Journey Raises $7.7M to Grow Independent Hotel and Private Rental Loyalty Platform

This seed round led by Lerer Hippeau and Slow Ventures fuels the launch of a modern hotel loyalty program for consumers and an AI-enabled technology platform for hoteliers.

NEW YORK (August 4, 2025) – Journey, the modern loyalty platform for leading independent hotels, luxury resorts, and private rentals, today announced it raised $7.7 million in seed funding to support the expansion of its guest rewards program and growing network of independent hotels and short-term rentals.

This round was co-led by Lerer Hippeau and Slow Ventures, with participation from Brian Kelly (founder of The Points Guy), Chris Burch (Co-Founder of Tory Burch), Kim Perell (entrepreneur and author), and Bulletpitch.

Journey is the first loyalty platform purpose-built for independent hospitality, combining AI-curated personalized rewards for guests with AI-enabled technology for operators, creating the World’s first Hospitality Experience Platform (or HXP). The Journey Alliance of hotels and private rentals now includes more than 1,400 award-winning properties including Nihi Sumba in Indonesia, Onera in Texas, Castle Hill Inn in Rhode Island and Dunton in Colorado.

Unlike traditional luxury programs focused on predictability and standardization, Journey rewards exploration, personalization, and inspiring experiences. Members earn 5x points per dollar for direct bookings on partner sites, compared to 1x for third-party bookings. Guests can also use pending points during their stay, which creates immediate value for guests, something consumers list as their biggest pain point with traditional loyalty programs. For operators, through the use of the Journey HXP, they can see higher direct booking conversion, increased revenues per guest through longer and more valuable stays, and higher guest satisfaction. At the core is Journey’s action-oriented AI, transforming fragmented data into real-time hospitality actions.

John Sutton, Founder and CEO of Journey said: “Our vision is to disrupt hospitality loyalty by leveraging modern technology. We have created a platform where guests are rewarded for choosing character-rich, independent stays, and hotel and short-term rental operators can finally access technology to deliver exceptional experiences. I am excited to have found investors and advisors who believe that loyalty can be reimagined in an age of Ai with a focus on the consumer first.”

Eric Hippeau, Managing Partner of Lerer Hippeau said: “Over several decades on the Starwood and Marriott boards, and as an investor, I have witnessed major changes in the hospitality and loyalty landscapes. Journey has impressed me with their vision to bring about a sea change in hospitality loyalty, and leverage AI technology to help hoteliers deliver on the promise of an exceptional stay. Guests and hoteliers alike will benefit immensely from Journey.”

Kevin Colleran, Managing Direct of Slow Ventures said: “Journey is solving one of the biggest gaps in hospitality: loyalty for independent properties and the guests who desire exceptional experiences. As an avid traveler who has spent most of my life fixated on travel upgrades, loyalty, and points, I am happy that I will finally be able to branch out from my reliance on the mega hotel brands and start taking advantage of the many wonderful independent properties in Journey’s portfolio. This will help so many hotels that were previously overlooked by travelers like me who were always forced to stay at the big chains in order to take advantage of our loyalty status and rewards.” 

Brian Kelly, Founder, The Points Guy said: “Many of the world’s most desirable hotels and virtually all of the private rentals do not participate in a traditional loyalty program. In my travels, I’ve always sought to stay at places with soul — the kinds of hotels and experiences that have joined the Journey Alliance. Journey’s approach to loyalty reflects how customers want to travel today, and so I’m pleased to invest in Journey, and its team, led by John.”

About Journey

Journey is a modern loyalty platform for discerning travelers, connecting them with top independent hotels and short-term rentals worldwide. Unlike traditional loyalty programs, Journey rewards unique, story-rich experiences. It empowers independent operators—who make up over 40% of U.S. lodging—to move beyond OTAs and build direct guest relationships, using AI-driven tools and a shared currency system. Travelers enjoy seamless rewards and status across a curated network, while brands gain engagement, data, and margin growth without sacrificing personalization. For more information, visit Journey.com.