Soon Airbnb guests will be able to check out their holiday digs using virtual reality – before they check in.

The home sharing platform has revealed it is in the early stages of adding VR and augmented reality to its services. This will allow guests to take virtual tours of properties before they book, and use AR to enhance their experience upon arrival.

‘Capabilities like 360 photos and 3D scans allow a person to step inside a home or city and understand what to expect and how to orient themselves before they leave the comfort of their own home,’ says the company.

AR services will focus on problem solving and offering information, such as where to find the coffee mugs in an apartment, or providing instant translations on how to work a German thermostat.

It also picks up a thread debuted at last week’s Design Miami collaboration with Muller Van Severen. The installation, called ‘A Wild Thing’, recreated the Belgian designers’ Ghent home, with hidden speakers revealing stories about objects inside the replica rooms.

Says Airbnb: ‘Augmented reality can also breathe life into a space and tell the story behind the personal items to connect a traveler with their host and a new city in richer, more immersive ways.’

So far, there’s no official timeline on when the services will be fully available, but watch this space…

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