Airbnb Plus And Airbnb Beyond

Ten years ago, Airbnb began with just two inflatable air mattresses on the floor of a San Francisco apartment. Today, the service offers 4.5 million listings in 81,000 cities around the world. That sheer volume can make it challenging to find the perfect place to lay your head, and—let's face it—not everyone wants to sleep on someone's living room couch. So in hopes of attracting more discriminating guests, Airbnb is launching several new tiers, including Airbnb Plus and Beyond by Airbnb.

Airbnb Plus homes go a step above by offering amenities you'd normally expect in a hotel, like filtered or bottled water, toiletries, an iron and a hair dryer. The new selection of accommodations recognizes hosts who go out of their way to provide outstanding hospitality, such as offering a welcome basket of goodies, a bottle of wine, a neighborhood guide or even the willingness to act as a personal concierge, making recommendations and reservations. Design is also a key factor—Plus homes are thoughtfully designed to express the owners' personalities. But perhaps most importantly, they go through a 100-point inspection to verify their quality, covering everything from having plenty of towels and pillows to strong water pressure and fast Wi-Fi. The new tier rolled out on February 22 and currently has 2,000 listings in 13 cities.