London-based hospitality management service Hostmaker has closed a $2 million seed funding round led by DN Capital. The round was joined by Avala Capital, DSG Consumer Partners, Delivery Hero co-founder Nikita Fahrenholz and former MD of Airbnb India and Middle East Mohit Srivastava.
Launched in July 2014, Hostmaker is a full-service hospitality management company founded by Nakul Sharma, an experienced hospitality professional and Airbnb host himself, giving hosts access to a team of housekeepers and concierges to ensure their guests’ enjoy memorable stays. Hostmaker also helps hosts market their homes effectively, from the ‘Airbnb-ready’ presentation of the home in photographs to dynamic pricing of the property.
Hostmaker is currently offering its Airbnb management services in London, Barcelona and Rome – serving about 5,000 guests every month. The fresh capital will be used for product enhancements and phase two of its expansion to other European capitals. Hostmaker will continue to focus and build on its price optimisation tools to deliver value to hosts and operations platform to make logistics more efficient.
The London-based startup offers hosts two options – a flat-fee pay-as-you-go model, where existing Airbnb hosts can pick a premium hotel-style housekeeping and linen service or an in-person guest welcome in their absence, or a fully managed option where Hostmaker provides an end-to-end service. The 2nd option involves the setting up of the listing, responding to enquiries promptly, setting prices and managing yield, presentation of the home before the guest arrives and managing the guest experience so that guests have an
unforgettable stay.
Hostmaker’s CEO and founder, Nakul Sharma, stated: “The homestay category has been transformed over the last decade by the growing popularity of Airbnb with over a million listings worldwide. Whilst homes offer a unique and local experience to travellers, there is still a vast inconsistency in basic service standards. The uncertainty of not knowing what you are going to get is still a hurdle for many to book a home on Airbnb. Hostmaker’s aim is to bring hotel-quality consistent standards to homes across the world without losing the uniqueness of the homes themselves. I am glad to have found investors who believe in our vision and are excited by it”.
