What Is Airbnb Luxe and How Does it Work for Hosts?

Bespoke travel through one-of-a-kind homes that deliver an elevated guest experience that includes exceptional amenities, high-end appliances and seamless service? That's Airbnb Luxe in a nutshell, which is unlike a regular Airbnb listing. In this article, we'll break down the finer points of the Luxe category, the process to qualify your vacation rental property and the standards you need to maintain as an Airbnb luxury retreat.

What is Airbnb Luxe?

Airbnb Luxe is the luxury tier of Airbnb and is built on its acquisition of Luxury Retreats, a full-service luxury villa rental company, in 2017. Previously positioned separately from regular Airbnb listings, it is now available as one of over 50 Airbnb categories.

The Luxe category promises a truly luxury experience and a unique and memorable stay. It features residences that are considered to be extraordinary and rated as five-star across property, amenities and service. Every reservation receives a dedicated trip designer, available 24/7, who will work with the guest to create their ideal experience.

Luxe properties encompass a variety of spectacular properties, from private islands and castles to villas, mansions and entire apartments. They also include historically and architecturally significant properties like the villa in Jamaica where Ian Fleming worked on his James Bond novels or the Kellogg Doolittle estate that was designed by architect Ken Kellogg—in exotic locales and chic cities. They can be fully staffed including with private chefs, massage therapists and villa managers on call, or less so, depending on travelers' unique requirements.

Where can you find Airbnb Luxe vacation rentals?

Airbnb Luxe properties can be found in over 300 destinations in over 20 countries around the world. This includes North America; Europe; Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in Oceania; South Africa, Morocco, UAE and Mauritius in Africa; Colombia and Venezuela in South America; and Indonesia, India and Thailand in Asia.

How Can You Become an Airbnb Luxe Listing?

If you think your vacation rental property is suited to become a Luxe listing, you have to request a change of category and go through a rigorous review process.

How to add your Airbnb listing to the Luxe category

To be added to the category, you have to first create your Airbnb listing and then request a category change.

The review process occurs on a limited basis and only during certain periods of the year. If Airbnb considers your vacation rental to be a potential fit, you will be contacted by the Luxe onboarding team.

How to qualify as an Airbnb Luxe property

To be eligible to become an Airbnb Luxe home, vacation rentals must qualify as being extraordinary and providing exceptional service and are expected to pass a 300-point inspection. The review is broken down into categories such as:

1. Form

Airbnb expects its Luxe properties to have elevated design standards. This includes interior décor, architectural elements such as high vaulted ceilings and the smallest details attended to like ensuring matching hangers in closets. Luxe vacation rentals must also have socially enhancing spaces, where everyone in the guest party has ample space to interact and enjoy, from the dining room to the living room and gardens.

2. Function

This covers everything from the mood of the place – do all the elements come together to present the promised ambience; to location – is it in an aspirational neighborhood in a city like Milan or an exotic island off the coast of the Pacific; and service – does the luxury vacation rental offer all the professional resources that the guest would require, from childcare and a butler to a restaurant concierge. Function also takes into account if all the premium appliances are working, if the pool is heated and the wine cellar has the rare wines the guest ordered, if everything from the kitchen to the fridge is fully stocked if there are enough bathrooms to suit the number of bedrooms, adequate private parking and even electric car ports in cities like Los Angeles.

3. Geography

Picturesque geography is another requirement. Whether it’s rolling green estates, a historical English garden or rare views of misty mountains, Airbnb Luxe homes must lay claim to geography that is both distinctive and exclusive.

4. Feel

In keeping with luxury market expectations, Airbnb expects its luxury vacation rentals to provide a thematic experience, be that tranquility or excitement and for the collective experience to narrate a story. For example, the French Polynesian island with its own time zone that is available on Airbnb Luxe gives you a sense of being in your very own, beautiful, country.

5. Services

Airbnb Luxe properties are expected to provide a slew of luxury services such as childcare, nanny, butler, concierge, restaurant concierge, chef, personal chef, massage therapist, yoga instructor, security guard, luxury guide, etc to be provided as part of the property’s standard service or be made available as an add-on. Hosts will work with trip designers to make sure all the special services and amenities requested by travelers are made available to them during their stay.

How does an Airbnb Luxe property inspection work?

The in-person vetting process sees an Airbnb Home Consultant visit the property and perform a thorough walkthrough to make sure all the requisite standards of design and quality are met or being maintained. After the visit, the consultant will share their notes on areas that need to be upgraded or changed.

There are several scenarios in which Airbnb conducts inspections. These include:

1. Onboarding

All vacation rental properties are inspected prior to their being accepted into Airbnb Luxe to ensure they meet the requisite standards as well as to ensure an accurate description of the listing.

2. Recurring walkthroughs

Airbnb aims to vet each Luxe home on a recurring basis to ensure its standards of quality are continued to be met.

3. Continuous 5-star ratings

Airbnb Luxe expects a 5-star review with each stay. If a listing does not receive a 5-star rating, Airbnb will evaluate the guest’s feedback, historical reviews and inspection reports to decide if a quality check visit is required.

4. Guest feedback

Based on the feedback shared by the guest to their own trip designer, Airbnb may schedule another inspection if they have reported severe concerns or issues.

How Does a Guest Booking Work for Hosts on Airbnb Luxe?

Once a traveler makes a booking request, hosts receive an email notification. They have 24 hours to accept or decline the request before it expires. The booking dates are blocked on the calendar until the host declines the pending request or it expires.

Hosts can also opt to utilize Instant Book, which confirms bookings immediately without the host’s involvement.

What are Host Duties on Airbnb Luxe?

