Airbnb and Hotel Tonight will not allow any reservations in the Washington, DC area during inauguration week. Airbnb, which owns Hotel Tonight, announced the decision in a press release today. All existing reservations on the platforms will be cancelled and refunded in-full, and no new ones can be made, says the press release.
This comes after pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the Capitol last week, many of whom travelled outside of DC for the attack and stayed in the city.
Airbnb says it canceled some reservations made by hate groups prior to last week’s Capitol mob attack. Still, there were reports of pro-Trump insurrectionists staying in Airbnb and hotel properties within the city in the days surrounding the attack.
“Airbnb’s work continues to be informed by inputs from our local host community as well as Washington, D.C. officials, Metro Police and Members of Congress throughout this week,” reads the press release. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked folks not to travel to DC for the inauguration, out of fear of a repeat of last week’s violent events, and there are reports that as many as 15,000 National Guard members could be deployed to the city that week.
Additionally, as the names of pro-Trump insurrectionists who participated in last week’s attack have been released, Airbnb has investigated whether they have an account, says the press release, and suspended them if so.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
