What Placemakr does

Placemakr is a tech-enabled hospitality company that operates furnished apartment-style accommodations under an asset-light model, currently present in 11+ U.S. cities including Washington DC, New York, Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Huntsville, and Reno. Founded in 2017 as WhyHotel and rebranded in March 2022, the company targets business travelers, relocating individuals, extended-stay guests, group travelers, and leisure travelers with flexible stay durations ranging from one night to one year. The company converts apartment buildings or subsets of units into mixed-use hospitality properties, layering hotel-grade services (on-site support, weekly housekeeping, digital precheck, contactless access credentials) onto residential apartment infrastructure (full kitchens, in-unit laundry, smart TVs, high-speed Wi-Fi).

The company's operating stack centers on a direct booking platform at placemakr.com/book with an accompanying mobile app, dynamic pricing across nightly/weekly/monthly tiers (15%+ discount for 7+ nights; 30%+ discount for 28+ nights), and property management tooling that integrates building operations with guest services. Distribution spans direct channels, third-party OTAs (Airbnb, Expedia, Booking.com, Priceline, HotelTonight, Homeaway), Global Distribution Systems for travel agents, and—as of January 2026—a strategic partnership with Hilton under the "Apartment Collection by Hilton" co-brand, which integrates select properties into Hilton.com, the Hilton Honors loyalty program, and the Hilton mobile app. The Hilton partnership targets an initial pipeline of up to 3,000 units with a stated franchise growth ambition of 20,000+ units. Sub-brands include Placemakr Premier (premium tier, first location Nashville SoBro 2022) and Scout Living PCM (flexible living brand, Atlanta).

Revenue is generated from nightly/extended-stay bookings, property management services for mixed-use buildings, ancillary fees (pet, parking, extra housekeeping at $119/service, lost key/fob, late checkout), and franchise/licensing economics under the Hilton partnership. The company has raised approximately $192M across disclosed rounds, including a $90M equity investment in March 2022 and a $65M round in March 2023, from Highland Capital Partners, Harbert Growth Partners, Bernstein Management Corp., Camber Creek, Gaw Capital, and other investors. Placemakr, Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated corporation operating through subsidiaries including Placemakr Hospitality, LLC and Placemakr Management, LLC. Leadership comprises co-founders Jason Fudin (CEO) and Bao Vuong (President), with Ryan Rickabaugh as COO and Steven McCord as CTO. A separate investment vehicle, whyhotelinvestments.com, supports a stated goal of acquiring up to $1B in property assets.

Name

Placemakr

Legal name

Placemakr, Inc.

Website

https://placemakr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Placemakr is a tech-enabled, asset-light hospitality operator that converts apartment buildings into furnished, flexible-stay accommodations across 11+ U.S. cities, serving business travelers, relocating individuals, extended-stay guests, and groups with stays from one night to one year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Serviced Apartments

NAICS

Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), Accommodation (721)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mixed-use / residential-hotel serviced apartments (condo-hotel style) (THAMACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Serviced Apartments & Aparthotels (THAGAEAB), Serviced Extended-Stay Apartments & Aparthotels (THAMAFAC)

Keywords

• Flexible stay apartments
• Furnished apartment rentals
• Apartment hotel services
• Extended stay housing
• Corporate housing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Nightly and Extended Stay Bookings: Primary revenue from guest room rentals at Placemakr properties. Customers pay for nightly, weekly, or monthly stays in fully furnished apartment units. Pricing varies by location, unit type, and stay duration with discounts for longer stays (15%+ for weekly, 30%+ for monthly).
2. Property Management Services: Placemakr operates apartment buildings as mixed-use hospitality properties, managing both short-term rentals and traditional residential apartments, generating revenue through management fees and operational efficiency.
3. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue from pet fees, parking fees, lost key/fob charges, extra housekeeping services ($119 per service), and late checkout fees.
4. Franchise and Partnership Fees: Through the Hilton Apartment Collection partnership, Placemakr may earn franchise or licensing fees as properties join the Hilton brand portfolio under the strategic partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Placemakr is a tech-enabled apartment-hotel brand that operates furnished studio-to-four-bedroom apartments as flexible stays ranging from a single night to one year. The company blends hotel-style services (contactless check-in, weekly housekeeping, on-site support) with apartment-grade amenities (full kitchens, in-unit laundry, high-speed Wi-Fi), and pursues an asset-light model that converts existing multifamily buildings into mixed-use hospitality.

