Airbnb is taking more active steps in ensuring the homes and apartments that it offers for rent on its site are pleasant to stay in. For this, the company is offering loans to hosts for home improvements and to actively partner in the construction of an apartment block in Florida.
The changes, which see the company move further than ever from its origins as a listing site connecting holidaymakers with hosts who have a spare room, could help Airbnb cement its position as an alternative to traditional hotels. It might, however, also irritate the hosts who have previously enjoyed laissez-faire approach as well as prompting awkward questions from regulators worldwide about the precise nature of Airbnb’s business.
Airbnb Select said that the home improvement loans are part of a programme being trialled by the company. As a part of the programme, it will highlight homes and hosts that are more likely to appeal to travellers seeking a high-quality, hotel-like experience.
As per the programme, the home improvements can range from cosmetic improvements to their homes, to help shooting the best photographs, as well as more significant aid such as the loans, which would be repaid through revenue made from future bookings.
Select is just the latest example of Airbnb’s effort to create a more standardised offering. Airbnb’s attempt to build a hotel-like experience goes further than simply pushing hosts to refine their homes, though. The company is actively partnering on the creation of hotel-like properties from construction onwards in many locations across the world.
