Luxado could be a surprise package

With more Indians traveling - both domestically and overseas - now than ever before, it is only natural that there's going to be a slew of options coming up for users, to help them with their travel goals and bucket lists! One of these new portals, which has been "launched" but is not yet operational, is Luxado, based out of Delhi, which promises access to secret deals at hand-picked luxury hotels.

Luxado claims to be India's best-kept travel secret. Their offer is to provide 5-star luxury at 3-star prices. You will need to sign up with your email address, and a return mail is sent to you, which includes your password. Signing up will also provide you with a personalised link that you can share with people you know, which when used by them, will get you credits / reward points. I'm not yet certain what the credits will be useful for. So you could sign up yourself, or use my link, which is here.

Currently, their portal isn't really functioning, so here's what you see when you go to their website:

They have limited online presence on Facebook and Twitter. Their FB page  has the following descriptive content:

Luxado is India’s best-kept travel secret. For the first time ever, travellers from India can benefit from the global phenomenon of luxury hotel flash sales.

You will see a new range of 5-star hotels and resorts on our website each week, all offered at generous discounts to the regular price. You’ll have to hurry though – there are only a few of each room available and once they are gone, that’s it!

We’re finalizing the deals for our first range of hotels right now and will let members know as soon as we put them up on the site. In the meantime, lie back and imagine your dream destinations…

Also, here's what the FAQ section of their website says:

What is a flash sale?The hotels will appear on Luxado at special prices for 7-10 days only (or less if all the rooms are sold!) If you don’t book during that period you’ll miss out!

Are there restrictions on availability?
Most hotels will have availability from 2 days ahead up to 6 months in advance. There may be a small number of blackout days.

What Destinations will be available on Luxado?Everywhere you want to travel! The destinations we have planned include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Turkey, France, Spain, Greece, UK and our travel experts are constantly working to increase this further. Let us know where you would like to travel!

What type of hotels have you partnered with?We only partner with the world’s finest properties to offer you the best experience money can buy. From brands with a worldwide reputation for quality to individual boutique hotels that redefine the standard for luxury we work tirelessly to bring you the best.

How will I learn of the deals?
We’ll email you every week to keep you abreast of our latest, greatest hotels, offers and destinations. You’re welcome to come to the site as often as you like in the meantime!

From the above, Luxado essentially seems to be an aggregator for flash sales, or at least deeply discounted sales based on private arrangements - much like Agoda. An aggregator for flash sales isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather have one person track that for me and let me have updates, than monitor them myself. However, I do find the weekly update a little delayed. Flash sales are exactly that - they happen in a flash, and last for a, well, flash I suppose (say 2 or 3 days). I'm waiting for them to go live to see what they are able to offer, and how those compare to Agoda and other travel portals that offer deals. I will post later about my experience with their services.