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(CNN) — With coronavirus spreading across the globe, thousands of travelers have called off plans for vacations, work trips and family visits.Responding to travel bans and a surge of requests for cancellations, the short-term rental platform Airbnb is offering unprecedented flexibility to delete bookings without penalties. When the policy was announced, some owners of short-term rentals saw their vacation-rental calendars wiped clean.As Airbnb has expanded its cancellation policies related to the Covid-19 pandemic, hosts like White have lost a significant source of income. On Monday, the company responded to some of those host concerns with the announcement of a $250 million Host Relief Fund to cover some costs of coronavirus cancellations. The reimbursements are funded by Airbnb, and will go to hosts with qualifying cancellations, paying 25% of what they would normally receive from a canceled booking.The best quarantine experience of your life?It’s a great view from Richard White’s rental condo at Carolina Beach.Jen Rose SmithConfronting the sudden and still significant income loss, some hosts are working to accommodate the changing face of travel during coronavirus. Even as more states issue stay-at-home orders, they’re tweaking listings with a speed that showcases just how nimble the gig economy can be.Those coronavirus-ready listings reflect the varied ways small businesses are reacting to news of the global pandemic. Others saw an opportunity to offer well-appointed getaways for guests looking to self-quarantine in comfort.”Escape from the boring and change up your environment to have the best quarantine experience of your life,” wrote a host in Cathedral City, California, in a listing inviting guests to “quarantine in style for 50% off.” (The listing has been changed to be more generic.)A 5-bedroom house located near Palm Springs, the now-discounted listing offers optional perks including a grocery-delivery service, private yoga classes, a private chef and private massage. The California property also highlights an enhanced cleaning protocol, which now makes use of an alcohol-based disinfectant. Cleanliness is a theme echoed in other listings, as well, such as a two-bedroom apartment in Nashville, Tennessee that was titled the “Perfect Self-Quarantine.” (It’s also since been edited.)Along with photos of two bedrooms and two fold-out sofas, the listing features official-looking checklists touting “Medical Grade Decontamination,” and cleaning protocols reflecting CDC recommendations. Airbnb itself has provided hosts with recommended cleaning practices, which include meticulous, labor-intensive steps to protect both guests and cleaners from the virus. Where the gig economy meets local bansThe Carolina Beach city council has banned short-term vacation rentals in light of coronavirus. Jen Rose SmithBut even the gig-economy hustle of short-term rental hosts can’t overcome local rulings banning short-term rentals altogether. In Carolina Beach, Richard White saw his remaining bookings disappear when the town council announced on March 24 that any rentals with terms of fewer than 90 days would need to be vacated by March 27. (The town made an exemption for renters providing essential services related to Covid-19.)”The town made the right call in shutting down the rentals,” says White. “Our feeling from the beginning was that everyone should be isolating, and staying at home and staying in place on their own to help, and that’s what we’ve been doing.” Even so, White faces a major income loss. And Carolina Beach Mayor LeAnn Pierce understands the challenges faced by owners of vacation rentals as the community closes its doors. “In 25 years of business, we have been through hurricanes and all kinds of things, but I’ve never had to lay off all my [hotel] employees like I did last week,” says Pierce, who owns the town’s Drifter’s Reef Hotel.As Pierce watched news of the spreading coronavirus, though, she was concerned by a surge of phone calls she received from people from across the country deciding they’d rather quarantine at the beach.”My council believes that the only way to defeat the virus is to flatten the curve, and we’re following the CDC guidelines,” says Pierce. “We’re 6,500 year-round people in our community, and in the summertime we get 30-40,000. We can’t manage that number of people in a pandemic.” ‘We ask you to respect our community’Carolina Beach isn’t the only vacation destination hoping to stem the flow of outsiders. Recent days have seen a series of bans and recommendations that are disrupting the ability of short-term rental owners to bring in income. Vermont Governor Phil Scott ordered all lodging, including hotels, Airbnb rentals and campgrounds, to suspend operations on Monday, allowing guests to finish their stays. His order allows new bookings only for essential workers and at state direction (for people in quarantine or who may be homeless.)In a live-stream briefing on March 27, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that stays in vacation rentals across the entire state would be suspended for two weeks. (The ban does not apply to travelers already staying in a vacation rental.)In Mono County, California, where travelers come to ski at Mammoth Mountain or hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the health department announced on March 21 that short-term lodging facilities could only be used to house essential workers, or for measures contributing to coronavirus mitigation and containment efforts. The same week, the Mono County town of Mammoth Lakes asked outsiders to stay away entirely. “As a small, remote mountain community our healthcare facilities lack the capacity to handle a widespread outbreak of COVID-19,” said the announcement on the town website. The desert communities of Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, popular as getaways for vacationers from Los Angeles, made similar decisions. On March 25, the City of Palm Springs released a statement that vacation rentals, hotels and home shares could only be used for purposes related to the mitigation and containment of coronavirus. The city directed that all bookings through April 20 be immediately canceled. “Residents of other communities need to stay at home