Airbnb Luxe hosts are expected to be consummate professionals. Many hosts also act as the concierge, coordinating with the trip designer and travelers to ensure all requirements are met, that each stay goes smoothly and all services are provided. They also help set up luxurious experiences like touring a vineyard in a helicopter or having a local chef cook up an authentic, gourmet tasting menu.

What is Airbnb’s Host Fee on Airbnb Luxe?

Airbnb charges its commission on the total listing price, i.e. the base amount plus any extra fees charged from the guest.

How Do Taxes Work on Airbnb Luxe?

Similar to the regular Airbnb tier, Airbnb automatically collects and remits most Airbnb taxes in most cities. However, for areas that Airbnb does not, hosts can manually add the local tax to be collected and then remitted by them.

How Does Host Cancellation Work on Airbnb Luxe?

Hosts cannot automatically cancel a confirmed reservation. Instead, they must reach out to the designated trip designer to do so. Airbnb expects Luxe hosts who are forced to cancel do so in a timely manner in order to allow travelers time to adjust their plans.

Being the luxury tier, the consequences of cancellation are much higher for hosts.

Cancellation fee

Luxe hosts are charged a cancellation fee, deducted from their first payout after cancellation, based on the terms of their Luxe Hosting agreement. However, if the host has completed at least 10 consecutive bookings without canceling or does so for reasons accepted by Airbnb such as situations or events covered under its Major Disruptive Events Policy, the cancellation fee may be waived.

Blocked availability

Canceling a confirmed reservation may also result in those dates being blocked on your calendar so that you cannot accept a new booking with dates that overlap the canceled reservation.

Public review

If an Airbnb Luxe host cancels before the day of check-in, they are penalized with the posting of an automated review on their profile indicating they canceled a confirmed reservation. These reviews cannot be removed but hosts can write a public response explaining why they had to cancel.

If the host cancels on the day of check-in or later, guests can leave a public review on their profile.

Suspension of account

If a host cancels 3 or more reservations in a year, Airbnb may suspend or deactivate their listing.

Instant Book cancellation exceptions

Airbnb Luxe hosts are allowed to cancel Instant Book reservations without incurring a penalty under certain circumstances such as

• If a guest makes it clear they will break a house rule, such as smoking inside the home or bring their pets

• If the listing does not fit the guest’s needs

• If the guest has several bad reviews

• If the guest’s profile lacks sufficient information, raising concerns

Upon contacting the trip designer with your request and reason to cancel, the final decision to apply an exception will be made by Airbnb.

Hosts who cancel too many Instant Book reservations may be required to turn off Instant Book.

How Does Guest Cancellation Work on Airbnb Luxe?

Guests can cancel their reservation through the platform based on the cancellation policy active at the time of booking. The host receives notification of the cancellation and the dates are unblocked in the listing calendar.

Travelers can also cancel their booking for free within 24 hours of the reservation being confirmed, as long as the booking was confirmed at least 7 days before check-in.

What are Airbnb Luxe Cancellation Policies?

Cancellation policies vary depending on the length of stay and reservation agreement.

Cancellation policies for shorter stays

For reservations of 27 nights or fewer, hosts can choose from the following policies:

Flexible Guests can cancel up to 24 hours before check-in for a full refund. If they cancel later, the host is paid for each night stayed plus one additional night.

Moderate Guests can cancel up to 5 days before check-in for a full refund. Cancellations after that result in the host being paid for each night stayed, one additional night, and 50% of the remaining nights.

Firm A full refund is available if canceled 30+ days before check-in.

• 7–30 days before check-in: 50% payout for all nights.

• Less than 7 days: 100% payout.

• Guests may still get a full refund if they cancel within 48 hours of booking, provided the stay is at least 14 days away.

Strict

• Full refund only if canceled within 48 hours of booking and 14+ days before check-in.

• Cancel 7–14 days before check-in: 50% payout.

• Cancel less than 7 days before check-in: 100% payout.

Hosts may also be allowed to offer stricter cancelation policies by invitation, such as:

Super Strict 30 Days – 50% refund up to 30 days before check-in.

Super Strict 60 Days – 50% refund up to 60 days before check-in. After the cutoff: 100% payout applies.

Cancellation policies for long-term stays

For long-term stays, i.e. 28 nights or more, there are two cancellation policies available.

Firm (Monthly)

• Cancel 30+ days before check-in: Full refund.

• Cancel less than 30 days before check-in: Host is paid for all nights stayed plus 30 additional nights.

• If fewer than 30 nights remain, the host is paid for all remaining nights.

Strict (Monthly)

• Full refund only if canceled within 48 hours of booking and 28+ days before check-in.

• After that: Host receives payment for nights stayed plus 30 additional nights or all remaining nights if fewer than 30 remain.

Non-refundable option

Hosts can choose to offer guests a discounted non-refundable rate for shorter stays. In this scenario, the guest receives a price reduction but forfeits any refund eligibility if they cancel. This option must be configured alongside the host’s standard cancellation policy.

Overrides and regional exceptions

Airbnb may override a host’s cancellation policy in extenuating circumstances (e.g., emergencies or disruptive events), allowing guests a refund. Additionally, different policies may apply in specific countries, including Italy, South Korea, Germany and California.

Mastering the Fine Print of Bespoke Airbnb Travel

Managing Airbnb Luxe homes requires more than just listing a beautiful space with unique features. It demands a proactive, intelligent approach to hosting that balances flexibility with reliability. From cancellation terms to delivering five-star service, every detail counts in the world of luxury retreats. That’s where Hostaway comes in.

Hostaway’s powerful property management platform is built to support premium hosts like you. Whether you’re listing a one-of-a-kind villa or managing multiple Airbnb Luxe properties, Hostaway helps you streamline reservations, stay on top of operations and ensure the guest experience is nothing short of exceptional. Book a demo with Hostaway today and see how we help you deliver the ultimate in bespoke travel experiences — every time.