“Upmarket Airbnb” Onefinestay beds $40m funding from hotel group Hyatt, Intel Capital and others June 29, 2015 A London startup which offers Airbnb style rentals with the full service of a top end hotel has bedded $40m (£25.5m) in funding to fuel expansion. Global hotelier Hyatt has invested in the London-founded startup, along with Intel Capital, Quadrant Capital Advisors and angel investors Joss Kent, Richard Chen, and Mark Dempsters, in the series [...]
Londoners can now rent out their spare rooms using AirBnB, thanks to a change in rules May 26, 2015 It is now completely legal for Londoners to let out spare rooms using sites such as AirBnB, thanks to a change in rules. Until now, you could be slapped with a £20,000 fine for renting part of your home out for fewer than 90 nights without getting planning permission first, but everyone is now [...]
Airbnb is about to muscle in on the professional property management business May 19, 2015 Flat rental site Airbnb may have built its reputation on the sharing economy – but with a valuation of about $20bn, it was only a matter of time before it got into the professional property management business. Read more: Escape it all – the 21 most deliciously remote Airbnb rentals Now, it's been reported the [...]
Barcelona star Andres Iniesta makes vineyard permanently available on Airbnb April 9, 2015 After a competition to let one couple stay at his family vineyard, World Cup winner Andres Iniesta has placed "Bodega Iniesta" on Airbnb permanently. "In our cozy cottage you will find everything you need for an unforgettable night", boasts the Barcelona midfield maestro on the property's listing. "Decorated with a warm touch, you can enjoy [...]
Airbnb Cuba: Now you can book a rental in Havana for the first time after lifting of 50-year trade embargo April 2, 2015 Airbnb is the latest company to benefit from the end of a 50-year trade embargo between Cuba and the US. The San Francisco rental startup, which is valued at $10bn, has added Cuban rental properties to its website for the first time. It will add more than 1,000 properties across the Caribbean island to its [...]
Oaktree Capital and Saco create £60m Airbnb-style flats venture March 2, 2015 US finance giant Oaktree Capital Management and Bristol-based firm, The Serviced Apartment Company (Saco) have joined forces to create a £60m serviced apartments business, the pair announced yesterday. The deal will see Saco merge with Oaktree’s serviced flats business, creating a portfolio of 1,645 apartments in the UK and Europe. This includes a pipeline of [...]
Rebel London council rejects Airbnb laws February 10, 2015 A GOVERNMENT plan to allow Londoners to legally rent out their homes through websites such as Airbnb for up to 90 days has been rejected by a rebel council, claiming short-term lets can be a nightmare for neighbours. Westminster Council has come out against the plans after housing minister Brandon Lewis outlined reform details.
Westminster Council rejects government proposals to legalise Airbnb lets in London for up to 90 days February 10, 2015 Government plans to allow Londoners to legally rent out their homes through websites such as Airbnb for up to 90 days has been rejected by a rebel council, claiming short-term lets can be a nightmare for neighbours. Yesterday housing minister Brandon Lewis outlined details of a reform of a law dating back to 1973 that [...]
You can now sleep in a Tesla Model S on Airbnb January 27, 2015 Airbnb has some pretty funky spots – from a footballer's family vineyard to, er, Ikea. But this spot will be rather less roomy: for the bargain price of £58 per night, you can now stay the night in a Tesla Model S, courtesy of the room rental site. The listing dubs it "the world's first [...]
There’s now an Airbnb for Airbnb: Can I Stay with You While I Rent my Place on Airbnb is here December 29, 2014 Much has been made of the fact Airbnb's model has been copied to such an extent there's now an Airbnb for pretty much everything – from boats, with Boatband, to toilets, with, er, Airpnp. But now there's a new one: Can I Stay with You While I Rent my Place on Airbnb is designed for people [...]