Making homes more like hotels...

"Airbnb is going to launch a new service that will match guests with quality-inspected home and apartment rentals. The product is intended to attract the higher-paying travellers who have yet to use Airbnb because they tend to prefer the amenities guaranteed by fancy hotels, said three people familiar with the project....The service, expected to launch as a pilot with a select group of hosts as soon as this week, will send Airbnb inspectors into hosts’ homes to ensure they meet a checklist of quality standards designated by the company, ......The company has been encouraging hosts to behave more like hoteliers, but this is the first time premium rooms will be packaged into a distinct product with official inspections and incentives for participants. The service is internally referred to as “Select,"....

Later this week, Airbnb is expected to invite a select group of hosts to participate in the new service. If they accept, the hosts will be visited by an inspector who will determine if the homes meet requirements ranging from new and matching bed linens to plush towels and single-use toiletries typically found in hotel bathrooms, they said. Premium homes would also be vetted for working appliances and a host’s commitment to stock the home’s kitchen with bottled water and a selection of teas and coffee, similar to hotel offerings.