Airbnb Unveils New Airbnb Rooms Plus Over 50 New Features

If you’re anything like me, you probably use the Airbnb app more than you use traditional hotels! Honestly, Airbnb has been a lifesaver during many of my spontaneous trips and unexpected 2-day layovers in Madrid (More on that another time). So, when I heard that Airbnb had the all-new Airbnb Rooms, plus a ton of new features, coming this summer, I was all ears. 

This year, Airbnb is expecting over 300 million guest arrivals, since traveling and the need for accommodations are clearly going up every year after the pandemic. And to prepare for this, they are introducing an extensive list of major improvements to be introduced this year, including the new Airbnb Rooms. Airbnb Rooms, a new take on the original Airbnb, will include 50 new features that will undoubtedly enhance the experience of their guests and hosts!

“With Airbnb Rooms, we’re getting back to the idea that started it all – back to our founding ethos of sharing,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO, Brian Chesky, in their recent press release. “Airbnb Rooms are often more affordable than hotels, and they’re the most authentic way to experience a city. This is the soul of Airbnb.”

Airbnb Rooms

With over 80% percent of Airbnb’s rooms being under $100/night (my room in Madrid was $29/night!), it’s no wonder that they’ve been popular with people traveling on a budget for a while. And after years of being isolated during the pandemic, people have begun looking for ways to connect with people and have authentic experiences. Airbnb is a great way to meet and connect with someone new – a Host – and experience the area you’re visiting from the perspective of a local. But, in order to do that, they have to feel safe and comfortable with the Host. 

To address their guests’ request to know more about the Host they will be staying with, Airbnb is launching Airbnb Rooms, which will include Host Passports and a new Rooms category with over 1 million listings, in addition to other new privacy features and redesigned filters. 

Here’s a breakdown of what the Airbnb Rooms feature will include: 

• Host Passport – Exclusive to Airbnb Rooms, the Host Passport helps you get to know your Host before booking your stay. Simply tap the Host Passport to view a larger photo and details Hosts have shared about themselves, including where they went to school, what they do for work, fun facts about themselves, and much more.

• Airbnb Rooms category – Airbnb Rooms are easy to discover, with a new category featuring a curated set of 1 million private bedrooms. Listings include access to shared spaces, like the kitchen, living room, or backyard.

• Redesigned filters – Airbnb has redesigned the “type of place” filter to make it easy to switch between Airbnb Rooms, entire homes, or all types of places. It’s simple to view the average price for each type of place with an enhanced price filter that updates based on your choice.

• New privacy features – All Airbnb Rooms will clearly indicate if the bedroom door has a lock. The listing page also shows whether the bathrooms are shared or private and whether people other than the Host will be in the home during your stay.

Features and Upgrades Based on Guest Feedback

Airbnb has created new features designed to address the feedback of guests. To do this, they have gone back and literally storyboarded their guests’ experience from sign-up, to check-in, to check-out, and every step in between. They’ve also included a large number of analyzed customer service tickets from guests, social media posts, and spoke with hundreds of guests personally about their experiences. 

“Millions of people have given us feedback on how to improve Airbnb, and we’ve listened,” said Brian Chesky. “Now, we’re introducing the most extensive set of updates ever. Our design-driven approach means we’re always making Airbnb better, and our over 50 new features and upgrades are just the beginning. We will never stop improving Airbnb.”

Here are just a few of the new features guests will have to look forward to: 

• Total price display – Guests can view the total price with fees, before taxes, across the entire app including in search results, price filters, maps, and listing pages.

• Transparent checkout instructions – Guests can now view checkout instructions on the listing page before booking, and they’ll receive a reminder before they leave the home. During the review process, guests can tell Airbnb about any excessive requests. And listings with repeated low ratings from unreasonable chores will be removed from the app.

• Improved maps – Used by more than 80 percent of guests, Airbnb has updated maps with faster performance, persistent pins when zooming and panning, and more results when searching.

• Redesigned wishlists – Wishlists now include a redesigned interface, one-tap saving, and an improved calendar that shows the availability of wish-listed homes. Guests can also add notes to any wish-listed listing which makes it easier to remember why they loved it.

• Simpler and more affordable monthly stays – For stays over three months, they’ve significantly reduced the guest service fee after the third month. Guests in the US can also save for stays over one month when paying with their linked bank account. And when searching, the new Months tab features an all-new interface that makes it easy to dial in a range from 1-12 months.

• Priority customer service on a trip – Airbnb has now created a dedicated 24/7 support team for priority access when you’re on a trip, with the goal of answering 90% of calls in English in two minutes or less.

• Pay over time – Through a new partnership with Klarna, guests in the US and Canada can apply to pay for stays in four interest-free installments over six weeks. For bookings over $500, guests can apply to pay monthly (US only). More countries will be added throughout the year.

• Instant rebooking credit – If a Host cancels within 30 days of arrival, most guests will receive an instant credit that can be used to rebook another stay immediately.

As part of the 50+ new features and upgrades, Airbnb has launched 25 improvements for Hosts, including new pricing tools to help Hosts set competitive prices, easily add weekly and monthly discounts, and compare their listings to similar ones in their area. They’re also including a yearly view in the calendar, the ability to easily enter checkout instructions, read receipts and new quick replies in messaging, and more! 

Rollout of the new features started on May 3rd, and Hosts and guests are now able to enjoy the features. 

I must say, as a pretty frequent Airbnb guest, I find the new additions and features to be quite exciting! I can’t wait to utilize them and enhance my next trip. Maybe I’ll let you know how it all goes. 

For more information on the latest updates, please visit www.airbnb.com/release.