With over 448 million nights and experiences booked worldwide in 2023, Airbnb seems ideal for event organizers to source event venues easily, right?
But did you know hosting a large gathering at any Airbnb property is strictly forbidden?
Luckily, there are plenty of other, if not better, ways of finding event venue gems. Since Airbnb is primarily residential, it always makes things a bit trickier from a legal and logistical standpoint.
At Eventbrite, we love unique event venues. From outdoor markets in hay fields to warehouse immersive experiences, we know firsthand how vital they are to your event’s success and how tricky it can be to find them.
That’s why, in this article, we’ve provided a comprehensive breakdown of Airbnb’s new event ban and guidance on finding alternative event spaces.
Find out why an Airbnb event venue is not the right choice for you
Airbnb for events: What you need to know
Other ways to find and book event venues (that don’t involve Airbnb)
Top tips to secure the perfect event space
Airbnb for events: What you need to know
In 2019, Airbnb introduced its no ‘open-invite’ or ‘chronic party houses’ rule and neighborhood support program. This program allows neighbors of the Airbnb venue to report a party, noise complaint, or neighborhood concern.
However, that all changed in 2020.
During COVID, Airbnb properties became a hub for illegal ‘lockdown parties.’
People used the site to rent entire homes and host out-of-control gatherings that violated safe distancing rules and led to excessive noise complaints and property damage.
To prevent these problems and maintain community safety, Airbnb devised a temporary solution: a global maximum occupancy of 16 and removing search filters for ‘event-friendly’ and ‘parties and events allowed.’ At the time, most governments were introducing strict bans on gatherings, so these new policies didn’t seem obscene.
Although the ban was only meant to be short-lived, it became more effective than anticipated:
- Airbnb saw a 55% year-over-two-year drop in party-related reports
- Only 0.039% of global reservations resulted in party allegations
- In 2022, just 0.02% of Airbnb reservations led to property damage of $1000 or more
Airbnb also found that most gatherings were manageable with this policy anyway and that 73% of Airbnb properties were already banning parties.
So to enhance the quality of stays, Airbnb decided to officially codify the party ban in 2022 and introduced further updates to this policy in 2023.
Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know:
- ‘Disruptive’ parties and events are strictly prohibited
- ‘Party House’ property listings are banned from the site
- Disturbances to surrounding communities, including excessive visitors, noise, and parking, must be minimal
- Reservation screening technology was introduced to reduce the risk of disruptive parties on Airbnb
- Increased measures around certain national and international holidays were introduced, such as Halloween, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, etc.
- The previous ‘16 people occupancy limited’ was lifted, but only for properties that can comfortably fit a more significant number of people
Before you get too excited about the last point, Airbnb specifies that, yes, larger properties, such as castles and vineyards that can accommodate more than 16+ people, are permitted to do so — but the no ‘disruptive’ party ban still applies.
So what do Airbnb’s updated policies mean for event organizers?
Understanding what Airbnb’s event and party ban means for event organizers
It seems like Airbnb stretched the boundaries of its former policy to allow for larger family gatherings and celebrations — not official events. For instance, a low-key, controlled birthday party with extended family in large, outdoor spaces, like a beachfront shack, may fit the current policies outlined.
But a ticketed event with uncontrolled environments and large crowds? Definitely not.
In their 2020 policy, Airbnb acknowledged that they wanted to make accommodations for ‘specialty and traditional hospitality venues,’ but as of 2024, these plans haven’t been finalized.
They’ve removed their ‘event-friendly’ search filter and the ‘parties and events allowed’ option from their house rules lists entirely. They’ve even provided Airbnb users with a free noise sensor in more than 60 countries, which can further eliminate the chances of parties and events.
For now, the message is clear: Large events and parties are a big no-no.
What happens if you use an Airbnb event space anyway?
Despite the new rules, properties still openly advertise their spaces as event venues and party destinations.
So while technically you can still book these listings, you’ll risk potential punishment from Airbnb’s enforcement measures.
For instance, the host for this castle in Houston advertises it as an ‘event space’ and specifies event types for examples.
But even if this property wasn’t advertised as an event space, the risk is still there if you choose to hire it (you could be reported for noise disturbances).
And Airbnb takes that very seriously.
The ramifications for breaching their policy are a lot more serious than a slap on the wrist. Airbnb may take steps up to and including suspending or removing a guest, Host, or listing from the Airbnb platform if they fail to comply with their policies. In fact, Airbnb reported that in 2021, more than 6,600 guests were suspended from Airbnb for attempting to violate their ‘anti-party’ ban.
Some of the consequences include:
- Being suspended or banned from Airbnb’s platform
- Having the host cancel your reservation on the spot and request that you evacuate the property immediately — without any refund
- Paying for any damages to the property that occurs as a result of the party
- Receiving negative reviews from both the host and your guests
- Navigating police reports from upset neighbors complaining about noise violations and disturbances
If you do happen to fall in love with an Airbnb property, rather than risking noncompliance, try to find the property owner through an independent website and contact them outside of the Airbnb platform.
Airbnb isn’t the best source for finding an event venue. In fact, it is far down on our list of top options for events.
We have a few alternative options that you can try out.
Other ways to find and book event venues (that don’t involve Airbnb)
There are two main options when booking looking for a venue outside of Airbnb.
1. Book through an official event venue booking platform for a more traditional venue, such as a ballroom or hall
2. Put on your investigator hat and scout for those hidden, unique gems that make your event unforgettable.
Here’s how to do both.
