Bed-and-Breakfasts Battle Airbnb Confusion as 5-Room Inns Face Sharper Competition
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 29
Bed-and-Breakfasts Battle Airbnb Confusion as 5-Room Inns Face Sharper Competition
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 29
Summary
Traditional bed-and-breakfasts say guests increasingly mistake them for private vacation rentals, creating booking confusion over shared spaces and host presence.
At Kenwood Gables Boutique B&B in St. Petersburg, Florida, some guests expected the 5-guestroom property to themselves, prompting owners to screen whether visitors understand a traditional B&B stay.
Operators say Airbnb’s roots as “Airbed & Breakfast” helped blur the distinction, even though vacation rentals typically do not include meals and many travelers now use “Airbnb” as a catchall term.
Small inns say the branding confusion comes as they also compete with hundreds of short-term rentals for the same lodging demand, squeezing their share of the market.