Airbnb buys Luxury Retreats to offer more luxurious villas for your vacation

By Lulu Chang February 16, 2017

airbnb buys luxury retreats 16107507 10154459382063920 2559784054742332235 o — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re going to go on vacation, go on vacation. And by that, we mean treat yourself. Thanks to Airbnb’s new acquisition, you can certainly do that when it comes to your accommodations.

On February 15, the vacation rental company announced the addition of Montreal-based Luxury Retreats to its portfolio. The luxury vacation rental company offers more than 4,000 homes in 100 destinations around the world, so if you don’t want to stay in the living room of someone’s fifth-floor walkup, perhaps it’s a Luxury Retreat for you.

“From airbeds in an apartment to castles to villas, Airbnb has always been focused on providing a broad range of amazing experiences and trips,” said Airbnb’s co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky in a statement. And now, that range is growing even more expansive with the addition of Luxury Retreats’ properties. The company promises “high-quality listings, world class concierge service, and a range of amenities and the acquisition [that] will complement Airbnb’s work.”

For the time being, Luxury Retreats will maintain its status as a standalone company, but as its relationship with Airbnb deepens over time, the Montreal-based company’s listings will be highlighted and added to Airbnb’s database. And yes, that includes rentals like an eight-bedroom villa in Turks and Caicos or this 14-person villa in Tuscany.

This deal will be Airbnb’s largest to date, and Bloomberg reports that the company spent $300 million on its acquisition. But Luxury Retreats is certainly helping the San Francisco firm bulk up in an area where it has a bit less variety — while Airbnb has more than 3 million listings, only a small percentage of them are deemed castles. Luxury Retreats, then, will help diversify its offerings.

“Airbnb has revolutionized global hospitality, connecting a vibrant community of hosts and guests to deliver a tremendous amount of unique travel experiences,” said Luxury Retreats Founder and CEO Joe Poulin. “We are thrilled to join the Airbnb family with a continued commitment of delivering quality, luxury travel experiences.”

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Smart Home

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra vs. Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo: Which premium robot vacuum is best?

The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra placed in its dock.

Roborock and Ecovacs are two of the biggest names in the world of robot vacuums. The companies have been producing some of the best robot vacuum and mop combos for years, and that trend has continued into 2024 with the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo. Both are ultra-premium devices that clock in at over $1,000, and we awarded both of them impressive scores in our reviews. In short, it's hard to go wrong with either robot vacuum.

However, there are some key differences between the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra and the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo. From suction power and mopping skills to pricing and additional features, here's a comprehensive look at the two robot vacuums to help you decide which is best for your home.
Pricing and availability

Smart Home

Samsung Spring Sale: Get up to $915 off smart ranges today

A Samsung smart range with the Smart Oven camera.

Samsung's Spring Black Friday sale has slashed the prices of all kinds of home appliances, including gas and electric ranges. There are discounts available for Samsung's smart ranges too, which will allow you to enjoy savings of up to $915. Feel free to check out all the ranges that are cheaper than usual in the ongoing sale, but if you want to focus on getting a smart range for your kitchen, read on to learn all about them and how much you'll have to pay.

What to buy in Samsung's Spring Black Friday sale for smart ranges
Samsung's smart ranges are equipped with the Smart Oven Camera, which will allow you to check on the food that you're cooking through a livestream on your phone. You can even make time-lapse videos and share them on social media. You'll enjoy this feature on the Samsung Bespoke 6.3. cu. ft. smart slide-in electric range, which is from $2,536 for a $737 discount, and the Samsung Bespoke 6.0. cu. ft. smart slide-in gas range, which is from $2,659 for savings of $760. Both smart ranges have illuminated precision knobs that light up to let you know that the home appliance is on, and they work with the Samsung SmartThings app for pre-heating the oven, planning meals, downloading cooking modes, and much more.

Smart Home

How to reset the Nanoleaf Skylight

The Nanoleaf Skylight lighting up a room various shades of purple.

The Nanoleaf Skylight is a unique piece of hardware. Unlike most Nanoleaf products that are quick to install or easy to move and replace, the Skylight is designed as a permanent fixture in your home. Instead of simply plugging it into an electrical outlet, you'll need to hardwire it onto your ceiling – and once it's in place, you'll want it to stay there for years.

However, like all electronics, it's possible for your Nanoleaf Skylight to start acting up. And since there's no easy way to get the entire unit down from your ceiling, you might be wondering how you can quickly solve the problem. Thankfully, Nanoleaf designed a simple way for you to reset the Nanoleaf Skylight without the need to disassemble the entire setup.