Use an event venue booking platform
Suppose you’re looking for a venue booking method that still gives you property options for various venues and serves as a third-party intermediary between you and the venue owner. In that case, you could try the event venue platform Eventective.
Eventective has three main categories: weddings (intimate events), parties (nightlife events), and meetings (networking events). So you should be covered no matter what event type you’re hosting.
Like Airbnb, Eventective works on a location-based search system. So once you decide on the type of event venue you’d like to book, you can enter the business name (if you have one) into their search bar or type in the event location.
You can then filter your search by the following criteria:
- Guest capacity
- Pricing
- Availability
- Host responsiveness
- Venue types (casino, ballroom, boat, chapel, etc.)
- Distance
Eventective will give you a list of available venues in your chosen location, as well as detailed information like:
- Location
- Exact pricing
- The venue’s capacity
- A list of amenities and features
- Images of the venue
- Referrals and reviews from other users
- Links to the venue’s social media handles and website
Once you’ve found a property you like, you can click on ‘request pricing’ and complete a short questionnaire about your event type, the number of people who will attend, and the dates you’ll need the venue.
The great thing about using Eventective is that it has all the features that make Airbnb great, but it’s purposefully built to make event booking more efficient.
For instance, an event organizer like Royaltynyc, specialized in the Atlanta area, could find a suitable event in the nightlife scene rather than having to figure out how to repurpose a private property into an event venue.
💡Pro tip: If you want to go directly to a venue booking platform in your area, try using a location-specific one, such as Event Space New York.
Contact event venues directly
The other option to find the perfect event venue is to look on Eventbrite’s discovery page, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, or Google to discover unique venues and contact the venue owner directly.
The best place to start your search is with Eventbrite.
Select your city or area and use specific words in the Eventbrite search bar to find venues or similar events (and then check out their venue) in your local area. For instance, City Elite Group hosts nightlife events in New York, so they might use a descriptor like ‘nightclub’ to find suitable venues.
On the Eventbrite search page, you’ll see where the most popular events in your local area are happening. For instance, venues like OMNIA nightclub and Club Amadeus appear among the first search results when looking for ‘nightclubs’ in New York.
You can use Eventbrite to further narrow your search to venues specific to your event niche. For instance, if you’re interested in techno music, you can type this keyword into the search bar to increase your chances of finding an underground EDM house or ‘cool rave spot.’
Once you have a list of options from Eventbrite, you can also use search engines like Google and social media to find more details. From there, visit their event websites and reach out to the venue owner to find out if it’s within your event budget and suitable for your needs.
💡 Pro tip: Once you’ve found the best venue, we recommend writing an email that outlines what value you bring to their brand and emphasizes how working with you is mutually beneficial. This will help you get the best deal possible. For instance, you could outline how your social media following and exposure to their venue could help increase attendance at future events.
Top tips to secure the perfect event space
Securing a great event space isn’t just about finding a beautiful venue; it’s also about assessing the space’s logistics to make sure it meets your specific needs.
Here are three key areas to consider for the perfect venue.
Finalize insurance
Make sure you get liability insurance to protect your brand and your guests from damage or unforeseen issues.
We recommend looking for an event insurance company, like Thimble, that offers policies tailored to event organizers and their specific needs.
For instance, their event liability policy covers all the stock-standard areas, such as property damage, and event-specific considerations, like liquor liability, providing protection against injuries or accidents caused by alcohol consumption at your event.
💡Pro tip: Consider purchasing event cancelation insurance to help with the financial losses associated with having to cancel or postpone your event due to unexpected circumstances, such as natural disasters.
Do all your research online
It’s likely you won’t get the chance for a walkthrough of the venue, so make sure you get all the information you need about layout and visuals online during your event planning.
If possible, you can book the venue a couple of days before the event so you have time to set up and check out anything that needs to be moved or updated (plus set up any signage and rearrange the furniture).
💡Pro tip: Ask the venue for a virtual tour of the event space or request floor plans so you can create a detailed ‘mock-up’ of your event layout. This allows you to visualize the space and get a feel for how things like your seating arrangements or stage setups will fit inside the space.
Create a checklist of things to review
Double-check that the space you want to book has the necessary amenities required for your event. When researching make sure the listing promises access to the following:
- WiFi: Make sure the venue has strong enough WiFi to handle the number of attendees you’re expecting, so you don’t have issues with spotty service or slow data.
- Seating: Make sure there’s enough room for chairs, tables, and even bean bags to have a comfortable area for guests.
- Bathrooms: Check how many bathrooms are available on site. If there are not enough to cover the size of your event list, consider hiring port-a-potties to ensure your guests don’t have to wait in long lines.
- Accessibility: Ensure that the venue is accessible for all of your attendees. For instance, make sure it has wheelchair-friendly ramps and ample parking space.
- Equipment: Check what equipment the venue space offers. For example, does a nightclub venue have built-in lighting and sound equipment or are you expected to provide your own?
💡Pro tip: We recommend confirming what noise maximums are permitted at the venue and discussing all necessary audiovisual (AV) requirements over email so you have everything in writing. This is particularly crucial if you’re bringing your own speakers and equipment. You don’t want to arrive and find out there aren’t proper outlets for all the equipment you bring.
Looking beyond Airbnb for events
The golden years of Airbnb for event organizers might be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find great and unique venues online.
In fact, we reckon you’ll have a better chance of finding and booking event venues through the channels listed above than going through Airbnb. Just make sure you create a checklist of requirements beforehand so you can ensure you’re choosing a venue that has everything you need to create an amazing experience.
Don’t forget that you can also use Eventbrite’s discovery platform to find tons of event options and check out their venues for inspiration.
