SARASOTA (WSNN) – Airbnbs as party houses? Given the pandemic mess, we’re all in, Airbnb initiates new rules.
At the start of the pandemic, Airbnb announced new house rules: No parties or large gatherings. Among the steps taken to ensure hosts and guests followed health guidelines. Now, this week, Airbnb takes things a step further. If you’re a U.S. guest under 25, you cannot book a home in your local area; unless you’ve got a ton of past positive reviews.
“If I live in Sarasota and I’m booking a six-bedroom mansion a few neighborhoods from where I live, I’m 18 years old and I don’t have reviews on Airbnb, that doesn’t seem like a particularly good idea and it’s not something we’re going to allow,” Airbnb’s head of communications, Ben Breit, said.
Breit says it’s their most aggressive approach yet to stamp out ‘unauthorized’ parties.
“Not only is a potentially unhealthy gathering going against public health mandates but it’s going against host house rules, lots of problems there,” Breit said.
Knowing it’s a traditional party weekend, Breit says Airbnb wants to remind everyone to respect social distancing guidelines and avoid putting communities at risk.
“With the bars being closed, if you were considering taking that party to Airbnb vacation rental, it’s really not going to turn out too well for you,” Breit said.
Visit Sarasota County President, Virginia Haley, says this is normally a very busy weekend for the Suncoast and vacation rentals are very popular. But, she says it’s rare to see house parties simply because of cost.
“They’re what I would call ‘luxury home rentals’ that are generally out of the price reach of large groups of young people,” Haley said.
She says it’s usually multigenerational people who rent large homes. Even so, she says she agrees with the house rule.
Bradenton resident, Kristen Hogentogler, who helps manage Airbnb listings in Sarasota agrees.
I’m for it if that’s going to help slow the spread of the virus because statistically, that’s the group they’re finding it violating the rules the most,” Hogentogler said.
She says luckily, she’s never experienced party go-ers at her Airbnbs’, but she knows friends in Sarasota who have.
It’s all about safety and fun this weekend. Happy 4th of July weekend!
