1.
Airbnb commissioned an independent research firm, David Binder Research, to conduct a detailed
survey of owners and managers of bed and breakfast, inns, and boutique hotels, to gauge the state of
the market and understand which product features were most important to this segment of the
hospitality industry. DBR sent an email to invite respondents to participate in a survey on issues
related to hospitality. Respondents were not informed of the sponsor of the survey, nor of the
specific goals of the research, other than to understand their opinions about services available to
their business.
The survey results reflect the opinions of 49 proprietors of small boutique hotels, conducted in
February 2018. All respondents indicated that they own, manage or work at a hotel, motel, bed and
breakfast, boutique hotel or inn. All respondents also indicate that they are familiar with the
reservation system or channel management for the property that they manage.
Results indicate that proprietors of these boutique hotels largely believe that the fees charged by
third party booking sites like Booking.com, Hotels.com and Expedia are too high. In addition, very
few are satisfied with the level of customer service provided by these vendors.
In addition, most are not aware that they are typically charged higher fees than big hotels on these
platforms. Learning this fact makes them dramatically less likely to use these types of booking
platforms.
Half have used Airbnb to list properties in the last twelve months, and proprietors become more
favorable after learning more about Airbnb’s services for hosts and the new drive to improve those
services.
BOUTIQUE HOTEL RESEARCH SUMMARY

2.
1. Respondents primarily own or manage a single, small bed and breakfast or boutique hotel.
In order to participate in the survey, respondents were required to confirm that they own, manage or
work at a qualifying accommodations business. Three out of four described their business as a bed
and breakfast, while another 20% described their place of work as a boutique hotel.
In addition, respondents were asked to identify their role at the business. Four out of five identified
themselves as the owners. All respondents either own the property at which they work, or are in a
senior role managing the property's reservation processes.
Nearly all (92%) say that they only own, manage or work at one property, and, more than four out of
five indicated that they manage or work on fewer than 15 rooms.
Do you own, manage or work at the following types of
properties?
Bed and breakfast 74%
Boutique Hotel 20
Hotel 6
Inn 6
Serviced Apartment 4
Motel 2
Which of the following best describes your role at the property or
properties?
Owner 80%
Manager or General Manager 8
Revenue Officer or Chief Revenue
Officer
8
Director of Reservations 2
Other 2
Which of the following best describes your role at the property or
properties?
1 to 5 Rooms 31%
6 to 10 Rooms 33
_______
Page 2

3.
2. Small boutique hotel proprietors show frustrations with third party booking fees.
A majority of proprietors say they have used major third party booking platforms like Expedia (69%),
Hotels.com (57%), and Booking.com (65%) to list rooms in the last year. They widely believe that
listing fees charged by these platforms are too high.
Only small percentages of those who have used the sites are very satisfied with the customer service
that these platforms provide.
11 to 14 Rooms 20
15+ Rooms 16
How would you describe the commission or listing fees charged by
each of the following 3rd party booking sites?
Percent Saying Too High
Booking.com 75%
Hotels.com 68
Expedia 65
Priceline 61
How satisfied were you with the customer service of each of the
following 3rd party booking sites?
Percent Saying Very Satisfied
Expedia 23%
Booking.com 22
Hotels.com 14
Priceline 22
_______
Page 3

4.
Almost two in three small hotel and bed and breakfast proprietors are unaware that larger properties
like chain hotels are typically charged less than smaller boutique businesses. Only 39% are aware of
this fact, while 61% percent either believe that large chains are charged more, that they are charged
equally, or they don’t know.
When informed of a report that showed that third party booking sites typically charge small boutique
hotels more than large chain hotels, a majority (59%) say this makes them less likely to use these
sites.
3. Many boutique hotel and bed and breakfast proprietors have used Airbnb recently, and have
had positive experiences.
About half (49%) say that they have used Airbnb to list their properties in the last 12 months.
Learning about Airbnb’s services makes a majority of proprietors more likely to use Airbnb. In
particular, 65% say they are more likely to use Airbnb after learning that Airbnb charges the same fee
of 3 to 5% to all hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts. In addition, the majority say Airbnb improving
tools to list and manage rooms makes them more likely to use Airbnb.
Generally, which of the following are charged higher fees by 3rd party booking sites?
Larger properties
like chain hotels are
charged higher fees
Equally
Smaller properties
like boutique hotels
or bed and
breakfasts are
charged higher fees
Don’t Know
4% 8% 39% 49%
A 2015 report found that 3rd party booking sites charge smaller hotels an average
commission of 20%, and charge larger hotels a lower average commission of 15%.
Does this information make you…
More likely to use
3rd party booking
sites
No Impact
Less likely to use 3rd
party booking sites
Don’t Know
0% 31% 59% 8%
In the last twelve months, have you used Airbnb to list any of your
properties?
Yes No
49% 51%
_______
Page 4

5.
The majority say that if they had lower commissions, they would use the additional revenue for
renovations and upgrades, while another 45% say they would raise wages and benefits, and another
third say they would hire more employees.
Indicate if this makes you more or less likely to use Airbnb...
Percent More
Likely
Airbnb charges the same fee of 3 to 5% to all hotels, inns, and bed and
breakfasts
65%
Airbnb is improving the tools to list and manage rooms 59
If your property paid a lower commission of just 3 to 5% booking
through 3rd party websites, how do you think the extra revenue
would be used?
Renovations or upgrades 61%
Higher wages or benefits for employees 45
Hire more employees 33
_______
Page 5