RANT!
The generic non identifying incredibly bland desription is just another thing to complain about with this Summer Release.
Travelers should be told more than just:
- Number of Beds
- Number of Bedrooms
This new release is leaving out important critical information, ....even at it's most basic...
1. The number of bathrooms in the house should be included in basic information.
- A house is much more desirable by having more bathrooms.
- For example: a house with 4 bedrooms and one bathroom is in no way nearly as desirable nor rentable as a house with 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, nor should it be priced comparitively.
- By not showing number of bathrooms, an important piece of information is eliminated so that the traveler can not compare apples to apples.
- This change panders to the lowest common denominator, and probably was meant to do so.
- This goal is likely meant to drive all rates down and to promote, and convert, the lowest priced properties, but instead this strategy will probably drive the more desirable properties over to VRBO, so they don't have to compete with lesser quality homes with the same price range.
2. Maximum number of Guests allowed in the house should be shown right upfront.
- A traveler should be made aware at first glance, the maximum number of people allowed....because travelers often underestimate, or put in fake numbers and then add bodies later.
- Many towns and cities have regulations stating the maximum number of guests allowed. This is the very first thing a traveler should know, so that towns do not turn against rowdy and overstuffed STR's and so that Owners / Hosts don't lose their rental permit.
- A king bed is not the same as a cot, or a sleep sofa, but all are considered "beds". This is purposely meant to be deceptive to the consumer, again, in order to make lesser houses appear equal to better homes.
* This update was obviously released on a timetable, and was not fully fleshed out nor thought through. No company is all powerfrul...many great companes lose the lead in their industry and some have even disappeared entirely. Remember....Blockbuster? K-mart? Sears? How about a lesson from Coca-Cola on making a critical wrong move? ( changing the formula). What happened to the dominance of aol....?....didn't yahoo once lead the pack? Before the iphone everyone was devoted to a Blackberry....even called "CrackBerry". AirBnb is not infallible.
