Airbnb Challenges Booking and Expedia, and 3 Other Hospitality Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines hospitality.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>Does yet another big funding round signal that the vacation rental property market is over-heated? Nah. It's reasonable given the huge size of the opportunity and how much investment will be needed to digitize and automate the sector: TurnKey Raises $31 Million as Vacation Home Rental Management Stays Hot

>>The beauty of Ennismore's flagship brand, Hoxton Hotels, is how it distills what the original boutique hotel pioneers did, but makes it relevant to today's audiences on a more equitable, democratic scale. CEO Sharan Pasricha's approach to hospitality — an outsider's perspective, if you will — is equally refreshing: A Boutique Hotelier’s Perspective on Co-Working and the Future of Hospitality

>>The battle for online travel dominance began long ago, but now it's really getting serious. Count this as Airbnb's official opening shot toward Booking and Expedia: Airbnb Makes Its Battle Against Booking and Expedia Official With New Hotel Campaign

>>Well, that didn't take very long. Will this luxury brand with a past be a good fit for IHG? Or is it too little, too late, to give Regent the comeback it deserves? InterContinental Hotels Is Buying a 51 Percent Stake in Regent Hotels for $39 Million