The Sunday Times reports the accommodation website is a frontrunner to buy the companies which have been put up for sale by owners Wyndham Worldwide Corporation.

It is believed that Airbnb is serious in its intent to buy the European division and is now up against private equity companies Blackstone and CVC Capital Partners in a bid to close the deal.

If successful, the deal will be the latest in a string of acquisitions which has seen it buy a number of tech companies as well as spending $300 million on Canadian villa rental company Luxury Retreats International.

Wyndham is selling off the European arm as it restructures its business into two new listed companies, Wyndham Hotel Group and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

Sources told The Sunday Times that while it might not want to do a deal with Airbnb, the San Francisco company could be the one to offer the best price.