where they live,” said Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors in his statement, “so as not to add to the spread of the virus in the Coachella Valley, endangering our residents, frontline workers and local healthcare system.” The economic impact on short-term rental hostsRichard White, the Carolina Beach rental host, works in the film industry, but the rent from his four rental condos is key to his livelihood. In 2018, he says, rentals provided the bulk of his income. “We’re in a situation where the film job I had shut down,” says White. “And now the rentals are all shut down.” Like White, many Airbnb hosts are wondering how to cope with the unexpected shortfall, which could be significant. The loss of that income could strain already-tight budgets. In a recent survey conducted by Airbnb, 53% of responding hosts said short-term rental income helped them stay in their homes; 49% said they host on Airbnb to make ends meet. “Right now, none of us knows what the future holds,” says White. “There’s a misconception that Airbnb hosts are these big businesses. But we’re just regular people trying to make a living.” A $250 million relief fundIn addition to the $250 million Host Relief Fund announced on March 30, Airbnb created a $10 million Superhost Relief Fund, offering grants of up to $5,000 for hosts who rent their own homes and need help making rent or mortgage payments. (This fund only applies to top-rated Superhosts, and some Experience hosts.)Bookings with check-in dates from March 14 through May 31 qualify for the special reimbursement, as long as the reservation was canceled due to coronavirus. The policy applies retroactively, and payments will be issued starting in April.Guests benefit from the updated policies, as well. Airbnb is extending penalty-free cancellations through May 31 for bookings made before March 14. (A previous policy extended to April 14.)The company hopes the changes will help repair damaged relationships with hosts following several chaotic weeks in the travel industry.”We have heard from you and we know we could have been better partners,” wrote Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky in a letter to hosts released on March 30. “What you need are actions from us to help, not just words.”

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(CNN) — The plan to move to France had been in the works for months. We bit the bullet and quit our jobs, packed our poky London flat into boxes, and then watched the world come crashing down around us.When France went into coronavirus “confinement” we decided to move, fast. My French boyfriend and I scrambled out of London hours after Boris Johnson announced the UK would impose its own lockdown to curb the spread of the virus.Fortunately, very few people had the same foolish idea to flee the UK that morning, and we were able to keep a ridiculously safe distance from our fellow Eurostar passengers.Still, we knew the risk we were taking. I wasn’t even sure if I, a dual British-South African citizen, would get past border control. (I did, but it took some convincing.)Before we knew it, we were spat out at Paris Gare Du Nord, and stood squinting in the spring sunshine at the empty streets, bars and restaurants as we waited for a taxi to take us to a friend’s apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt.Arriving at an unusually quiet Gare du Nord.Katy Scott/CNNFrance, like many other countries around the world, has entered a stringent lockdown and ordered residents to stay indoors. Any non-essential outing can draw a fine of up to €200 ($210).It’s easy to forget you’re in a completely new city when you’re confined to an apartment. We had grand plans in a pre-coronavirus world to visit new neighborhoods and get a feel for them before deciding where to settle. Now we need a signed and dated permission form — or “attestation” — to leave the house once a day, and can’t venture farther than one kilometer in any which direction, for no longer than an hour.Instead of people-watching from the street-side terrace of a quaint cafe, I now catch a glimpse of the outside world each evening at 8 p.m. when my neighbors throw open their doors and windows to clap for the health workers fighting this deadly virus. Sunning on my little balcony.Katy Scott/CNNIt’s the highlight of my day, this show of solidarity. I race onto our little balcony and make eye contact with a little kid standing on his kitchen counter, banging on a pot with a wooden spoon, and a young man cheering in his Batman dressing gown from his balcony. For two whole minutes I feel part of this little pocket of Paris.When cabin fever began to take its toll, I plotted the one-kilometer radius around our apartment to see how far I could possibly go, painstakingly wrote out my permission slip indicating my reason for going outdoors to exercise, and set off to explore my new ‘hood.Within one kilometer I found a lovely little path along the Seine where I could peer into the empty “péniches” (houseboats) as I passed. Crossing the river I spied the remnants of a Renault factory, which once covered almost an entire island on the Seine. A view down my deserted street.Katy Scott/CNNWhile there are a handful of people out, the only real noise I hear is the wail of ambulances in the distance — a sobering reminder of the eerie world we are living in.I use another permission slip a few days later to go to the boulangerie and corner store. I love grocery shopping when visiting new cities almost more than I do going out for meals because I’m always enchanted by the array of goods on offer. This time I did not dawdle.There’s suspicion in everyone’s eyes, and awkward shuffling as we try to keep a safe distance. No one is greeting one another in the streets, not a “bise” between friends or a “bonjour” between strangers. It’s cold and strange, but reassuring that people are not taking this lockdown lightly.It’s looking like we’ll be anchored here for some time and I’ve slowly coming to terms with that. I’m fortunate to be in Paris, and in good health, and have the rest of my life ahead of me to explore this city.So, for now I’m staying indoors as I much as I can bear, and will continue to live vicariously from my balcony, waiting until 8 p.m. each evening to clap along with Batman and my pot-banging buddy.

