangelist for it—that I was quitting. When I finally admitted defeat, he chuckled and said, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He had warned me, but I was stubborn.

With what little money I had left, I took a road trip to Airlie Beach. No plans. No bookings. Just the hope of clearing my head.

The Turning Point

At Airlie Beach, I walked into the first decent hotel I saw. I didn’t even check availability—I was ready to sleep in my car if necessary.

While waiting to check in, I overheard a guest arguing with the receptionist. The guest was frustrated that they couldn’t get the hotel’s midweek special rates, which they’d just learned about. The receptionist calmly explained that those rates were only available to people who booked directly on the hotel’s website.

Curious, I asked the receptionist how many guests book directly. Her response was eye-opening: “Not many—mostly older folks. Most guests don’t know about our direct booking deals.”

That conversation sparked something in me. I realised people weren’t avoiding booking directly—they simply didn’t know that hotels offered these deals. Right then and there, I went to my room and started sketching out a pivot.

From Failure to Purpose

With the limited resources I had left, I scrapped my original vision and simplified the idea: connect travelers to hotels’ direct booking offers listed on their websites. No grand ambitions of becoming the next big booking platform—just a straightforward solution to make people aware of a hotel’s book direct deals and help Australian hotels thrive.

And that’s how hotelsanddeals.com.au was born, rising from the ashes of my first accommodation startup, Voyak.

Where We Are Now

A year since launching, Hotels and Deals has attracted over 10,000 website visitors. We’ve helped thousands of people discover the benefits of booking directly with hotels. Even if they choose to book elsewhere, my hope is that they now check the hotel’s website first—a small habit that keeps more money in Australia and supports local communities.

This journey has taught me that failure isn’t the end. It’s a stepping stone to something better if you’re willing to learn, adapt, and hold onto a strong sense of purpose. Without that purpose? You won’t survive the journey.

Thanks for being part of this story,
Curran