Airbnb 2022 Summer Release: What you need to know

[Airbnb]

Our 2022 Summer Release represents the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade. We’re introducing:

• Airbnb Categories: A new way to search that makes it easy for guests to discover millions of homes they never knew existed

• Split Stays: An innovative feature that pairs two listings when a guest searches for a longer stay

• AirCover: The most comprehensive protection in travel, included for free with every stay

Get all the details on the Resource Center, and tell us: Will you be updating your listing for Airbnb Categories and Split Stays? How will you update it?

[RoniSue0]

I didn’t realize this until I saw your comment. That is unacceptable. Getting anything less than 5 stars is so punished in Airbnb, it’s important for hosts’ number of reviews to show up, to be fairly compared with others! Hosts have to work hard to keep ratings high. The  number of reviews making up one’s rating is an important part of a reputation. I hope Airbnb fixes this soon. 

[Natasha-and-John0]

I have almost 1000 reviews. You can get 20 get reviews but one bad one destroys you. I’m extremely disappointed and have lost my job at Airbnb because of this flippant disregard for long standing hosts.

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

Imaging how i feel after 5 years of hard work being Superhost and AirbnbPlus…. 

[Huma0]

I'm confused RE the categories. When I search as a guest for London, no categories come up. When I change the search to United Kingdom, beachfront comes up but nothing else. When I preview my listings, there is no mention of any categories (perhaps this only shows in the searches?) so how do I even know if my listings have been put into any categories? Obviously, being in London, beachfront is not relevant, but what about the rest? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Huma0 You need to say you are flexible when you search. Then zoom the map into London.

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Ah, okay, I see. Thanks for the heads up.

However, that means that this tool is not useful to anyone wanting to go to a specific location? So, when Brian Chesky says he is searching for a place in France where he can also bring his dog, he can't actually search for those criteria and see the categories? Still confused...

[Gillian166]

ha! you are so right, i tried to emulate his search but it didn't work. @Huma0

also weird is that when i searched the globe for "historical homes" apparently the only country that has those is France.... 

FWIW i think the Split Stay thing is helpful but i can't see where it appears or how to ask for it to be applied. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Gillian166 Apparently Historical Homes is a legal definition in France hence why they re available there and nowhere else.

[Gillian166]

in French it might be, hardly likely "historic home" is protected in English. 🤷🏻‍♀️ oh well.

@Mike-And-Jane0 

[Mark4150]

Nonsense. Historical and protected homes exist across countries. You're telling me that staying at a Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia, a Roman structure built 1700 years ago wouldn't qualify as a historical home on Airbnb? 

[Sybe]

@Huma0 like @Mike-And-Jane0 mentioned, you have to select "I'm flexible" when choosing the location. Once the listings of that category appear, you can select "Show Map" and drag around the map if you want to look for a specific location. 

You can filter for amenities when on the category search as well. To do so, you can click on "Filters" in the top-right corner and scroll down to "Amenities". 

[Huma0]

@Sybe 

Thank you, but I agree with others that have said this is counterintuitive. I could be wrong and perhaps Airbnb has some substantial market research that proves the opposite, but I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of guests booking decide on location before anything else. Why would they even select "I'm flexible" to start with?

Sure, during lockdowns there might have been many armchair travellers browsing in this way, but when it comes to REAL travel, I'm guessing only a minority will click on "I'm flexible". I've hosted hundreds and hundreds of guests and I'm pretty confident that every single one had decided on London before they even looked at accommodation. I can only remember one who chose locations in a more flexible way, but that was based on cheap flight deals, so he still knew where he was going before he started looking at Airbnbs.

The article states: "When guests search for stays in a specific destination, they get results similar to before, in a category called All Homes. Now, they will also find additional categories based on that location, making it easy to discover incredible homes within, or just beyond, their search area."

But, as I mentioned before, when I search for London, no categories appear. Only when I broaden my search to the UK (useless for those specifically wanting to come to London), only beachfront comes up as a category (again useless for those headed to London). So, are we saying that none of the Airbnbs in London fit any of the categories and that none of the Airbnbs in the UK fit any category other than beachfront? Maybe I was just unluckly with the dates I put in, but it seems bizarre to me.

If this is the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade, then I'm afraid it's very disappointing.

[Huma0]

@Sybe 

And I also don't understand why the only historic homes are in France!

I noticed there is a category for 'shared homes'. Great! Homestay hosts have been asking for this forever.

But, and it's a big but, when I select this and zoom in on the map, there are hardly any shared homes showing up. In fact, I only see four south of the river in London. Four!!?? Bear in mind I am searching now with flexible dates.

I am not sure why these four as none of them are anything special. They are just basic private rooms in shared properties, as are all three of my listings which are not showing up. So, then I put in the filters that I want to stay one month and in October (when all three of my listings are available). Aha, then one of them magically appears on the map, but not the other two.

I'm pretty sure that all my listings are clearly categorised as being in a shared property, so what does it take to get them in this category? Why are none of the listings showing when I put in flexible dates? And yes, my amenities lists are up to date.

I should be upset to be excluded but, to be honest, I wonder how many guests are going to use this feature. I personally found it quite annoying.

[Sybe]

@Huma0 An update on the "Historic Homes" category:

This category only gives results in France as it's a legal requirement to classify the home as such under the Heritage Law.

There are of course many other countries that also have beautiful buildings constructed many years ago. If you'd like a similar category for your geo, e.g. "Listed Homes" for UK, you can make a suggestion here.

[Huma0]

@Sybe 

Thanks for looking into this. Okay, so that's a legal requirement in France, but it seems like common sense to include other countries in this category, as it's not a term that can only be applied to French properties. In the UK alone we have National Trust properties (not sure if any of these list accommodation on Airbnb though), Grade I Listed, Grade II Listed, Conservation areas and much more. I am sure that many countries have something similar.

I don't think it makes sense to have separate categories for each of them, especially ones as specific as Listed Homes in the UK. There are already so many categories that I think it is confusing enough for guests. Also, most guests from overseas might want to stay in historic homes in the UK, but not know what listed homes means and never click on it.

Historic homes is a broad term that would cover many of these. It would make much more sense to have relevant properties in other countries included in this category. What is Airbnb worried about, that the French will get upset if that category includes other countries? "Historic homes" is not a term owned by the French.

https://www.historic-uk.com/AccommodationGuide/