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Editor’s Note — CNN’s series often carry sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Our sponsorship policy.(CNN) — On Asia’s 50 best restaurants list, updated annually, most of the top spots are usually awarded to upscale restaurants in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.And this year was no exception. On March 24, the Oscars of fine dining in Asia saw swanky Singaporean restaurant Odette clinch first place for the second year running. But edging its way toward the top 10 is New Delhi-based Indian Accent — one of only two restaurants in India to make the list and the only one in the top half, coming in at number 13 this year. Launched in 2009 by acclaimed chef Manish Mehrotra, the restaurant is celebrated for its reinterpretations of Indian classics like puri, paneer, and spicy Goan curry. One of Mehrotra’s signature dishes is a coin-sized piece of naan bread stuffed with melted blue cheese.Mehrotra began developing his concept for Indian Accent over a decade ago while working as a chef in London, where popular Indian classics like naan and chicken tikka masala can be found at eateries throughout the city.The chef, now 46 years old, wanted to show the world that Indian food could be much more complex than simple curries. “I don’t want to give a new identity to Indian food,” Mehrotra tells CNN Travel. “We just want to tell people that there is more to Indian food than what they know about.” Medu vadai, or doughnut shaped fritters from South India, is one such dish he is keen to share. They’re are presented on top of a banana leaf, as per tradition, but are made from tofu rather than lentil. The rings are lightly dusted with a spice mix he calls ‘gunpowder’ and served with colorful quenelles of baked beetroot and lentil chutney. The manicured plates, often served as part of a tasting menu, are a clear departure from the family style dishes shared at many Indian restaurants.”There were few restaurants which were doing high end Indian food,” says Mehrotra. “I wanted to do my version of high end Indian food.”Situated inside The Lodhi Hotel, the restaurant is decorated in a smart, modern style and seats 120 diners. The cocktail bar is a standout feature — it’s latticed cabinets are lit up in a warm amber glow.Relative to other restaurants in New Delhi, Indian Accent is not cheap. The chef’s tasting menu is an eight-course meal that starts at 3,900 rupees (around $53). Compared to many other restaurants on the 50 best list, however, it’s a steal. Nonetheless, when it first opened, Mehrotra says many felt his menu was too upmarket and overpriced. “Almost 10 and a half years back, this was something very new to this country… people were bit skeptical about it,” he says. But over time, Mehrotra’s restaurant won over customers and critics alike. He’s received numerous awards and Indian Accent is now one of New Delhi’s hottest spots to eat and be seen. Recent guests include Priyanka Chopra and Bollywood actress Azmi Shabana. “Manish Mehrotra is India’s greatest modern chef,” says Vir Shangvhi, author and television host, in a 2017 review of Indian Accent.The success of the New Delhi restaurant has led to openings of Indian Accent in New York and London — both of which have been received favorably. For Mehrotra, the most important thing is the food. He just hopes more customers continue exploring the regional spices and delicacies of India. “This is Indian cuisine done in a different way,” says Mehrotra. “It is taking the world along with us and moving forward.”Indian Accent, The Lodhi, Lodhi Road, New Delhi; +91 11 6617 5151

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(CNN) — There isn’t a big market for travel accessories right now, but a new concept by product designer Danielle Baskin seems perfectly suited to this time of refuge and reflection. She’s created “stained glass” films that fit onto airplane windows, transforming the cabin interior into something altogether more spiritual. “At the time I thought of stained glass airplane windows, coronavirus was just beginning to spread globally and many flights were still in operation,” she tells CNN Travel.”I thought this object would be a way to transform your plane into a place of prayer if you’re afraid of getting sick.” Colorful ray of inspirationIt’s made from a flexible film that clings onto glass, so you can bring it rolled up in your carry-on, slap it on your window, and keep it fresh between uses with soap, water or disinfectant. It comes in five window sizes: Airbus A330, A350, Boeing 707-767, 777X and 787. “People who have ordered them said they’ll keep them on their home windows to remind them of future travel plans,” says Baskin. The A330 — at $25 and 9 inches by 23 inches, the smallest and cheapest of the window sizes — is already sold out. “It might take a while, but the next time humans fly again without worrying about getting sick will feel magical,” Baskin adds. Buy now, pray later. Danielle BaskinQuarantineChatIn the meantime, Baskin has other projects to raise the spirit in these