Airbnb is gunning to become the one-stop shop for all your travel needs. It now not only enables you to book rentals but participate in local activities as well. But, in addition to new features which further the user experience, the home rental company also needs to accommodate the needs of different types of travelers as well.
Thus, a fresh Bloomberg report suggests that the company is now looking to attract high-paying travelers, who prefer the luxurious amenities of fancy and upscale hotels. Airbnb plans to launch a premium tier of their home rental service for the same, according to three anonymous sources aware of these developments. This service is expected to pilot with a “select group of hosts as soon as this week”, with a wider rollout planned for later this year.
While the platform clubbed all listed properties under one roof until date, it is now planning to demarcate the upscale home rentals and place them into their own separate category. These listings, after being singled out, will be inspected by Airbnb itself to confirm that they do meet some standard quality checks.
It has defined the following requirements for being considered in this new upscale initiative — new and matching bed linens, plush towels, bottled water, tea and coffee, and single-use toiletries among other notable amenities found in luxury hotels.
If these properties meet the defined requirements then they’ll be eligible for a featured spot on Airbnb’s website and mobile apps. If not, then Airbnb is also planning to offer incentives to its partners — in the form of consultation sessions with an interior decorator. This means the home rental giant wants its hosts to act and provide services more like hoteliers to attract a wider user base. This is surely their latest effort in the said direction.
The $31 billion home rental company has already been catering to the needs of business travelers, in addition to the general crowd, with the introduction of add-on features. It has made it easier for them to search for a suitable accommodation with the release of a new search functionality to single out listings which are business travel ready(BTR). These include a high-speed WiFi connection to help you manage your work on the go, laptop-friendly workplace and self-check-in facility.
The company has been bulking up its services and features to become the only platform you require to plan out the itinerary for an upcoming vacation. It currently enables you to book home rental, split the reservation bill with friends, and also reserve new local experiences via the ‘Trips’ and ‘Experiences’ features debuted earlier last year.
