Airbnb’s Road to an IPO and 4 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.

>>Hotels used to be nearly the only game in town for accommodations during high-demand occasions, and they could charge whatever the market would bear. They can still charge guests whatever the market will bear but the question is whether companies such as Airbnb are changing the market and pricing dynamics: Travel This Week: Will Airbnb Block Hotel Surge Pricing for Solar Eclipse?

>>Any restaurant opening from Union Square Hospitality Group is one to watch. Operations at Martina, which its chef calls "fine-casual," are a look at current industry trends set to go big: Chefs+Tech: What Danny Meyer’s Martina Means for Restaurants Everywhere

>>Now that Hostelworld has largely finished integrating Hostelbookers, it can turn its attention to developing features that would make it more relevant to users during their travels. None of the initiatives are exactly game-changing, but what the company is hoping is that it will make travelers more likely to click on its app rather than that of a competitor: Hostelworld Has Ambitions to Complement Bookings With a Sense of Community

>>Consider this your CliffsNotes on all things Airbnb as the company continues to mature: 8 Takeaways on Airbnb’s Road to an IPO

>>The term "fast-casual" seems loosely defined as fast food steps up its game and full service restaurants become more casual to adapt to changing times. Now, some of the elements that define fine dining are showing up in more casual formats. Lines = blurred: Chefs+Tech: Elements of Fine Dining Creep into Fast-Casual