Treebo Hotels: Redefining Budget Hospitality with a Focus on Quality and Customer Experience

In the ever-expanding world of travel and hospitality, Treebo Hotels emerged with a single mission: to transform the budget hotel sector in India. Founded in 2015 by Sudeep Agarwal, Rahul Chaudhary, and Pradeep Shetty, Treebo’s vision was to address a critical problem in the Indian hospitality industry — the lack of standardized, reliable, and affordable hotels for budget travelers.

India's hospitality market has been dominated by a mix of luxury hotels and a largely unorganized, inconsistent budget sector. Travelers often faced uncertainty regarding room quality, hygiene, and service standards. Treebo wanted to change that. The founders envisioned a budget hotel chain that would offer guests a comfortable, hygienic stay with the quality assurance of well-defined standards at affordable prices.

Treebo

Treebo's approach was unique — the company didn’t own the hotels it operated. Instead, it partnered with existing independent hotels and ensured they adhered to a uniform set of standards that included cleanliness, professional staff, and high-quality amenities. This asset-light model allowed Treebo to scale quickly without the overhead of maintaining physical properties.

What set Treebo apart from its competitors was its commitment to quality control. The brand introduced a set of quality standards known as Treebo Super Brand Standards, which every hotel in its network had to meet. These standards covered everything from room cleanliness, bed quality, and air-conditioning, to Wi-Fi, breakfast, and customer service.

Treebo’s tech-enabled platform played a crucial role in its success. The Treebo app and website allowed guests to book rooms with confidence, knowing that each hotel in the network had been vetted for quality. Additionally, the platform used customer feedback and reviews to maintain accountability, ensuring that every guest’s experience contributed to the overall improvement of the network. With a focus on transparency, Treebo was able to foster trust and reliability among its users.

The company’s focus on customer experience didn’t stop with quality standards. Treebo also introduced features like free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, and 24/7 customer support to enhance the overall stay for budget-conscious travelers. Moreover, its collaboration with online travel agencies (OTAs) like MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip, and Goibibo helped the company establish a solid online presence, making it accessible to a wide range of customers.

The early days of Treebo’s expansion were focused on metros like Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai. However, as the company gained traction, it began extending its reach to smaller cities and towns across India. By 2018, Treebo had expanded to over 100 cities, boasting a portfolio of over 500 hotels, making it one of India’s fastest-growing budget hotel chains.

Backed by investors like SAIF Partners and Matrix Partners India, Treebo reached the unicorn status by 2021, joining the elite club of startups with valuations exceeding $1 billion.

But it didn’t stop there. The company continues to innovate, introducing new services like Treebo Signature, which offers premium budget stays, and enhancing its tech stack with AI and machine learning to improve customer personalization.

Despite facing competition from other hospitality giants like OYO, Treebo has maintained its edge by focusing on quality, customer service, and sustainability. The company’s commitment to providing high-quality budget stays has made it a go-to choice for millions of travelers across the country.

Today, Treebo Hotels stands as a symbol of how technology, standardization, and affordability can come together to create a hospitality brand that serves both the customers’ needs and the industry’s standards.

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