Airbnb announced its Winter 2022 release yesterday. There were some great host improvements1, but few enhancements for longer-term guests.
I’ve stayed 73 nights2 in Airbnbs so far this year. I’m grateful for it, but things can be better. Once you’re staying somewhere for a long time, the emphasis expands beyond where you stay to include how you live.
Here’s how Airbnb can make the experience better for longer-term stays:
Let you view a video walkthrough of a listing so you can really vet the place.
Provide you with a walkability score of the listing so you know what transportation may be necessary.
Make it easy to share your own place while you’re out to offset costs. This would integrate well with the newly announced Airbnb Setup.
Provide you Airbnb-vetted babysitting and childcare recommendations so parents can get a date and explore.
Give you the option to pay for additional cleanings via the host so the place is tidied during your stay.
Give you access to a nearby gym priced exactly for your stay’s length so you can get quality exercise. I hear Peloton has extra equipment!
These are all ideas that leverage Airbnb’s existing systems and the context they have about your trip. They will enable better preparation for the stay, the option for parents to actually explore and rejuvenate, and a cleaner and healthier experience. In turn, revenue per stay and guest loyalty to the Airbnb marketplace will increase.
Hope to see some of these soon!
The guest identity verification is huge to enhance safety and prevent property damage on the platform. Also the new checks on retaliatory reviews is also very valuable. Both seem designed to constrain the potential damage from bad actors.
Which is wild. My family clearly embodied the idea of post-covid revenge travel.