The Movement Against High Fees: How CuddlyNest is Redefining Travel Booking
A Grassroots Beginning CuddlyNest didn’t start in a boardroom — it started as a movement. One very frustrated traveler (and eventual co-founder) sat with a simple question: Why are hosts and guests paying so much to big platforms for...
ShanonG
A Grassroots Beginning
CuddlyNest didn’t start in a boardroom — it started as a movement. One very frustrated traveler (and eventual co-founder) sat with a simple question: Why are hosts and guests paying so much to big platforms for something that should be simple?
Hidden service charges. Inflated commissions. Layer upon layer of “convenience” fees. For years, travelers and hosts alike have borne the cost. The very platforms designed to connect people were draining them instead.
Ritesh Raj: A Traveler First, a Founder Second
Co-founder and CEO Ritesh Raj has been to over 100 countries and 400 cities. Along the way, he tried nearly every booking platform available — only to be met with the same problems over and over again.
“No matter the destination, the frustration was the same,” Raj recalls. “Complicated booking flows, endless hidden charges, and commissions so high that they hurt both the traveler and the host. It felt like the industry had lost sight of people.”
This first-hand frustration became the fuel behind CuddlyNest. Raj and his co-founders envisioned a platform that put fairness and transparency at its core.
Built on Fairness, Not Fees
At the heart of CuddlyNest is a flat 5% commission structure. No tricks. No hidden extras. Just a clear, sustainable model that keeps more money in the pockets of travelers and hosts.
For travelers: Transparent pricing means what you see is what you pay — no surprise service charges at checkout. For hosts: A fair commission ensures more earnings stay with them, supporting local businesses and communities.
Community-First Travel Tech
CuddlyNest is not just another OTA. It’s part of a community-first movement:
Transparent & Simple → Easy-to-use interface with clear costs upfront. Global Reach → Access to stays, flights, and activities worldwide. Locally Grounded → A platform that supports local hosts and communities, not just big corporations.Raj emphasizes that CuddlyNest is building a visionary travel ecosystem for 2030, one where technology enables connection, not exploitation.
Looking Ahead
What began as frustration has grown into a purpose-driven platform used by travelers around the world. The mission is simple but powerful: to reshape the travel industry into one that works for real people.
CuddlyNest is proof that when innovation meets empathy, the industry can shift. Travel can once again be about people, experiences, and fair value — not hidden fees.
Try it for yourself at: www.cuddlynest.com