Product overview

Placemakr is a venture-backed apartment-hotel brand offering fully furnished apartments for flexible stays ranging from one night to one year. The core product is Placemakr itself, which operates an asset-light model converting apartment buildings (or subsets of units) into short-term rentals with hotel-grade services. The portfolio includes two named sub-brands: Placemakr Premier (premium tier, first location in Nashville SoBro) and Scout Living PCM (flexible living brand, first location in Atlanta). Through a partnership with Hilton Franchise Holding LLC effective January 2026, select Placemakr properties are distributed via the co-branded Apartment Collection by Hilton platform, bookable through Hilton channels and integrated with the Hilton Honors loyalty program. Beyond the core hotel and residential stay product, Placemakr offers a direct booking platform (placemakr.com/book), an Extended Stays program (with weekly and monthly discounted rates), Corporate Group Stays for business travelers and groups, and a Residential leasing option for unfurnished or furnished long-term rentals. A separate investment platform (WhyHotel Investments) supports the company's real estate acquisition strategy. The tech-enabled guest experience includes precheck (digital identity verification and contactless check-in), smart lock access credentials, and mobile-key functionality, alongside concierge support and weekly housekeeping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Placemakr Core branded offering of fully furnished apartments available for stays from one night to one year, with chef-ready kitchens, in-unit laundry, premium Wi-Fi, weekly housekeeping, and contactless check-in. Targeted at individual travelers, relocators, and extended-stay guests.
• Placemakr Premier Premium tier of the Placemakr brand featuring upscale design-forward apartments with enhanced finishes, concierge-style service, and elevated amenities for guests seeking a higher-end flexible stay experience.
• Scout Living by Placemakr (PCM) Tech-enabled flexible living sub-brand operating studio-to-four-bedroom furnished apartments with integrated community programming, on-site amenities, and a mobile-first booking and resident experience.
• Apartment Collection by Hilton Co-branded Hilton franchise collection of Placemakr-operated apartments distributed through Hilton's booking channels, Hilton.com, and the Hilton Honors loyalty program, targeted at Hilton loyalists seeking apartment-style stays.
• Placemakr Residential Long-term rental offering allowing residents to lease unfurnished or furnished apartments at select Placemakr locations, bridging short-term flexible stays with traditional residential leasing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30%+ savings for monthly extended stays compared to nightly rates
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship/strategic.

• BringitminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 March 2026Bringit, a Utah-based travel-tech startup offering same-day luggage delivery from Salt Lake City International Airport, partnered with Placemakr to extend hands-free luggage logistics to Placemakr properties in Salt Lake City. The partnership allows arriving passengers to skip baggage claim and have luggage delivered directly to their Placemakr accommodations, positioning the service as a guest amenity.
• Hiltonflagship/strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026Hilton launched the Apartment Collection by Hilton brand in partnership with Placemakr. The partnership adds up to 3,000 furnished apartment units across key U.S. markets including New York City, Washington D.C., and Atlanta to Hilton's portfolio. Properties are bookable through Hilton channels (Hilton.com, mobile app, call centers) and integrate with Hilton Honors loyalty program. Hilton plans to expand the collection further through franchise agreements with multifamily real estate owners. This represents Hilton's strategic entry into the serviced apartment segment as a 'build it, don't buy it' approach.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Blueground: Blueground provides fully furnished apartments for 30+ day extended stays aimed at business travelers and relocations in major global cities. Directly competes with Placemakr in the corporate/relocation extended-stay segment with similar unit-level product.
• Sonder: Sonder is the closest comparable: a tech-enabled aparthotel operator offering apartment-style short and extended stays in major urban markets with a digital-first booking platform. Directly competes with Placemakr for the same corporate, leisure, and extended-stay demand.
• Kasa Living: Kasa operates a tech-driven apartment-hotel platform with professionally managed furnished units in urban and leisure markets, bookable direct and via OTAs. Directly competes with Placemakr on the asset-light, multi-city aparthotel model.
• Locale: Locale operates serviced apartment-style residential units marketed to business travelers and extended-stay guests in U.S. urban markets. Closely comparable to Placemakr's flexible-stay furnished apartment offering and target customer.
• Synergy Global Housing: Synergy specializes in corporate housing and relocation accommodation with furnished apartments in U.S. business hubs. Directly competes for the same corporate and relocation customer segments Placemakr targets with its Corporate Group Stays product.

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb: Airbnb is the dominant short-term rental marketplace and one of Placemakr's listed distribution partners. While a different business model, it competes for many of Placemakr's leisure and extended-stay guests and shapes regulation around short-term rentals in Placemakr's core cities.
• Oakwood Worldwide: Oakwood is an established, large-scale serviced apartment operator serving corporate and relocation clients globally. Broader incumbent in the same aparthotel category, with deeper enterprise programs but less digital-first distribution than Placemakr.
• Marriott Residence Inn: Marriott's Residence Inn is a major upper-midscale extended-stay hotel brand offering apartment-style suites with kitchens. Competes with Placemakr's extended-stay and corporate offerings, with broader scale and Hilton Honors-equivalent loyalty power via Marriott Bonvoy.
• Hyatt House: Hyatt House is Hyatt's extended-stay apartment-style hotel brand targeting travelers seeking larger spaces and kitchens. Directly comparable to Placemakr's extended-stay product, with the scale and loyalty benefits of a major hotel chain.
• Staybridge Suites (IHG): Staybridge Suites is IHG's extended-stay apartment-style hotel brand with suites featuring kitchens and living areas. Competes with Placemakr for extended-stay and corporate travelers, with broader distribution via IHG's enterprise booking systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/placemakr
• Facebookfacebook.com/placemakrcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/placemakr
• Instagraminstagram.com/placemakr
• Pinterestpinterest.com/placemakr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors17 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Placemakr