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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Airbnb hosts blindsided by luxury new feature offering guests access to private chefs, massages and glam
AirBnb is offering customers access to private chefs, spa treatments and a slew of other experiences at their rental homes - but hosts are outraged by the new feature. The travel-booking company announced in May that guests can purchase add-ons to enhance their getaway. Under the AirBnb app's 'Services' tab, customers can hire professionals including photographers, hairstylists, personal trainers, massage therapists and chefs that come directly to the property they booked. Those offering up their talents have been vetted and approved by Airbnb. They must submit their credentials before they are allowed on the platform. But many people who have listed their houses, condos and apartments on the site feel they are getting the short end of the stick because they don't get a cut of Airbnb's profit from it and are not notified when someone books a service at their property. 'Most hosts don't need more headaches, and that's what this feels like,' Rhonda Stephens, who lists her historic farmhouse near Nashville on the app, told the WSJ. Stephens has noted on her listing that services are banned. And while all hosts have the choice to opt out of the add-ons, some believe this could drive visitors away. Orlando-based massage therapist Marie Moreau was contacted by AirBnb to see if she wanted her business promoted on the platform. She had since booked several sessions through the short-term accommodation site, which she says went fantastically. Despite her success so far, Moreau said she understands why some hosts are turned off by allowing people to provide services in their homes. 'But the more restrictions you put on something, the more it doesn't really look appealing to the public,' she told the WSJ. Amy Maynor, who has three rentals in Jacksonville, Florida, said despite verification from AirBnb, she still opted out. She has earned super-host status, meaning she has been highly ranked on the app, and worries her reputation could be tarnished by a reckless third party. Maynor, who has privately arranged excursions and other offerings for her guests, said their is no way for her to independently check if providers are screened, licensed or insured. Her home owner's insurance explicitly applies to guests, but not those hired through AirBnb. She is also deterred from the idea because some of the service choices listed, such as massages, may simply make a mess. 'I don't want to get the oils all over the couch or the beds, or what have you,' she told the outlet. AirBnb said professionals must have liability insurance to operate under them. The company's own Aircover policy also included this kind of insurance, the WSJ reported. Regardless of Airbnb's reassurance about providers, infuriated hosts have taken to social media to express their discontent. In a Reddit forum devoted to hosts, one person wrote: 'I actually don't want to provide any services or have anything to do with any of this. 'I don't like the idea of anyone coming to my place to offer any services and I am pretty happy not to deal much with the guests and they seem like it that way too.' Another said that Airbnb has failed to consider that some properties may have limitations. 'Airbnb just doesn't seem to grasp that everyone's property is different and has different needs,' they wrote. 'Some have strict parking restrictions. Some have strict septic conditions. Some have neighbors that are nice enough but just don't want to be pushed too far.' 'Another issue that comes to mind is that if they provide a poor service,' one person chimed in. 'The guest might take it out on Airbnb hosts and rate our listing poorly because they will bundle the whole thing into one negative experience.' CEO Brian Chesky introduced 'Services' and re-introduced 'Experiences' in May as a part of the company's mission to handle all things travel-related. He previously announced his intention to turn his business into the 'Airbnb of anything.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Airbnb Lets You Add a Private Chef to Your Rental. Your Host Might Not Like It.
Airbnb not only wants to rent you a vacation home this summer—it wants to help you add a private chef or massage session. The hosts who own the condos, cottages and houses aren't so sure. Inside the Shadowy, Lucrative Business of 'Superfake' Luxury Handbags Economists See Lower Recession Risk and Stronger Job Growth: WSJ Survey The Best EV Deals Now Are on the Used Market The short-term rental giant in May introduced a new 'services' offering, letting travelers book in-home add-ons that Airbnb says can make a trip more unique. For the company, it's another way to compete with hotels, which offer perks like gym access or spa appointments. Hosts, though, don't get a cut of the commissions from services booked for their rentals, and aren't alerted if one is booked at their place. Their properties are automatically enrolled in Airbnb's program, requiring hosts to opt out. 'Most hosts don't need more headaches, and that's what this feels like,' says Rhonda Stephens, who lists on Airbnb her historic farmhouse near Nashville, Tenn. She has changed the rules on her listing to explicitly state that services aren't permitted. The services are part of CEO Brian Chesky's goal to make the company the 'Airbnb of anything.' This spring, it reintroduced 'Experiences,' geared toward one-of-a-kind excursions like an Italian bike tour with an Olympian. Chesky predicted services bookings could become bigger than Airbnb's core short-term rental business. An Airbnb spokesman says the launch is in the early stages, and will over time benefit hosts by boosting bookings and making Airbnb more attractive and valuable for guests. The company says it couldn't comment on guests' initial use of the services ahead of its August earnings report. Charging extra at vacation rentals for perks like bike rentals or fridge-stocking isn't new. But the option hasn't been as available to smaller operators who rely on platforms like Airbnb to drive bookings, says Jamie Lane, chief economist of market-research firm AirDNA. Betsy Sawicky books stays at her rural home in Michigan through Airbnb and Vrbo. Services aren't currently available in the secluded area, she says, but if they launch nearby, she has no issues with guests booking personal chefs or other providers. 'If they found a massage therapist that would come to the house, those would be wonderful services,' Sawicky says. But overall she thinks the services make the most sense in more urban areas. Some hosts, Lane says, worry about the added liability that comes from a third-party provider entering the space. Airbnb says it vets service providers for quality and reputation as well as requiring them to submit licenses and credentials before letting them on the platform. The added verification hasn't yet convinced Amy Maynor to permit services at her three Airbnb properties in the Jacksonville, Fla., area. Maynor has superhost status, an Airbnb designation for top performers. She says she aims for a concierge-level of attention, including personalized recommendations and arranging for extras like surfboard rentals and deliveries. But Maynor says there is no way for her to independently vet the services or check if a service provider is properly licensed or insured. She says her own homeowners insurance policy only covers registered guests—not, say, a massage therapist. 'I don't want to get the oils all over the couch or the beds, or what have you,' Maynor says. Other hosts cited fears over personal chefs starting kitchen fires or people damaging floors by dropping weights during personal training sessions. On Reddit forums and in Facebook groups for Airbnb hosts, posts about opting out of services have generated hundreds of comments. People share messages—in some cases written by ChatGPT—they sent to Airbnb to request that no services be allowed on their properties. Airbnb didn't comment on the number of hosts who have opted out, but says those who do won't be penalized in search results. Hosts can also choose to only allow specific services. Airbnb says service providers must have liability insurance appropriate for their business. The company's AirCover policy also includes liability coverage. Hosts say the policy has many exceptions. Marie Moreau has done massages for tourists staying at vacation rentals in the Orlando, Fla., area for years, long before Airbnb approached her about listing her mobile massage business on the platform. So far, she says, she has had a few bookings through the platform, and they all went smoothly. Moreau says she understands why hosts might be hesitant to allow third-party providers. 'But the more restrictions you put on something, the more it doesn't really look appealing to the public,' she says. Airbnb, which has active listings in more than 150,000 cities and towns, debuted its offering with 10 categories of services in 260 cities. The company has said it plans to eventually include hundreds of service categories in new cities. Locals can also request services at their own homes or book an activity that requires going to a spa or gym. Other online travel companies, like Expedia and offer experiences, but in-home services sets Airbnb apart, says Kevin Kopelman, an analyst at TD Cowen. The challenge for Airbnb will be convincing travelers to embrace the offering, he says. Write to Allison Pohle at SpaceX to Invest $2 Billion Into Elon Musk's xAI Can Pittsburgh's Old Steel Mills Be Turned Into an AI Hub?
