When Airbnb exploded in popularity in the 2010s, it felt like the perfect option for travelers, whether you were booking a getaway with friends or coordinating a family reunion. In 2024, after years of regulatory battles, fee increases, and several Airbnb-inspired horror movies, it’s still plenty useful, but it’s fair to say that our national love affair with the online rental marketplace isn’t what it once was. A hilarious March 3 Saturday Night Live commercial parody certainly took a clear-eyed look at what your lodging budget really gets you (plus cleaning costs!).
“Airbnb Design Commercial” stars March 3 Host Sydney Sweeney and Season 49 cast member Chloe Troast as the creative minds behind every Airbnb you’ve ever stayed in. Yes, the decor is sterile, and the space manages to somehow feel less personal than a hotel. But that’s totally on purpose.
“Bland. Generic. Downright uninviting. If these are the vibes you’re going for, then we’re your girls,” Troast’s blonde-wigged designer Chanel intones.
“Because we’re the nation’s number one interior designers—for Airbnbs,” Sweeney’s near-identical character, also named Chanel, chimes in.
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SNL‘s “Airbnb Design Commercial” explains why every rental looks the same
Finally, an explanation for why almost every Airbnb you’ve ever seen has the same near-bare white walls, factory-produced “art,” and ample word-forward decor. (The two-font “Lives Matter” sign on the wall is an especially great detail.)
“Together, we can make your rentals pop with plain furniture and art for nobody,” Troast’s Chanel says, speaking over the upbeat royalty-free electronic music that soundtracks so many YouTube videos (are they the musical equivalent of Airbnb decor?). Art like: “Albert Einstein with his tongue out. Black-and-white child holding red balloon. And of course, a single unsettling photo of the family that actually lives here.” So cozy!
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“Why stay in a hotel when for basically the same amount of money, you can stay in a place with worse sheets and a camera in the toilet?” Sounds like we’re not the only ones who’ve seen those vacation rental horror movies.
See the “Airbnb Design Commercial” above, and don’t miss Saturday Night Live on NBC, streaming the next day on Peacock.
