By Olivia Carville and Claire Ballentine (with inputs from Bloomberg)
- Airbnb Luxe will cater to the world’s richest travelers
- Each property is run through a 300-point check list
July 07, 2019 – Gone are the days of air mattresses on the floor. Airbnb Inc. is now catering to the mega-wealthy with a new tier of luxury rentals.
Airbnb Luxe went live on 25 June after long being teased, with 2,000 new listings on Airbnb’s website offering guests the chance to stay in some of the world’s most extravagant homes.
Everything, from entire islands to medieval castles and mansions decked out with water slides, dinosaur skulls and archery ranges, is up for rent.
The average luxury listing has an asking price of $14,000 a week—but can go as high as $1 million a week for a private atoll near Tahiti that comprises 21 bungalows and a staff of 50.
Luxury travelers have been eyeing high-quality home rentals for a while, says Nick Guezen, Airbnb’s global director of portfolio strategy. But the market hasn’t offered enough security to high-profile and mega-rich clients who seek privacy, he says. “I think that’s something that was missing—the idea of ‘I want to travel to a luxury home, but I’m not sure where to find it or who to trust.’”
