Airbnb is both welcoming hotels into its platform at the same time introducing a new service that will provide its customers with hotel-like amenities. The latter is being called Airbnb Plus, which provides higher-end accommodations that have been “verified for quality” by the service. As explained on Airbnb’s site, “Every Airbnb Plus home is one-of-a-kind, thoughtfully designed, and equipped with a standard set of amenities—whether you’re in a private room or have the entire place to yourself. All Airbnb Plus homes are visited in person to ensure comfort, consistency, and design. They are checked for 100-plus things that guests told us they love, from must-have amenities to the art on the walls.” These hosts will also need to have a 4.8 out of 5-star rating or higher to qualify.
The launch coincides with Airbnb’s 10th anniversary. And over 2,000 listings have gone live across 13 cities, including Toronto. Rates at these places will average around US$200, instead of the standard $100. On top of that, these listings are editorially curated by the company and these listings get the Plus badge so it’ll be easier to spot them. Hosts interested in being part of the program need to pay a $149 application fee. And then an Airbnb-hired photographer and inspector will visit the homes to make sure these meet the new 100-point quality checklist.
Airbnb Plus isn’t the company’s only appeal to the wealthier clientele. The company plans to launch a luxury tier in the spring called Airbnb Beyond, which will provide “custom-designed trips of a lifetime” at the “world’s finest homes, custom experiences, and world-class hospitality. The company making use of its acquisition of Montreal-based vacation rental site Luxury Retreats.
Aside from this, the service now also recognizes hotels in its platform, giving them an official classification within the app, which could appeal to boutique hotels and bed-and-breakfasts looking for a more affordable way to get their places out there. At the same time, it could attract more customers to Airbnb’s platform. There’s also a new category for “unique” properties, including things like mobile homes and other more unusual lodgings. The company is also launching a new Collections section, which provides situational categories that help refine searches further for specific purposes like a dinner party or honeymoon, for example.
Source: The Verge