Posted on - January 22nd 2026
This week’s short-term rentals and hospitality headlines spotlight regulation shifts across Europe, major brand expansion into flexible accommodation, and new guest-experience services reshaping the future of short-term stays.
Hilton has unveiled Apartment Collection by Hilton, a new category of fully furnished apartment stays bookable through its own channels. Designed to blend apartment-style living (full kitchens, spacious layouts) with Hilton’s service and loyalty ecosystem, the rollout begins mid-2026 in U.S. cities including New York, Washington D.C. and Atlanta, with plans to scale further.
For the short-term rental sector, this is another clear signal that global hotel brands are moving deeper into alternative accommodation. As hotels continue to cross into traditionally STR-led territory, operators will be watching closely to see whether this accelerates competition for urban inventory or further validates the flexible-living model our sector helped build.
In a major regulatory outcome, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has ruled that short-term accommodation in England and Wales will not be required to meet a minimum EPC C energy rating or a fixed retrofit spend to continue operating.
Alistair Handyside MBE of PASC UK hailed the decision as a significant victory for the sector, crediting broad industry engagement, data-driven advocacy, and collaborative support from hospitality partners and policymakers.
Representatives from short-term rental associations in Spain, Germany, Portugal and Italy gathered in Madrid ahead of FITUR 2026 to launch a coordinated European advocacy effort.
The coalition is pushing back against regulatory frameworks in various cities that they argue unfairly target small hosts while benefiting larger investors. Their message: regulation should distinguish between independent property owners and institutional portfolios to preserve locally rooted vacation-rental markets across Europe.
The Canary Islands government has introduced new controls on the expansion of short-term rentals, granting local councils authority to restrict where tourist accommodation can operate and imposing regional caps on total STR supply.
While the measures are framed as a response to housing pressure for residents in destinations such as Tenerife and Gran Canaria, industry groups warn that blanket limits risk penalising small operators and professional managers who operate legally and responsibly. The move adds to growing regulatory pressure across European resort destinations and is likely to influence investor confidence and future development strategies in high-demand leisure markets.
Demand and bookings continue to grow in secondary, rural and lifestyle markets as travellers seek space, nature access and flexible work-leisure stays. Urban regulation and supply constraints are accelerating interest in non-metropolitan destinations, highlighting evolving geographies of short-term rental activity.
For operators, this shift presents both revenue opportunities and operational challenges around service standards and local community integration. Read the full article by Morvan Le Boulanger only on the Wire.
Airbnb Services is expanding its offerings with “ready-to-heat” meals created by celebrity chefs and delivered to listings in more than two dozen U.S. states. Partnering with CookUnity, this initiative is part of a broader push to enhance ancillary guest services; especially appealing in stays where local dining options are limited.
For hosts, it represents a guest experience differentiator that doesn’t require onsite food infrastructure.
Property management platform Hospitable has launched an automated insurance upsell feature that lets hosts and property managers offer trip protection directly to guests up to 24 hours before check-in. Seamlessly integrated into the guest booking flow, the tool is designed to boost optional revenue for hosts while giving guests added peace of mind, all without extra manual setup.
Have a story the industry should be paying attention to? If you’re tracking regulation changes, market movements, destination trends or major developments in short-term rentals, serviced accommodation or hospitality, send your news to the Wire team and feature in an upcoming roundup.
