This App Is a Travel-Loverās Dream
Weāre wrapping up the summer season, and between rising gas prices and airline delays, traveling has been a bit of a challenge…to say the least. We have good news, however: ResortPass is here to ease your travel woes by letting you feel like both a glamorous international tourist and a VIP local at the same timeāwithout leaving town. We chatted with fabulous female founder and solo-preneur Amanda Szabo about this genius app thatās revolutionizing the way we staycation. Read on to learn how you can be poolside at a top resort in a matter of minutes. ResortPass app
For as long as most can remember, travelers understood that hotel amenities were reserved for registered overnight guests only. That included access to pools, gyms, spas, business centers, and perks like food and drinks delivered to private cabanas. But all that changed when Szabo saw a missed opportunity and decided to do something about it.
The lightbulb moment came in 2016 when Szabo, an east-coast transplant, wanted to experience the resort life in her city. But as a newly minted SoCal local, booking an overnight stay didnāt make sense. After sneaking into a hotel pool and spending the day anxious about getting caught, she realized she was onto something.
āI was like, āTake my money!āā recalls Szabo.
āI’d really just love to pay to spend the day here by the pool and have this vacation experience. Taking a look around and seeing how empty the hotel was, I thought, wouldn’t the hotel want that extra revenue on an off-peak day? These amazing hotels and resorts are missing out on a huge segment of the local community. Why not open it up to a different type of guest who would love to enjoy the property’s amenities but may not need to spend the night?ā ResortPass app
Having built a career in the wedding and events space, Szabo was eager to break into the tech world. After teaching herself to code and testing a few startup ideas, she knew sheād found her winner with ResortPass. The app lets anyone pay a flat fee to enjoy hotel amenities for the dayāno overnight stay required.
It works like a traditional booking site but offers freedom to explore multiple properties without booking a room. The Ć la carte model is similar to ClassPass, giving users access without long-term commitment or steep subscription costs. With one click, you can book an afternoon at a hotel for $25ā$250 per person, based on location and perks. Options range from pool and gym access to full spa packages, making luxury feel more flexible and accessible. At the height of the pandemic, ResortPass helped connect struggling hotels with locals seeking safe and relaxing escapes.
Ā āWe were the hot thing to do last summer, that’s for sure,ā says Szabo.
āPeople were eager to get out. They werenāt traveling, [but] they were excited to be able to go hang out by the pool and have that vacation experience without leaving town.ā
ResortPass is available in most US cities and is beginning to expand internationally, meaning youāll be able to book daycations (even while on vacation) at various resorts and hotels worldwide. However, some of ResortPassā current SoCal properties include The Shay Culver City in LA, Pasea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach and the W Hollywood Hotel. At each, guests can purchase day passes and reserve daybeds, cabanas and firepits. The W Hollywood Hotel even offers a Ditch Fridays Pass, which includes all the amenities included in a Day Pass, plus a boozy popsicle from Hardpops.
Spend the summer living it up and enjoy a daycation at one of your favorite resorts!
ResortPass app
Based in Los Angeles, Kandace has spent the past ten years in the fashion and lifestyle space, and recently in entertainment at Sony Pictures Studios. She has a Masters in Journalism from Emerson College and has studied in Paris, Firenze, and Washington DC, beginning her career as a style editor and tastemaker for NBC. She is an internationally award-winning filmmaker, having studied screenwriting for film and television at UCLA, and her work has been celebrated around the world, in cities like London, Nice, New York, and MontrƩal. Paying homage to her French heritage, she is also the creator of The Chic American--a style and culture editorial destination for Francophiles, dedicated to the art of living an elevated, French-inspired lifestyle.
