A new startup called Sonder is trying to mix the best of both worlds from hotel and Airbnb options for travelers. They describe the units that they offer for rental as “hometels,” and each one has to go through a rigorous inspection process to make sure that it fits the bill of the perfect blend.
From the hotel side of thing they aim to keep concepts like reliability, and standardized services and amenities. Things they want to keep from the Airbnb side include lower cost, privacy, and sometimes more space.
Francis Davison, Sonder’s co-founder and CEO explains the overall concept.
“Sonder’s premise is that there’s no need to choose between the dependability and security offered by the known hotel brands, and the better value, the larger space, and the character of a short-term rental. You can have both.”
So far the startup has been testing its rentals on sites like Airbnb and other similar sites. The Sonder rentals are sure to stand out in the world of online rentals since they offer common hotel amenities like bathroom products, as well a 24/hour concierge. But like any other home rental, they also include wi-fi, a kitchen, and other things that you’re used to having at home. It’s hard to image how the blend wouldn’t continue to beat out the competition when the prices and locations are right.
