I’ll admit, when WanderJaunt co-founder Michael Chen told me he wanted to build a hotel chain, like the Westin, from the ground up on Airbnb, I wasn’t sure what to think. There are already dozens of property management startups for short-term rentals (Vacayo, Guesty etc. And besides, isn’t the commercial dominance and economic power of hotel groups half the reason people use Airbnb in the first place? But with $2 million in seed financing led by Khosla Ventures, WanderJaunt plans to do just that — build a reliable home for vetted and trusted short-term rentals around the world.
The emergence of the short-term rental market has drastically reduced the financial burden of traveling, while opening up new revenue streams for homeowners. But even with reasonable vetting, it’s hard to know whether the house you’re going to show up at for your weekend vacation is going to have that “high-speed” internet you were counting on.
This is where WanderJaunt comes into the picture. The startup struck deals with large home goods providers, like Leesa Sleep, to deliver a common experience to travelers at all WanderJaunt properties. And unlike other property management services that furnish properties, WanderJaunt is ready and willing to advertise the experience as a sort of external short-term rental verification badge.
