Skift Take
From the looks of it, this new experiment seems like a smart move for Airbnb to test out: it broadens Airbnb's appeal even further to guests who expect or want more hotel-like amenities at an Airbnb, and it helps them compete against other startups that try to offer a more service-oriented home-sharing experience.
At about the same time Airbnb launched its brand-new, largest-ever campaign, Live There, it also quietly launched a brand-new pilot program that tests the platform's ability to offer more of a hospitality-driven, hotel-like experience.
The pilot, called Sonoma Select, will officially begin in July and it applies to a select number of highly-rated listings in Sonoma, California. If you choose to turn on the Sonoma Select filter, you're shown about 37 different listings, all of which offer Instant Booking, 24-hour check-in, and local amenities that include "local treats, wine, upgraded bath products, and a guidebook."
Each of the listings varies in price point with an average nightly rate of $281, and all 37 listings as of April 26 are for entire homes or apartments. But what really sets these Airbnb listings apart from any others you'll find on the platform is that they also feature interactive Matterport 3-D models that let you take a virtual tour of each listing.
Skift spoke to Matterport vice president of business development, Oren J. Tversky, who confirmed the Sunnyvale, California-based startup is working with Airbnb. He said, "We can’t really talk about the specifics of the relationship at this time, including how it happened, but we can tell you that we are excited to be partnering with Airbnb on the Sonoma Select pilot."
When we reached out to Airbnb for comment about the new pilot, spokesperson Amanda Smith said, "There is nothing new to share at this time. As you know, Airbnb is constantly testing new ways to create meaningful experiences for our community."
We also spoke to an Airbnb Sup
