Homtels
The coming-of-age of the homesharing business
World’s largest hoteliers Marriott, AccorHotels, and Hyatt are putting Airbnb, HomeAway, and booking.com on notice; and interestingly, the notice is reciprocal.
AccorHotels and Hyatt have made investments in the homesharing space with Onefinestay and Oasis. This April, Marriott has launched its official foray into the homesharing market via a six-month pilot partnership with London-based home rental management company, Hostmaker. Travelers can now use TributePortfolioHomes to book a stay, earn and redeem points by staying in more than 200 homes in London, each of which has been chosen specifically by the exact standards regarding safety, design, security, and service as offered by Tribute Portfolio, a soft brand collection of Marriott’s. Simultaneously, Marriott has also become the first hotel operator to offer Alexa as an in-room butler to guests in some of its US properties.
Conversely, Airbnb has been quickly adding bed-and-breakfasts and hotels to its platform; HomeAway and sister vacation rental brands such as VRBO are adding hotel suites and home-like lodging from its parent company, Expedia. The convergence signals that homesharing is no longer in its infancy. Both hotels by homesharing sites and shared homes managed by hoteliers are indicative of the increasing professionalization, standardization, and maturation of private accommodations.
Sources: Skift (April 23, 2018) | Skift (June 6, 2018)