If you’ve ever wanted to rent a luxury villa in the countryside or the penthouse suite in a high rise, AirBnB wants your business. This is why AirBnB launched its own luxury rental service called AirBnB Luxe specifically for high rollers. While that is news in and of itself, this trend has been building for a while. Let’s take a look at some of the features of this new service and why you should consider it on your next trip.
What Led to AirBnB Luxe
AirBnB is trying to meet the demand for AirBnB guests who want to stay in luxury properties and – equally importantly – enjoy luxury experiences. They first bought Luxury Retreats in 2017. This was part of their goal of meeting travellers at every price point, especially the under-served higher end clients. The AirBnB Plus was rolled out in 2018. That service was a higher tier than the average AirBnB rental and included beautiful homes and exceptional hosts. Every home had to be verified for cleanliness, design and comfort as well.
The Types of Properties on AirBnB Luxe
AirBnB Luxe curates more than two thousand properties catering specifically to one percenters. For example, there are multiple private islands and beachfront luxury properties featured on AirBnB Luxe. You can also find historic villas in Italy and castles in France. You could stay in a penthouse in London or apartment in Paris overlooking the Eiffel Tower. There are also mansions in premium neighborhoods and luxury homes just off famous golf courses.
The Strict Criteria for Properties on AirBnB Luxe
It isn’t enough to say you have a mansion to get it on AirBnB Luxe. AirBnB wants to offer “bespoke” travel to everyone, and it wants to give them everything they need wherever they stay. This is why every property has to pass every one of their 300 plus criteria. For example, the property must have premium finishes and materials, functional and chef-grade appliances and spaces to accommodate groups.
This would be a great time to buy a luxury home, since there are now more ways to monetise it whether it met the AirBnB Luxe or other tiers. SimplePersonalLoans has a great article on how to buy your first home and save money on it via an ISA. Understand the rules involved so you don’t lose on the opportunity due to changing government regulations.
The Third Party Services Popping Up Alongside AirBnB Luxe
There are middle class homeowners and farmers renting out their guest rooms to earn extra income. They also tend to live there full time. A few rent out their vacation cottage to earn some extra income, but these are rarely upscale properties.
Luxury rentals command higher rates, and that’s why AirBnB and other short term rentals are entering the space. The challenge is getting high-end homeowners to be willing to try short-term renting. For example, many upscale home owners are worried about insurance, permits, and the hassle of serving guests. This is where new property management companies are coming in to handle everything from booking guests to servicing guests to cleaning the home after they leave.
This is aside from AirBnB’s dedicated trip designer providing 24-7 support for guests themselves. AirBnB Luxe’s trip designer helps meet the customer’s needs. This could include arranging childcare, in-house massages, a personal trainer or private chef. All of this is aimed at creating an incredible travel experience, provided you can afford it.
Conclusion
You no longer have to choose between staying at a fancy resort and trying to find a local rental that’s nice. AirBnB and a range of other companies are working to connect luxury travellers with property owners to allow you to stay in the places you’ve always dreamed of visiting.