troubled times. On March 1, she and her collaborator Max Hawkins launched QuarantineChat, a free app that randomly connects users with other housebound people around the world. While we’re familiar with the format from the Chatroulette craze of a decade ago, it’s an idea that’s really come into its own now that a third of the world’s population are living under coronavirus-related restrictions.”I’ve been matched with people all over the world — Berlin, Hiroshima, Dubai, Dijon, Madrid — and each call feels like I’m transported as I learn details about what they’re experiencing,” says Baskin. One of our prompts is “describe what’s outside your window” and hearing someone tell you what they see paints a vivid picture.”At a time of isolation, it’s a way to still connect with new people. “There’s a few people I’ve matched with who I’d totally visit if I was in their city,” she says.Most of us are finding that our WhatsApp groups are abuzz now that everyone is bored at home, while Zoom has risen to become the hottest video messaging system of the pandemic. One of Baskin’s other projects is the Virtual Background Awards, to reward innovation in this ears of virtual communications. Says Baskin, “I’m making projects like this because I hope that people find joy, humor, creativity, and new friendships even during these turbulent times.”

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(CNN) — The modern, luxury apartments in Switzerland don’t have a mini-bar — they have a big bar. They also have everything a social distancing guest could need: private gym, sauna, spa, kitchen, option for grocery delivery and very little human interaction.Le Bijou, a high-end Swiss hospitality company with 42 units in nine locations throughout Switzerland, recently launched a new package for guests in response to the coronavirus outbreak and the country’s lockdown.But while an added bonus for concerned guests — both locals who’ve quarantined themselves in one of the apartments and international visitors who find themselves stuck in a country with severely diminished hospitality facilities — the Covid-19 services on offer is just one of many perks of a stay at Le Bijou.Le Bijou operates like a modern luxury apartment with hotel amenities per the guest’s desire.Courtesy Le BijouGuests looking to heed social distancing guidelines and “stay home” can do so in the lap of luxury at the Swiss hotel-like apartment.Alexander Hübner, CEO and co-founder of Le Bijou, says they’ve always operated with a modern approach “using a lot of technology to reduce staff costs as much as possible,” something he says has proven even more beneficial to them at this moment in time.”[You] don’t need to interact with anyone you don’t want to,” Hübner adds, noting that while daily cleaning services come with the nightly price, it’s an option more and more guests are opting out of. Instead, with their grocery lists, procured by staff, they are also requesting cleaning supplies so they can maintain the temporary home themselves.In Switzerland, Le Bijou offers luxury apartment-like accommodations, which rely on modern technology for most of its operations.Courtesy Le BijouAnd temporary home is perhaps the best way to describe the current stays, which range from about 14 days to two months, says Hübner. Before coronavirus, the average stay was two or three nights.Hübner says when news of Covid-19’s presence in Europe was first realized, Le Bijou began providing additional options and services to guests. He and his team were paying attention to the coronavirus’ spread in China and Europe, but Hübner admits people were generally relaxed until it hit Italy. That’s when they doubled down and devised a service providing “something people actually need right now.”Enter Covid-19 services, a fully customizable stay with on-site coronavirus testing for symptomatic individuals and nurse care. Partnering with Double Check, an exclusive private health clinic in Switzerland, Le Bijou does not have an endless supply of tests, just enough for people demonstrating symptoms, according to Hübner. It’s unclear just how many tests they have or how long Le Bijou could run the Covid-19 package.Apartments have private gym areas, saunas and spas — allowing quarantined guests to sweat it out in private.Courtesy Le BijouBut for people stuck in Switzerland with funds to cover an extended luxury stay, it may be an attractive option.A medium-size apartment (100 square meters), like a “hotel suite,” says Hübner, would typically cost about $1,000 per night, but rates have dropped as travel has all but come to a screeching halt, and now, one of the medium-sized units can be had for $500-600 a night. The coronavirus test is an additional $500, which includes lab costs, related administration, the in-room doctor visit and results. Most of Switzerland’s five-star properties have closed their doors, but at Le Bijou, there’s luxury accommodation and health screening for the handful who can afford it. People who test positive, however, would likely be transferred to a hospital for care in a proper medical facility.

