Prism launches CheckIn app to aggregate premium hotels, separating Oyo's budget focus
Pilot showed bookings in London, Dubai, Bali; 55% users prefer premium stays
CheckIn supports Sunday Hotels expansion; aims forty new upscale properties this fiscal
DRHP filing planned November as Prism readies IPO with $7–8 billion valuation
Oyo’s parent Prism, led by founder-CEO Ritesh Agarwal, on Friday unveiled CheckIn, a standalone app and brand umbrella focused on premium and luxury hotels, curated homes and experiences. The move formalises Prism’s strategy to separate its value-focused Oyo business from a higher-end offering as the group prepares for an expected IPO later this year.
CheckIn will aggregate Prism’s upscale inventory, including SUNDAY Hotels, Clubhouse and Palette, alongside European holiday-home brands such as CheckMyGuest, Dancenter and Belvilla.
Prism said CheckIn will initially be available in India (where it ran a three-month pilot) and will expand to global markets in the coming months. Agarwal described the app as a “global house of brands” that gives travellers premium choice without switching channels.
Pilot, Demand Signal & Roll-Out
The company’s pilot on the Play Store and App Store showed bookings across key destinations such as London, Dubai, Bali and multiple Indian cities. Prism cited internal data indicating roughly 55% of its users prefer higher-quality, design-led stays versus about 45% who consistently choose budget options, a statistic the company says justifies product segmentation. CheckIn is set to scale internationally after the initial India launch.
Prism said it will fast-track growth of its Sunday Hotels brand, targeting the addition of around 40 new upscale properties (including four- and five-star hotels) across metros, non-metro tourism hubs and niche destinations this fiscal year. The company intends to keep the existing Oyo app as the primary channel for value and budget travellers.
IPO Context
The CheckIn launch comes as Prism prepares to file a Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) in November, with an expected public-listing valuation in the $7–8 billion range, according to PTI reporting.
Company executives have been engaging bankers and investors as they finalise listing plans; CheckIn is likely to feature in Prism’s investor narrative about diversified revenue streams and a two-brand strategy.
The split branding crystallises a wider trend among travel platforms to chase premium margins as competition intensifies at the budget end.
By segregating luxury inventory, Prism hopes to attract higher-spending customers, build loyalty in distinct segments and reduce brand friction between mass-market and lifestyle offerings, all ahead of a high-stakes public debut.
Prism will expand CheckIn’s geographic footprint over the coming months, onboard more premium properties and integrate the new app into its broader reservations, marketing and loyalty systems. Observers will watch how quickly the company can scale premium supply and whether the two-app strategy boosts average booking values ahead of the IPO.
