Airbnb partners with Alain Ducasse’s Châteaux & Hôtels Collection
It is said to be the first time Airbnb has partnered in this way with a leading European hospitality brand.
Although the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection is mainly France- and Italy-based, at the time of writing, Airbnb had not ruled out the idea of establishing similar partnerships with businesses in the UK.
Airbnb, the ‘sharing economy’ giant that allows members of the public to rent out their rooms or whole properties online, last month released its new platform ‘Trips’, which seeks to offer unique experiences to guests, near their accommodation.
The so-called ‘Airbnb Experiences’ are intended to be activities created by locals, from a single activity to a full-day, ‘immersive’ experience.
The Châteaux & Hôtels Collection will offer four new experiences, as well as some bedrooms from its collection, on the website.
The experiences will comprise a day with Paris-based head chef Gilles of restaurant Citrus Etoile, visiting local food markets; a day of chocolate making with a French chocolatier using Ducasse-inspired methods; a day of learning the art of mixology with a bartender from recently-opened Paris site Champeaux; and a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the Alain Ducasse Cooking School including the workshop kitchens and wine cellar.
Emmanuel Marill, general manager, France, Airbnb, said: “Last month, we unveiled the most significant development in our eight year history as Airbnb moved beyond accommodation with the launch of Trips.
“Today, we’re thrilled to partner with one of the most iconic groups in travel. We share the same commitment to provide unique, local experiences from people and communities with fascinating talents and skills.”
Founded over 40 years ago, the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection offer hotels and restaurants across Europe, mainly in France and Italy. Iconic chef Alain Ducasse has been president since 1999.
Airbnb was created in 2008, and now lists accommodation in 191 countries, across 34,000 cities. It also offer ‘Places’, which seeks to offer access to cities’ ‘hidden gems’, as recommended by people that live there.
It is a relatively controversial group within hospitality, with groups including the British Hospitality Association regularly criticising it for allegedly encouraging potentially “dangerous” “pseudo hotels” that are exempt from proper regulations.
