WhyHotel
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | January 2017 |
| Founder | Jason Fudin, Bao Vuong |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Pop-up hotels |
WhyHotel operates as an innovative hospitality service provider, specializing in the creation of pop-up hotels by transforming unleased units within newly constructed apartment complexes into fully equipped hotel accommodations. The company does not hold ownership of any real estate properties.
History
Established in January 2017 by real estate developers Jason Fudin and Bao Vuong, WhyHotel initiated its inaugural pop-up hotel pilot from January through May 2017. This pilot involved converting 50 vacant units in a Pentagon City, Virginia apartment building owned by Vornado Realty. Later that year, WhyHotel separated from Vornado, evolving into an independent startup with venture capital backing.
In June 2018, the company raised $3.9 million in seed capital, followed by a $20 million Series B funding round in December 2019. During 2018, WhyHotel expanded its pop-up hotel operations to Baltimore and Washington, D.C.. The next year saw openings in Ballston, Virginia, Seattle, and Tysons, Virginia. By 2020, a new location was added in Houston along with announcements for further growth in Maryland and Arlington.
In May 2019, WhyHotel introduced Hospitality Living, a new division dedicated to developing mixed-use residential and hotel properties with flexible usage. The division planned to complete its first project by 2022.