Hold onto your Birkin because Airbnb is reportedly planning to launch a new ultra-premium tier called Airbnb Lux. According to sources speaking to Bloomberg, Lux will be for mansions, penthouses, and mega-homes that will be inspected to make sure they meet certain criteria.
News recently circulated that Airbnb is planning to launch a new tier called Select, which will set standards for listings (like hotel-like amenities) for houses and apartments. However, with news of fancier Lux tier also coming, Select looks to be just one of many new classifications Airbnb will be rolling out.
Airbnb has been getting the public acquainted with its higher-end offerings over the past year by arranging for celebrities to stay at them, who then post the posh digs on social media. Beyoncé posted photos of herself at a $10,000-a-night Airbnb while in the Santa Clara area to perform at Super Bowl 50. Selena Gomez stayed in a $3,750-a-night oceanfront Airbnb while in Malibu last year.
It’s clear that Airbnb has very concertedly been targeting celebs to spread the word about their affluent options, and it appears it is gifting the stays without paying the celebrities to post photos. (Though, how effective will this be? How many Selena Gomez fans with deep enough pockets will be wooed to rent an Airbnb mansion because they saw it on Instagram?)
Airbnb also acquired Luxury Retreats earlier this year, a full-service villa rental company that also offers bespoke vacation experiences. With this bolstered luxury portfolio, Lux could prove fruitful for Airbnb as higher-priced listings have greater profit margins.
Bloomberg says Airbnb Lux will be tested in some markets toward the end of the year. If successful, will roll out across the platform afterward.
Curated from: TheVerge.com by Dani Deahl
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