Short-Term Rental and Vacation Rental News

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb’s most notorious illegal hotel operator tries to go legit with highly dubious endeavor

Nobody was happy with Toshi's Airbnb's properties except Toshi and the law-breaking landlords who liked the kickbacks on his illegally rented units. And Airbnb, too, which took its fees despite numerous warnings that his properties were both illegal and unsatisfactory.

Skift | 12 years ago

Hotels

Is Airbnb headed for an IPO after it raises its next $100 million round of funding?

The site is a likely inspiration for all aspiring travel startups with a steady growth rate and profitable business model, but the upcoming challenge of international expansion and continued regulatory hurdles in the U.S. could determine the startup’s fate on its path to IPO.

Skift | 12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Time-share executives say they see some light at the end of the tunnel

Unless they work on a bit of re-invention, the hard-sell tactics of time-share companies and the C-list quality of their properties will always make the field seem like the used-car lot of the travel industry.

Sarah K. Clarke, Orlando Sentinel | 12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Luxury Retreats takes $5 million in funding for expanding villa rentals

Short-Term Rentals

HomeAway and VRBO’s new rate plans mean increases for some owners, savings for others

Vacation rental owners will get added muscle with the new ability to subscribe to one plan and list consistently across 15 of HomeAway's international sites. The normalizing of rate plans, though, will mean a financial hit for some VRBO advertisers.

Dennis Schaal, Skift | 12 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

HomeAway nurtures student startups to mine vacation rental features

HomeAway is making use of resources in its own backyard and furthering the ambitions of student travel-startups that could end up helping HomeAway's vacation rental business.

Lori Hawkins, Austin American-Statesman | 12 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb users have added over a million items to their Wish Lists since June

Airbnb's newest feature has been a hit with users -- the average user adds hearts to four properties a day -- meaning Airbnb is hoping to be users’ first stop when booking their next vacation.

Skift | 12 years ago

Hotels

Investors bet $15 million more on CouchSurfing’s sharing economy

If Airbnb- and CouchSurfing-type accommodations cause concern about their legalities and risks, these issues are not dissuading important investors.

Dennis Schaal, Skift | 12 years ago

Hotels

Locals look to U.S. political conventions to make a buck off their apartments and homes

Not that we're going to tell Mr. Weiss how to do his job, but writing a story about political conventions and apartment rentals without making even the tiniest reference to Airbnb seems a little sloppy, doesn't it?

Mitch Weiss, Associated Press | 12 years ago

Hotels

Everyone loves micro-subletting — except the neighbors and the law

Consumers love alternative accommodations, but players from Airbnb down to vacation rental companies like Wyndham are going to take more responsibility and make it harder for their customers to break laws and avoid taxes.

Skift | 12 years ago