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(CNN) — Among global efforts to offer some light relief to the current crisis, bakers and chefs have been producing coronavirus-related dishes that are hopefully a lot tastier than the epidemic which has inspired them. In Hanoi, Vietnam, a chef at Pizza Home has created a coronavirus-themed burger.Hoang Tung says he dreamed up the burgers, which feature green-tea stained buns with tiny “crowns” designed to look like microscopic images of the virus, to take the fear out of the infectious disease.”We have this joke that if you are scared of something, you should eat it,” Tung told Reuters.’Corona burger’Chef Hoang Tung says he devised this coronavirus-shaped burger to try to take the fear away from the virus.Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images”That’s why the coronavirus isn’t scary any more after you eat a burger in the shape of the virus itself. That way of thinking spreads joy to others during this pandemic.”According to Reuters, the takeaway shop is currently selling around 50 of the burgers every day, which is particularly impressive considering the number of businesses that have been forced to close down as a result of the pandemic.In France, pastry chef and chocolatier Jean-François Pré opted to create coronavirus Easter eggs.The chocolate eggs, which have been painted black, are dotted with red painted almonds to replicate how the virus looks while viewed under a microscope.Pré told French language newspaper Le Telegramme he devised the eggs to bring some humor to the situation after growing “tired of hearing” about coronavirus.He began selling them at his shop in Landivisiau, which is located in Brittany, northwestern France, earlier this month, a few weeks before France went into lockdown.Toilet humor These toilet roll cakes from Schuerener Backparadies are going down well with customers. Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty ImagesMeanwhile in western Germany, the Schuerener Backparadies bakery has added two different coronavirus-themed creations to its selection.Not only can customers buy biscuit versions of the face mask emoji, the establishment, owned by Tim Kortuem, is also offering toilet roll shaped cakes.A nod to the well-documented toilet paper shortage that’s occurred across the world as consumers frantically buy up huge quantities, the marble cakes are wrapped in white fondant etched with tiny diamond shapes in the style of quilted toilet roll.The novel cakes were an instant hit with customers, and the team at the bakery, situated in the city of Dortmund in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia region, are currently making at least 200 a day.In fact, Kortuem told Reuters Television the toilet roll cakes are helping to keep the Schuerener Backparadies in business during these difficult times.”The customers are totally crazy about it,” he says. “Most people just like it as it adds some fun to these times.”Like France, and many countries around the world, Germany has imposed extensive restrictions and many non-essential businesses have been forced to close.However, restaurants and eateries that offer food delivery and pick-up are allowed to remain open.Fauci factorDr. Anthony Fauci doughnuts are now being sold at Donuts Delite in New York.Nick Semeraro/Donuts DeliteOver in the US, a New York doughnut shop has dedicated its latest offering to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force who’s won the public over with his straight-talking approach.The team at Donuts Delite in Rochester decided to make Fauci the “face” of one of its doughnuts as a way of lifting the mood.The team were impressed by Dr. Fauci’s handling of the situation so far. “We loved his message and how thorough he was, and how he kept everyone informed during the crisis … so we wanted to give back and say thanks.”According to Semeraro, the shop has sold thousands of the buttercream-frosted doughnut, which features Fauci’s face printed on edible paper, with customers asking for the treat to be sent to various cities and states.”We had no idea it was going to blow up this big,” he said. “We didn’t know everyone else felt the same way we did.”There’s no word on a coronavirus-themed pizza yet, but we suspect it won’t be far off.

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