100+ new tools, features, and upgrades based on feedback from our Host community

[Airbnb]

We believe that the biggest travel rebound in a century is coming, and we want to help you get ready for it! We’ve introduced more than 100 changes to the app, website, and Community Support to help you take advantage of this unique opportunity—and manage your day-to-day tasks more easily. 

Here are some of the most important changes:

• A more intuitive and consistent experience across the app and website
• A new homepage for Hosts called the Today tab 
• A faster, searchable inbox featuring new time-saving tools and features 
• An up-leveled Community Support team, as well as Dedicated Superhost Support 
• Automated Arrival Guides for guests 

You can read more details about what’s new here.

Have you already noticed changes in your tools? Which improvements are you most looking forward to?

Posted on Monday 24th May 2021

[Jennifer2682]

Thanks Delia! Champagne brunch sounds amazing, count me in! 🙂 Yes, that’s true, I had forgotten about that. I haven’t used it much, but sometimes my guests have had trouble finding the request. It would just be SO much easier to have some simple customizable checkboxes that guests can use as they are making their reservation. Hosts have been asking Airbnb for years and despite the many, many superfluous “upgrades”,  for whatever reason, Airbnb just hasn’t given us this one yet. Thought I’d throw it out there to them once again... 

Thanks for the help, though! Cheers! 

[Gail33]

vrbo and other platforms simply allows the guest to select the extra charge so the host does not have to follow up with a request.  Some guests don't follow thru and I have had to nudge them 2-3 times to "send the money".   Sometimes I give up.   It feels like Airbnb's attempt to discourage hosts from charging for extra services.  

[Rae541]

Chesky said explicitly that they were going to be looking into ways to encourage hosts to reduce their fees.  I think it would make more sense and set the right tone if he started with the company's fees.

[Ann489]

@Airbnb 

All fine and dandy, but I won't host with you again until I can see a photo of the potential guest, along with a full, real name like it used to be.  Transparency is a two-way street, Brian.

[Sharyn5]

I think some folks would use photos to discriminate based upon color, which is against the law.  

[Sarah977]

@Sharyn5  Some might, but I really think it would be a small percentage. It would be better for Airbnb to have an algorithm which picked up the number of declines a host made and compare it to the race of the guest, rather than hiding profile photos from all hosts. If they decline all Asian guests, or everyone with an Arabic sounding name, they'd get booted off the platform.

Hiding the photos does nothing to identify prejudiced hosts, it just prevents them from rejecting a guest based on their looks. 

There is also a flip side to hiding guest photos. I have read posts from guests who are in demographics that often experience discrimination, who say they would prefer that they got declined right off the bat from a prejudiced host. Not only would they not want to put a penny in that host's pocket, they don't want to arrive to find they get really bad vibes because they arrived with their same sex partner and plan to share the bed, or because of the color of their skin or because they wear a hijab.

[Sharyn5]

@Sarah977 , @Airbnb 

You make a good point or points.  Before they stopped showing photos I declined a fellow because I think men who take photos for something like this without a shirt on, are creepy.  He was also making some charlie manson type of face.  He was very surprised I would turn him down, but I told him why!  He thought he was being funny.  So, if they have a sure fire way to not allow racial discrimination, I'd much rather see a photo, and full names of all guests, while we're at it!

[Sarah977]

@Sharyn5  Exactly. I couldn't care less if a guest is attractive or ugly, fat or thin, what color their skin is, their sexual orientation, their religion, their nationality.

But the way someone presents themselves when expecting to be accepted into private homes says a lot about them. If they can't understand the difference between the appropriateness of an impression they are giving with a sexy, scantily clad photo on Instagram and that being something hosts will be okay with, there's likely other inappropriate behaviors they will think are fine.

Hosts have gotten photos with the guest holding a gun, giving a finger to the camera, looking totally wasted at a party, sitting in a chair with Hooters girls draped all over them. Uh-uh. No way am I hosting you.

[Richard-And-Linda1]

I prefer to communicate with my guests personally, welcome them individually, provide the basic info before they arrive.  Will Airbnb insist on hosts using the  automated arrival guide?  My guests appreciate hearing from us personally, it's part of who we are and what we love to do.

[Hal15]

I applaud Airbnb's proactive approach to hosting and guest improvements.  I would like to see Airbnb address more basic deficits, like the absence of anything addressing pets.  There is no way for guests to indicate their desire to bring a pet or for hosts to collect a pet fee.  Other listing sites, such as Vrbo, include these features.  

[Delia6]

@Hal15  @Airbnb 

I don’t understand the upset. Why not simply include a note in your description indicating pets are welcome with a prior request and additional fee of $$.  Then the guest needs to request and hosts can send a request for an additional fee?

It’s pretty simple. 

[Hal15]

Even when it is stated in the listing that there is a pet fee, guests don't like getting billed for additional money after they have paid online.  We don't accept credit cards for payment and this necessitates the guest mailing a check for the additional charge.  If this was included in the listing like Vrbo does, it would be simple and without issue.

[John5422]

Its impossible to get a real person on phone in my experience and the auto response is not responsive to keypad i.e press 1 for xyz system doesnt seem to recognise keypad !!!

[Gail33]

So I am playing with the new flexible "time" options for guest searches.

1. I love, love, love, the month selection. This is the best improvement thus far for those who want a long-term stay at a flexible time.

2. Discovered that the week selection shows openings for 5 days (not 7) which is really nice for hosts who have weekday openings but not weekends but is a bit misleading.

3. Really don't care for the weekend selection since I have a 3-night minimum in the summer so my listing never shows up.

Wish Airbnb would have requested host input before implementing the guest platform improvements. Looking forward to checking out the destination options.

[J-Renato0]

@Brian 

Congrats on the new tools and features.

Certainly it will improve the host and guests experience and It will bear fruit !!!

Thanks !