Luxury Homes that are destinations in themselves: Airbnb launches Luxe experiences

 

 

 

The American online marketplace and hospitality service brokerage company based in San Francisco, California is closer to meeting the needs of every traveler at every price point by including the luxury category alongside its entire portfolio.

From airbeds, spare rooms, entire homes, and boutique hotels, Airbnb expanded to Airbnb Luxe – a new luxury travel experience offering access to unique properties with dedicated trip designers. Airbnb announced a 60% increase in Airbnb bookings for listings worth at least $1,000/night in 2018.

Airbnb introduces Luxe — a new luxury experience that wants to make bespoke travel more accessible to everyone.

The travel company announced 300 points of inspection to ensure each Airbnb Luxe listing meets the highest standards. Airbnb Luxe will open the door to spectacular places to stay in cities like London and Los Angeles, with plans to add properties in 12 more cities this year, including Milan, Paris and Austin.
Airbnb Luxe is built on the deep expertise in luxury travel Airbnb gained from its acquisition of Luxury Retreats in 2017. This new tier launches with more than 2,000 handpicked homes around the world, each one passing strict evaluation across 300+ criteria to meet standards in both design and function. This includes elevated design standards on a variety of elements, from premium materials & finishes and rare & unique features, to spaces that accommodate groups, highly functional design, chef-grade appliances and the proper amount of bathrooms corresponding to each bedroom.

“Today’s luxury traveler is craving more than just high-end accommodations; they seek transformation and experiences that leave them feeling more connected to each other and to their destination. With Airbnb Luxe we are applying the same approach we’ve used since we launched Airbnb more than 11 years ago — creating local, authentic and magical travel moments now in amazing places to stay — to reimagine the way people think and experience luxury travel,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb Co-Founder, CEO and Head of Community

The new Airbnb division’s offer includes beachfront luxury at The Fleming Villa in Jamaica where Ian Fleming wrote his famous spy novels. Others may prefer complete privacy and exclusivity by booking an entire island with its very own self- declared time zone at the incredible private atoll in French Polynesia, Nukutepipi, curated by Guy Laliberte, founder of Cirque du Soleil and Lune Rouge.

In addition to chateaux and chalets, Airbnb Luxe will also open the door to spectacular places to stay in cities. The launch of Airbnb Luxe also helps meet increasing demand from Airbnb guests for luxury properties and experiences. In 2018, the number of Airbnb bookings for listings worth at least $1,000 per night increased more than 60 percent. The increased interest in luxury travel on Airbnb is consistent with broader trends: analysts believe the luxury travel market is worth more than $200 billion and poised to grow in the years ahead.

Each Airbnb Luxe booking provides 24/7 access to a dedicated trip designer who will ensure the stay is tailored to the traveler’s needs. This includes, says Airbnb, ensuring effortless booking and check-in, coordinating local bespoke experiences and activities, and arranging a wide range of services from childcare, to private chefs to in-house massage therapists – or, for the dedicated, personal training sessions in your own private gym.