Hotels expand into Airbnb territory by offering private homes

Over the past few years, hotel chains have been venturing into the short-term rental market, a domain long dominated by peer-to-peer platforms populated by individuals moonlighting in hospitality. The arrangement is straightforward: The homeowner provides the residence, and the hotel or its industry partner handles the rest, such as processing the reservation, recommending or booking excursions, troubleshooting problems, tidying up during the stay and deep-cleaning after checkout. Travelers also receive hotel benefits — loyalty program awards, access to resort amenities — without having to step inside a lobby. read more