Hotels on Airbnb Plus 31 Days of Giveaways – Day 16

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Just about all travelers have heard of Airbnb by now, the go-to site for finding alternative accommodations other than hotels worldwide.

Things change though, and Fast Company reports that some hoteliers are now advertising on Airbnb.

According to the article, third-party booking sites like Expedia and Hotels.com charge hotels a percentage per reservation that ranges between 10 and 25 percent. That’s pretty high.

In contrast, Airbnb charges a paltry 3% commission. The math makes the decision an easy one for some smaller boutique hotels with smaller margins to begin with, and Airbnb is more than happy to have the listings.

Examples of hotels on Airbnb include The Guesthouse Hotel in Chicago, The budget-conscious Sea Rock Inn hotel in Los Angeles, mystery dinner venue The Lumber Baron Inn in Colorado, Brooklyn’s trendy The Box House Hotel, and The Riff in Manhattan.

Competition is good for consumers, and Priceline even listed Airbnb as a competitor in their SEC filings.

Boutique hotel owners are undoubtedly pleased to be able to advertise their properties on a big enough site like Airbnb without having to pay such hefty fees, and they get the added benefit of filling unsold hotel rooms.

It’ll be interesting to see how many more hotels jump over to Airbnb, and how long it’ll be before Expedia will try to buy Airbnb.

To win Magic of Miles swag bag today, leave a comment on this post about Airbnb. Have you heard of it? Used it? If so, would you use it again?

The contest ends at 9pm PST, full contest details are here, and good luck to all!

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51 Comments

  1. Heard of them, unlikely to use them as I’m points addicted and also not sure how presenting those expenses for work would pan out….

  2. I find them very good to deal with esp when it counts – in event of a complaint – much better than Expedia ever are.

  3. Used airbnb in Barcelona Spain this summer. Wonderful host wonderful experience. Looking forward to using it in Puerto Rico next month!!

  4. I have not used AirBnB yet but have been interested in trying them for some of the unique properties I have read about.

  5. I’ve stayed with Airbnb before. My husband and I were able to stay in a cute little bungalow in the Hollywood Hills for a great price! Will definitely use their services again!

  6. Used AirbnB in Edinburgh, Scotland, for two nights during Ryder Cup 2014. Great experience for me as a solo traveler; I’m less likely to use when traveling with family.

  7. Airbnb is great, especially if several people go in on a place together. It’s easy to use, the reviews seem to be more accurate than those of hotels, and I have yet to be disappointed in any of the places I’ve stayed at so far.

  8. Airbnb saved me when visiting Boston for a conference – compared to the extortionate convention center rates, an Airbnb was incredibly affordable. Would definitely use again!

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