“When Airbnb launched in 2008, the tech start-up offered cash-strapped travelers cheap overnight stays on sofas and in spare bedrooms around the world.

What a difference 11 years makes.

With the introduction of a new rental tier aptly called Airbnb Luxe, the company’s accommodation options, which had already expanded to include entire houses and even some upscale ones at that, now include the high-end market.

“We have an overall strategy of having a product for every traveler, and Luxe is for the ones seeking luxury,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb’s chief executive and co-founder.

The Luxe portfolio of 2,000 homes, available starting Tuesday, includes villas in Tuscany, ski lodges in New Zealand and castles in the French countryside. They were selected from the 5,000 properties listed on Luxury Retreats, a high-end vacation rental company that Airbnb acquired in 2017.”

Read the full article in The New York Times.