This week, Airbnb launched a new tier of service, Airbnb Luxe, with more than 2,000 handpicked homes around the world, each passing evaluation across more than 300 criteria, including design and function. Options vary from a French chateau to a private island in French Polynesia, and each property comes with a "trip designer" who can tailor each stay—for example by coordinating activities like spa treatments and private chefs or arranging for childcare. The company credits insights gained from its acquisition of Luxury Retreats in 2017 for formulating the offering.
Could these high-end options attract corporate travelers or meeting managers? According to a spokesperson, Airbnb Luxe did host some corporate retreats and business travel stays during the testing phase. The average stay—including all types of guests, not just corporate—was five nights. Not bad for properties that likely cost more than $1,000 per night. Airbnb said bookings worth at least that amount increased 60 percent in 2018, but there were no hard numbers with which to compare the change. Airbnb had not responded by press time as to whether that increase owes to the infusion of Luxury Retreats properties to the platform.
Airbnb already has a brand dedicated to business travel, Airbnb for Work, which provides accommodations deemed suitable for business travelers and can provide team-building activities and spaces for off-site meetings. "With the launch of Airbnb Luxe, we look forward to offering companies even more ways to engage and satisfy today's modern workers," said Airbnb for Work global head David Holyoke. "With Luxe, for example, companies can book unique and spectacular properties for executive retreats or even offer trips to these properties as incentives or rewards for stellar performance on the job."
Not limited to venues like chalets and islands, Airbnb Luxe also includes locations in urban areas like London and Los Angeles and plans to add properties in at least 12 more cities this year, including Milan, Paris and Austin.