Tripadvisor evolves model, cancels STR stays past October
Worldwide: Online travel agency Tripadvisor is transitioning its vacation rental strategy to a new business model that leverages third-party providers, although it denied that it was shutting down its rental offering altogether.
Airbnb cancels existing reservations in Russia and Belarus
Worldwide: Airbnb has announced that it has cancelled all existing reservations in Russia and Belarus for stays or Experiences starting on or after 4 April.
Cancellations at Cottages.com and Hoseasons provoke customer anger
UK: Multiple bookings made through Hoseasons and Cottages.com have been cancelled last minute, provoking anger from affected guests. The sites noted that a system overload led to a lack of booking confirmations and the resulting string of double bookings and cancellations. The most notable guest affected by these was former children’s poetry laureate Michael Rosen, […]
Sonder integrates features to develop contactless guest experience
US: Hospitality startup Sonder has partnered with academic medical centre, The Cleveland Clinic, and integrated new features aimed at developing a fully contactless guest experience. The Cleveland Clinic has worked with Sonder to enhance its safe stay standards, in order to create maximum contact-free comfort and safety. Added features include floor stickers to encourage social […]
Airbnb extends full refund policy for bookings worldwide
Worldwide: In the face of mounting criticism, Airbnb has extended its full refund policy for bookings around the world that are being cancelled due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. The updated cancellation policy will apply to every country in the world in which Airbnbs operate, meaning hosts and guests who have stopped reservations will now not […]