Airbnb News

What started as AirBedandBreakfast.com has grown into a massive public company that IPOd in 2020. Airbnb is now the world's largest online alternative-accommodation community, allowing millions of users to list, search, and rent authentic homestays and vacation-rental experiences in countless cities across the globe.

Short-Term Rentals

The man behind HouseTrip, Airbnb's European ascendant rival

Airbnb's urban clientele make it more interesting to media, but traditional vacation rental companies that match innovation with strong, existing markets are companies to watch.

12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb looking at $150 million VC investment at $2.5 billion valuation

Will Airbnb be the next dot-bomb or a sustainable disrupter? Venture capitalist Peter Thiel and others are betting on the latter.

12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb hires someone it hopes can help overcome its users' legal issues

Unlike Hantman's previous job, his role at Airbnb will require city-by-city battles over the zoning restrictions and tax issues that complicate the prospects of an IPO.

12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb rival HouseTrip gets backing of top three European VC firms in $40 million deal

Accel Partners joins existing investors Balderton and Index to back what they see as a better alternative to Airbnb (and all of its clones) in the European market.

12 years ago

Airlines

Apple Passbook: Airbnb rentals join the party with American, Lufthansa and United airlines

There won't be any reservations' scanning when guests show up for an Airbnb apartment rental, but the Passbook feature on iOS 6 will help people organize their trips.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

From rooms to cars to bikes: How collaborative consumption took over Silicon Valley

The combination of technology that makes these connections popular and users' willingness to share with strangers puts collaborative consumption in a position to change travel and transit in multiple ways.

12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Cities like San Francisco struggle with embracing Airbnb or cracking down on its illegal rentals

Before Airbnb gets IPO-big, they'll need to figure out how to make their rentals legal in big cities like San Francisco or New York where a big chunk of their future will be determined.

12 years ago

Media and PR

Airbnb snaps up Fondu team for talent and perhaps local guide expertise

The apartment-hire company has made its own attempts to build out local expertise and the Fondu acquisition should give it the framework for building out further.

12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb offers more than a place to stay, launches Local Lists to popular local businesses

Airbnb wants to pop the tourist bubble to bring economic benefits to local neighborhoods, and its new, locally crafted mini-guides take advantage of active users to put this promise into print.

Samantha Shankman | 12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb looks to mobile to make hosts more responsive and boost revenue

The peer-to-peer rental movement already is transforming the lodging industry, and mobile adoption, as evidenced by the Airbnb statistics, will help bring it more into the mainstream.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago