Imagine a service that connects would-be B&B operators with the budget-conscious travelers who love them. Airbed & Breakfast is one of those ideas that many geeks have probably thought of, and as with most things, someone has finally taken the initiative to build… on a shoe-string, no less!
Airbed & Breakfast is a peer-to-peer service where you can secure accommodations posted by individuals willing to open their homes, for a fee, to travelers. They currently boast accommodations in 125 cities in 25 countries. Airbed & Breakfast actually allow each party to evaluate one another prior to any commitment, and it also provides a forum for the financial transaction to take place between the parties. The person advertising their space gets 100% of their asking price, and the guest pays a 6-15% service fee upon checkout. Simple!
Airbed & Breakfast was launched by a trio of SF entrepreneurs, Brian Cheskey, Joe Gebbia and coder Nathan Blecharcyk in mid-2008 after beginning their efforts back in later 2007.
They seem to be getting quite a bit of traction with DNC/RNC convention attendees heading to Denver and St. Paul this summer. WSJ also covered them yesterday regarding "The Business of Politics". You can follow their Tweets here
Good concept for budget travelers. Travel to an unknown destination could be made safer with some of the website that present with up-to-date information regarding destination and other safety travel tips.