Airbnb Partners with Bedrock to Offer Online Experiences Hosted by Local Detroit Business Owners

April 20, 2020


  • Airbnb today launched Online Experiences, connecting global community to handcrafted activities in cities around the world

  • Working with Bedrock, small businesses across Detroit have the opportunity to offer Online Experiences, including Citizen Yoga, Vibe Ride and La Feria

  • Online Experiences enable will enable these local businesses to keep earning through COVID-19 disruptions

DETROIT, MICHIGAN (April 10, 2020) -- Airbnb announces the launch of Online Experiences, a new way for people to connect, travel virtually and earn income during the COVID-19 crisis. With communities around the world staying home to protect their own health and the health of others, people can’t pursue routine activities like going to work, exercising or pursuing a passion. Now, Online Experiences will change that by allowing hosts to earn an income in these uncertain times, and bring their transformative virtual Experience to millions of guests.

Right here in Detroit, Airbnb is working with Bedrock, a full service commercial real estate firm, to connect their tenants and other entrepreneurs to Online Experiences. Beginning today, Airbnb Online Experiences will offer Yoga, Philosophy and Stress Management with Citizen Yoga, A Motorcity Workout Party with Vibe Ride and Savor Spain in the Comfort of your own Home with La Feria. In addition, Airbnb and Bedrock will continue to work together in the coming weeks to encourage other local businesses who could also take advantage of this new opportunity. Bedrock is actively working to support the small businesses in their portfolio throughout the COVID-19 crisis via rent relief, and has compiled a list of Small Business Resources accessible by any business owner on its website.

“Human connection is at the core of what we do,” said Catherine Powell, Head of Airbnb Experiences. “With so many people needing to stay indoors to protect their health, we want to provide an opportunity for our hosts to connect with our global community of guests in the only way possible right now, online.”

“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to showcase what we have built at Vibe Ride to the Airbnb community,” said Latricia Wilder, Founder of Vibe Ride Detroit. “I have been a huge fan and consumer of Airbnb's services; it's surreal that we now get to join in and offer our experience to the world in partnership with their platform.”

“The small business community in Detroit is truly something special. Bedrock is fully committed to supporting local, small businesses and exploring innovative ways to help entrepreneurs to succeed during these times,” said Bedrock CEO Matt Cullen. “Partnering with Airbnb, Detroit businesses will have the ability to share their stories and showcase their talents to people around the globe.”

In addition to these Online Experience in Detroit, Airbnb Experiences offers an array of options like meditation with Buddhist monks, virtual visits with the dogs of Chernobyl, cooking with a Moroccan family, and more. With so many people sheltering in place, Online Experiences provides:

Online Experiences unlocks unprecedented access to inspiring hosts from more than 30 different countries, including Olympic medalists Alistair Brownlee and Lauren Gibbs. Whether a HIIT workout, learning about nutrition with a Bobsledder or a virtual bike tour, guests can now connect with some of the most celebrated athletes in the world from the comforts of their own living room.

For those who are most isolated, like seniors, Airbnb has partnered with local organizations around the world to curate Experiences that help seniors learn a new skill while protecting their health. Airbnb will work alongside SAGE, the world's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people -- including right here in Detroit -- to offer Experiences free of charge to seniors in their communities.

Booking opens immediately with more than 50 virtual Airbnb Experiences available at airbnb.com/online-experiences, with thousands more coming online in the coming months. Online Experiences will be hosted on Zoom, and Airbnb is providing Hosts access to Zoom free of charge along with personalized support services for curating, capturing and sharing their online Experience. For more information, if you are interested in hosting please visit airbnb.com/onlinehost.

About Airbnb

Airbnb is one of the world’s largest marketplaces for unique, authentic places to stay and things to do, offering over 7 million accommodations and 40,000 handcrafted activities, all powered by local hosts. An economic empowerment engine, Airbnb has helped millions of hospitality entrepreneurs monetize their spaces and their passions while keeping the financial benefits of tourism in their own communities. With more than half a billion guest arrivals to date, and accessible in 62 languages across 220+ countries and regions, Airbnb promotes people-to-people connection, community and trust around the world.

About Bedrock 

Detroit-based Bedrock is a full-service real estate firm specializing in acquiring, developing, leasing, financing and managing commercial and residential buildings. Since its founding in 2011, Bedrock and its affiliates have invested and committed more than $5.6 billion to acquiring and developing more than 100 properties, including new construction of ground up developments in downtown Detroit and Cleveland totaling more than 18 million square feet.

Bedrock’s real estate portfolio consists of 210 office tenants and 125 retailers and restaurants in Detroit’s technology-centric downtown, the majority of which are new to the market. Key office tenants include Coyote Logistics, IBM, Microsoft, Quicken Loans, LinkedIn, StockX, Universal McCann, UBS, Ally Bank’s national headquarters and Fifth Third Bank’s regional headquarters. Key retail tenants include H&M, Plum Market, The Lip Bar, 6 Salon, Lululemon, Shake Shack and countless others.

Bedrock is currently developing four transformational projects including the Hudson’s Site, Monroe Blocks, Book Tower renovation and One Campus Martius expansion. Bedrock is also undergoing construction of City Modern, a community development in Detroit’s Brush Park neighborhood. Partnering with Detroit-based Shinola, Bedrock developed the world’s first Shinola Hotel on Woodward Avenue, which opened in early 2019.

Bedrock is dedicated to creating jobs for Detroiters and investing in job training. Over the last year, the company has invested in both the Randolph & Breithaupt Career and Technical Centers to build a pipeline of talent for Detroit’s growing economy.

Creating unique experiences through real estate is Bedrock’s mission. To make this a reality, Bedrock and its affiliates continuously invest in significant public art installations and placemaking initiatives throughout the city.

For more information on Bedrock’s business model, visit the For More Than Profit book. For more information on Bedrock’s projects, visit bedrockdetroit.com or engage with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Click here to view a complete timeline of Bedrock and the Rock Family of Companies’ engagement within the Detroit community.