A small six-room guesthouse on the Isle of Portland has declared it will not retreat from a legal conflict with the tech giant Airbnb over the use of the three-letter abbreviation “bnb.” The property, known as bnb-side, is located on a limestone peninsula connected to the Dorset coast by a narrow shingle strip.
The establishment was founded with the specific goal of supporting the longevity of the local b-side arts festival, with its name serving as a direct reference to the event. In contrast, Airbnb, headquartered in San Francisco, views the term as integral to its global brand identity.
This confrontation highlights the tension between a local heritage-driven business and a Silicon Valley booking platform over intellectual property rights. The Dorset inn is resisting what it describes as Airbnb’s effort to monopolize the common acronym, maintaining that their usage is distinct and rooted in community arts support rather than commercial hospitality branding.
Love this for Portland. Supporting the arts festival while beating a Silicon Valley giant is the perfect combo.
Wait, is the name actually bnb-side? I thought it was just B&Bs. How does that trademark even work?
Does Airbnb really own ‘bnb’? That feels like claiming ownership of ‘hotel’ or ‘inn’. Absurd.
Finally, a David vs Goliath story that ends with David standing tall. Well done to the Dorset crew!