Airbnb enters serviced apartment arena
This is interesting on the back of our report yesterday on short-term apartment rental specialist Booking.com fighting back against Airbnb by offering homestays. Now it seems Airbnb is also fighting ﻿back against Booking.com by entering the serviced apartment space. Today we learn that BridgeStreet Global Hospitality Group will make its 50,000 serviced apartments in over 60 countries ﻿available through Airbnb’s recently launched corporate travel portal, Airbnb for Business. Airbnb also will make its property listings available to BridgeStreet clients, in what is ﻿Airbnb’s first agreement with a serviced apartment provider.

SAN FRANCISCO and RESTON, Va., Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BridgeStreet Global Hospitality – the leading solution for international serviced apartment experiences today unveiled a collaboration with Airbnb, the world's leading community-driven hospitality company. BridgeStreet is now aligning with the hospitality giant to expand their newly unveiled Airbnb for Business product suite offerings to BridgeStreet's well-established client base.

"Long term travelers want more than just access to a place to lay their head, they want to get to know their city, neighborhood bookshop, best place for coffee, live like a local, whether that means staying in a Victorian home in San Francisco or a loft in Paris," said Chip Conley, Head of Hospitality, Airbnb. "BridgeStreet is an incredible company to work with to help give any person from any company a truly unique experience when they are traveling for business. "

"BridgeStreet constantly maintains a pulse on travelers' habits to identify how we can better serve their needs," noted Sean Worker, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality chief executive officer. "BridgeStreet is a leader in the corporate housing and serviced apartment sector, and we viewed Airbnb as a natural choice to link up with as they have certainly helped redefine the travel industry. Through our partnership, we will strategically position our services to Airbnb's untapped corporate travel audience, while we offer a broader array of experiences to our client base -- it's incredibly intuitive."

Airbnb offers value to the business traveler by providing extra space, often with a kitchen and office, or other amenities people love. Additionally Airbnb's are situated throughout a city so long term travelers can get to know the ins and outs of a neighborhood before deciding to settle down. The two inventive brands are poised to offer guests an array of options to fit any business travel budget, style or need, from the consistency of BridgeStreet's six distinct brand tiers, to a memorable, localized accommodations experience like a house boat.

"This is an interesting partnership that will close the gap in introducing shared economy services to a managed corporate program. Both Airbnb and BridgeStreet are creative thinkers that are clearly defining choice for the modern traveler, who are seeking quality and value," said Michelle De Costa, Senior Category Strategist, Procurement, Liberty Mutual Insurance. "And those are two concepts that are not often used in the same sentence."

With its innovative, tiered system of six distinct brands, BridgeStreet provides guests with customized six- to two-star serviced apartment offerings, meeting every need from location to budget with more than 50,000 apartments in desirable and convenient locations in over 60 countries. Offering a memorable hospitality experience, BridgeStreet is widely recognized for uncompromised standards and a consistent brand experience. For more information on BridgeStreet Global Hospitality, visit www.bridgestreet.com or call 1(800) 278-7338 / +44 (0) 20 7792 2222. More information on Airbnb can be found at www.airbnb.com/business.

About BridgeStreet Global Hospitality

With more than 50,000 apartments in over 60 countries, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality – comprised of six unique brands – is the leading hospitality solution offering serviced apartment experiences for travelers seeking an alternative to typical hotel accommodations. BridgeStreet's family of brands includes six-star Exclusive, five-star Residences, four-star ApartHotels and Living, three-star Places and two-star Stüdyo offering the convenience of apartment living with a variety of service packages to offer each guest options based on location, price point and individual needs. Widely recognized for uncompromising standards of quality, comfort and service, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality is a renowned award winner in both the Americas and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa). For more information on BridgeStreet Global Hospitality, please visit www.bridgestreet.com or call 800 278 7338.

About Airbnb

Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world – online or from a mobile phone. Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 35,000 cities and 190 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.

FOR MORE MEDIA INFORMATION:

STEPHANIE SHARP * ERIN VOGT

BRIGHT RED \ TBWA

850.668.2824 * [email protected]

SOURCE BridgeStreet Global Hospitality

Related Links

http://www.bridgestreet.com

