I thought I would share this update… It appears that our feedback is helping. Airbnb did an update recently and, as I hear it, has another bigger update planned for July 6.
Today when I searched both in the app and on the website, once you enter a location the categories disappear. The map no longer zooms out to show far flung places. However, if you try to use categories you have to position the map where you want it, as entering a location will remove categories from view.
I don’t know if it will stay that way, but at least in my market they are mostly gone now.
The default to a week long stay at some random time in the future is still happening. I continue to think this confuses guests and makes them think the week shown is the only week that property has available.
For instance, starting in September we have no bookings, yet Airbnb randomly chose to show February 2-9 as our week available. To change the dates from what it randomly selected it takes you to a booking page, which if I were a guest I would be concerned that I was booking those actual dates. It would not occur to me to try and change them in that screen.
This function could be improved by making it more obvious how to change the dates and making it clear why that particular week was chosen or just go back to the way it used to work and not select any dates at all so guests can easily see what the property has available without feeling like they are going make a mistake and book.
