Since entering the hospitality scene in 2008, Airbnb has evolved from a trendy upstart to a full-on disruptor. The online marketplace now enables people to list, discover, and book accommodations in nearly 200 countries around the world.
This new kid on the hospitality block is actually an extension of a long-standing tradition of lodging alternatives that range from renting villas in Italy to choosing timeshare properties in Florida.
“Airbnb is taking what has always been out there, localizing it, and bringing properties together in a way that provides a streamlined alternative for travelers,” says Nunzio DeSantis, FAIA, LEED AP, Director of the HKS Hospitality Group in Dallas.
Though Airbnb’s home-sharing units represent less than 3% of revenue in the overall hotel industry, the online marketplace continues to grow exponentially each year. And the hospitality industry can’t help but take notice.
“As in any industry, choice often compels people to make changes and to stop taking things for granted,” says Keith Simmel, AIA, LEED AP, Principal of the Hospitality Studio at Cooper Carry in Atlanta. “If Airbnb helps hotel brands to up their game and make decisions that help people land at their properties, then it’s ultimately good for the overall industry.”
No doubt, Airbnb—and the numerous variations it has spawned—is well positioned to attract future generations of business and leisure travelers.
“People are willing to embrace the messiness of an Airbnb because they’re getting a more flexible, locally relevant experience,” says Caleb Mulvena, Principal at Mapos in New York. “If the larger hotel players can tap into that sense of messiness and adventure, but layer on a level of service that you don’t necessarily get with Airbnb, that will be something that’s really powerful.”
Related Stories
| Mar 11, 2011
Guests can check out hotel’s urban loft design, music selection
MODO, Advaya Hospitality’s affordable new lifestyle hotel brand, will have an urban Bauhaus loft design and target design-, music-, and tech-savvy guest who will have access to thousands of tracks in vinyl, CD, and MP3 formats through a partnership with Downtown Music. Guest can create their own playlists, and each guest room will feature iPod docks and large flat-screen TVs.
| Mar 11, 2011
Texas A&M mixed-use community will focus on green living
HOK, Realty Appreciation, and Texas A&M University are working on the Urban Living Laboratory, a 1.2-million-sf mixed-use project owned by the university. The five-phase, live-work-play project will include offices, retail, multifamily apartments, and two hotels.
| Mar 9, 2011
North Korea resumes construction of 'world's worst' hotel
Is North Korea finally serious about completing construction of Ryu-Gyong Hotel—once called the world’s worst building—after years of neglect and secrecy?
| Mar 9, 2011
Igor Krnajski, SVP with Denihan Hospitality Group, on hotel construction and understanding the industry
Igor Krnajski, SVP for Design and Construction with Denihan Hospitality Group, New York, N.Y., on the state of hotel construction, understanding the hotel operators’ mindset, and where the work is.
| Mar 9, 2011
Fast food franchises are taking the LEED
Starbucks, Arby’s, and McDonald’s are among the top when it comes to fast food franchises implementing sustainability practices. This article takes a look at the green paths these three brands are taking, and how LEED factors into their business and their future.
| Feb 15, 2011
Iconic TWA terminal may reopen as a boutique hotel
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hopes to squeeze a hotel with about 150 rooms in the space between the old TWA terminal and the new JetBlue building. The old TWA terminal would serve as an entry to the hotel and hotel lobby, which would also contain restaurants and shops.
| Feb 9, 2011
Hospital Construction in the Age of Obamacare
The recession has hurt even the usually vibrant healthcare segment. Nearly three out of four hospital systems have put the brakes on capital projects. We asked five capital expenditure insiders for their advice on how Building Teams can still succeed in this highly competitive sector.
| Jan 25, 2011
AIA reports: Hotels, retail to lead U.S. construction recovery
U.S. nonresidential construction activity will decline this year but recover in 2012, led by hotel and retail sectors, according to a twice-yearly forecast by the American Institute of Architects. Overall nonresidential construction spending is expected to fall by 2% this year before rising by 5% in 2012, adjusted for inflation. The projected decline marks a deteriorating outlook compared to the prior survey in July 2010, when a 2011 recovery was expected.
| Jan 25, 2011
InterContinental Hotels Group gets LEED pre-certification
InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced that its in-house sustainability system Green Engage has been awarded LEED volume pre-certification established from the USGBC and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. IHG is the first hotel company to receive this award for an existing hotels program.
| Jan 19, 2011
San Diego casino renovations upgrade gaming and entertainment
The Sycuan Casino in San Diego will get an update with a $27 million, 245,000-sf renovation. Hnedak Bobo Group, Memphis, Tenn., and Cleo Design, Las Vegas, drew design inspiration from the historic culture of the Sycuan tribe and the desert landscape, creating a more open space with better circulation. Renovation highlights include a new “waterless” water entry feature and new sports bar and grill, plus updates to gaming, poker, off-track-betting, retail, and bingo areas. The local office of San Francisco-based Swinerton Builders will provide construction services.
