California court rules short-term rental ban unenforceable
US: California Superior Court judge James Chalfant ruled that the city of Manhattan Beach’s attempt to ban short-term rentals was unenforceable. The judgement claimed that the ban was in violation of the California Coastal Act, and that rentals can return to the city effective immediately. The city passed two distinct measures to limit rentals in […]
Airbnb hosts suspended for “fatphobic” weight ban
UK: Owners of a Kent cottage have had their Airbnb listing suspended after users criticised “fatphobic” and discriminatory rules. The listing had prevented anyone with a weight of over 100 kilograms [220 pounds] from renting the property. Hosts Zsu and Marcus, owners of the cottage Bobbit’s Lair, initially forbade anyone above the weight limit from […]
Opinion: My thoughts on Airbnb’s IPO
Worldwide: ShortTermRentalz editor Paul Stevens assesses the potential success of Airbnb‘s IPO and why investors should be encouraged by the company’s ability to operate on a profit.
US cities turning to AI to regulate short-term rentals
US: Cities across the US are using AI [artificial intelligence] and machine learning to track short-term rentals and improve ordinance enforcement. They hope that the increased enforcement of regulations can make up for falling tax revenues. Short-term rentals have recovered in the US in spite of the global pandemic, with AllTheRooms saying bookings on major […]
RealPage purchases software startup Stratis IoT
US: RealPage, a property and real estate management software for multifamily, single-family and senior living, has announced that it has acquired real estate tech startup Stratis IoT. Philadelphia-based Stratis integrates smart apartment systems and devices for multifamily and student apartment buildings among its services, via one single resident app. It is currently installed in an estimated […]
Pass the Keys crowdfunding round surpasses £1m
UK: Airbnb professional host management company Pass The Keys has raised over 200 per cent of its crowdfunding target on investment platform Seedrs, surpassing £1 million in investment. The company launched its crowdfunding campaign during the peak of Covid-19 but secured over £1 million within four weeks of going live. The majority of existing shareholders, […]
Sonder opens first Latin American location in Mexico City
Mexico: Hospitality startup Sonder has opened its first location in Latin America, in the Condesa neighbourhood in Mexico City. The building will accommodate 16 apartment-style spaces, providing what Sonder calls “a next-generation hospitality option, with top tier design, comfort and cleanliness measures — including a zero-contact check-in process”. Roberto Fernández del Castillo, general manager of Sonder in […]
OYO sees booking recovery in USA and Europe
US: According to the CEO of Indian hospitality chain OYO, Ritesh Agarwal, a recovery is visible in its US and European markets, though holidaymakers are likely to shun large-scales in favour of home rentals and boutique hotels as the Covid-19 pandemic remains in circulation. OYO’s RevPAR is around 92 per cent of pre-coronavirus levels and the brand […]