[caption id="attachment_2523" align="aligncenter" width="610"]Airbnb Accommodation | Rio Olympics 2016 A deal with Airbnb means there is now a much wider choice for accommodation during the Rio Olympics 2016 / Source[/caption] The accommodation options for the Rio Olympics in 2016 just got a whole lot wider. Airbnb has won a deal to provide an additional 20,000 rooms for the Summer Olympics next year. According to Reuters, the deal comes as Rio de Janeiro has been scrambling to increase the number of available beds for the incoming wave of athletes, support teams and spectators. The Silicon Valley start-up beat out two other providers, Hotel Urbano and Alugue Temporada, for the contract. Presumably this means Airbnb will become an official partner and sponsor for the games. Critics have listed a lack of hotel rooms as one of Rio's biggest challenges in the run-up to the games. The 2014 FIFA World Cup arguably laid the groundwork for this creative approach to increasing the number of beds available, with an estimated 100,000 people staying in Airbnb-listed accommodation in during this time. Airbnb has over 1 million listings worldwide, including some very weird and wonderful accommodation options ranging from rooms in castles, caravans, igloos, a windmill, a lighthouse and even an aeroplane. Rio de Janeiro is one of the fastest growing cities on the site, offering everything from upscale houses to low-budget rooms in favelas. Despite the large offering of rooms, travellers should remember that the demand is exceptionally high for the Olympics and are urged to book early. Browse the site's Rio 2016 wish list and start planning.

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