Airbnb Rooms: private rooms as a 'low cost' alternative to renting houses
The launch of Airbnb Rooms represents a return to the origins of the company. The goal is to make it easier for local residents to stay in empty rooms.
Vacation rental company Airbnb announced a series of changes to its platform in May, including more than 50 features and improvements, including a new take on the idea behind the booking platform. Airbnb Rooms is coming, offering the possibility of staying in the free rooms of local residents.
"In the current economic environment, people want to travel affordably. After years in isolation during the pandemic, they are looking for ways to connect with people and have authentic experiences," the company said in the press release. "Now is the perfect time to stay in a room in someone else's house."
The launch of Airbnb Rooms represents a return to the origins of the company. The goal is to make it easier to stay in the empty rooms of the owners, offering a more accessible way to travel.
Airbnb Rooms
Those who use Airbnb Rooms will have access to the "Host Passport", which includes details that hosts have shared about themselves, such as their educational and employment background.
"We're going back to the idea that started it all," says Chesky. "Airbnb rooms are often more affordable than hotels, and are the most authentic way to experience a city. This is the soul of Airbnb."
Airbnb was founded in 2007 by 3 men – CEO Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk – who came up with the idea of renting out air mattresses in their apartments as a cheap alternative to traditional hotels.
The new proposal is already reaping good results. Airbnb's top 5 "trending" destinations where the number of people staying in private rooms is increasing are Seoul (Korea), Melbourne (Australia), Warsaw (Poland), Sydney (Australia) and Florence (Italy).
More features on Airbnb
Among other changes, Airbnb has included 7 aimed at improving the guest experience, including better and faster maps and a redesign of guest wish lists. Listings will now include clearer and more transparent payment instructions, something customers have previously complained about.
The company has also partnered with the Klarna service, which allows guests from the United States and Canada to split the cost of their rentals into 4 interest-free installments over 6 weeks.
According to the announcement, the operation of long-term stays (more than a month) has also been modified, including adjustments in the rates that guests are charged for stays of more than 3 months.
