Airbnb was once a company with a foundation built on renting out spare rooms to strangers. As they grow exponentially, they are thinking of new ways to expand their market share. They have decided to allocate major resources to a new high end travel experience. Airbnb Luxe will allow you to rent castles, estates, and an entire private island. This comes from a growing demand for luxury rentals.
In 2017 Airbnb acquired Luxury Retreats which is a home-sharing site whose listings are the bulk of Airbnb Luxe’s initial offerings. For the time of launch there are currently 2,000 properties across six continents that have been deemed fitting for this expansion. To make it onto the platform, the homes go through a rigorous checklist of over 300 items. Less than 5% of proposed homes make it onto the platform in the end.
When checking out if the home is acceptable for the Luxury market, a lot is considered. Everything is looked at closely. The water pressure, up-keep of the home, and linen quality are some criteria. Global luxury marketing director for Airbnb says the team considers if there are 10 seats at the dinner table in a five bedroom home or if there is enough communal gathering space. Location is also crucial as well as the quality and modernism of the appliances and amenities.
You can choose from villas, mansions, castles, estates, or even an entire private island (if you want to spend more than $1 million a week). Typically these listings start at $2,000 a night. For most of the listings you will find dedicated staff. If they are unavailable at your destination, you will find a Trip Designer who is a member of Airbnb staff that will organize transportation, childcare, and laundry. They can also plan a custom itinerary for your trip. Airbnb Luxe was launched quite privately at the beginning of 2019 as invitation only. Around 100 trips have been taken so far and many of them are large groups of families. Luxe completes the portfolio for Aribnb as it now covers every price point.
