Airbnb Launches New Tier of Luxury Listings: Airbnb Luxe

Airbnb has launched a new tier of luxury listings named Airbnb Luxe. The home sharing company has launched its Luxe tier of listings with more than 2,000 handpicked homes, from Tuscan vineyard estates to remote island beach villas. While Airbnb introduced verified homes with Airbnb Plus listings, Luxe listings introduce completely unique and breathtaking luxury properties that are equipped with dedicated trip designers. 

After Airbnb’s acquisition of Luxury Retreats in early 2017, it was clear that the company was preparing plans to offer more upscale choices for its customers. Originally announced as Beyond by Airbnb in February of 2018, the company has completely rebranded this new tier of listings for its launch. While hotels have recently entered the vacation rental space with intentions of providing a higher quality tier of homes and services with Marriott International’s Homes and Villas and Four Seasons’ Private Retreats, Airbnb Luxe is a clear statement that the home sharing company is well equipped to accommodate luxury travellers.

The press release announcing Airbnb Luxe mentions that in 2018 the number of Airbnb bookings of listings worth at least $1,000 per night rose by more than 60 percent, indicating a demand for higher-end homes from Airbnb guests. While most Luxe listings have prices of at least $1,000 a night, there are smaller homes and cabins for as little as $370 a night if you’re looking for a slightly more affordable luxury experience. On the other end of the spectrum, Nukutepipi in French Polynesia (which accommodates 52 guests) can be booked for $193,147 a night, and includes a chef, captain, activity coordinators, massage therapists, and many more staff and services for your stay. 

Even booking an Airbnb Luxe is a unique experience that is built to ensure guests find the perfect retreat for their vacation. Rather than simply putting in a booking request with the home’s host, when a guest has chosen the Luxe listing they’d like to stay in they’re prompted to “contact a Trip Designer”. The trip designer asks a variety of questions regarding your trip in order to better understand what kind of destination you’re looking for, and whether this is the right one for you. This feature makes it easy to figure out if a home can accommodate children or pets, along with any other specifications a guest might have.

Each home in the Luxe category has passed strict evaluations which take into consideration more than 300 different criteria regarding the home’s design and function. The inspection criteria look at all of the details that make a destination special, from the quality of the home’s materials and appliances to the bedroom to bathroom ratio. Airbnb summarises their design standards down to five key factors (form, function, feel, location, and services) and leave no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring a home is up to snuff. To go with each home and its included staff and services, Airbnb also provides 24/7 access to a dedicated trip designer to ensure the guest’s booking, check-in, and overall experience is as close to perfect as possible.