TL;DR: AirBnb no longers lets guests look at a map showing the location of different listings on the map (at least on desktop). Clicking into listings still lets you see location on a (small) map.
In the past few days we've gotten a huge uptick in guests asking how far we are from [insert destination]. We get a few like that per month, but it's rare, as we mention in our listing that Google Maps is a great way to find directions 😉
A friend gave me a head's up today that he was looking for an AirBnb in a different city, and couldn't search for listings on the map on AirBnb anymore.
Hopped on the computer, and found it to be true (logged in, no map button on the search results page; in an incognito window, there was a map on/off button, but it was dead). Called into AirBnb, and after going through some customer service scripts with the first person who answered, I got transferred to someone authorized to go off script. I was on hold for awhile as he got in touch with the tech folks, and it turns out that AirBnb has removed the ability for guests to search by location on a map (in desktop). The map functionality is kind've still there in app, but only if you know it was there and to click the unlabeled map button. 😐
Repeat: On the computer, guests can't say, "I'm going to X concert venue, so I'll look at the map and investigate the AirBnb listings closest to the venue." For Philadelphia, which has roughly 150,000 small neighborhoods, guests can narrow down search results by neighborhood, if they already happen to know the names of every small neighborhood in a city they've never visited. AirBnb confirmed this is not a glitch.
The supervisor I talked to agreed that this is bonkers, and told me that customer service got no notice about this. He gave me a feedback link that apparently actually goes somewhere (we'll see). If other hosts find this as crazy as I do, and are worried that guests will flee the platform if they can't find rooms in the locations they want, PLEASE call AirBnb.
TIPS for a successful call (probably 20 minutes start to finish, most of it on hold)
- Customer service will want your name *as it appears on your account* +
Email
Phone Number
Payout Method
and Payout Method Email
- Explain that you're a serious host who has made a serious investment in AirBnb's platform, and are concerned about a major policy change that you've just learned about.
- Explain that you've learned AirBnb has removed map functionality from guest searches on the desktop (not mobile) site.
** The customer service rep will likely NOT know about this and will tell you it's your browser. Be patient**
- Explain that you understand they haven't received notice about this yet, but that your friend who is also a host just got off the phone with a Customer Service Supervisor and that he was in contact with an AirBnb technical team who explained that this is not a glitch. (You're not lying, I'm a friend to all.) 🙂
- Ask to be transferred to a supervisor or team leader authorized to get in touch with a technical team to confirm that the loss of map functionality is intentional and not a device-or-browser-level glitch; let them know you'll be happy to hold.
- If they resist, respectfully and politely reiterate that you've invested a lot into the platform, and that you cannot continue to host without an explanation, beyond a scripted answer, for such a major policy level change that threatens your AirBnb business. (A lot of us prefer to present as homey folks instead of businesspeople, but AirBnb understands that they cannot risk folks' livelihood. If you have a lot of listings and/or a lot of reviews, share those numbers with the rep., and they'll have a better sense of how serious you are.)
- Explain above to supervisor.
- Ask supervisor to send you a feedback link specific to your account, or that you'll hold if he or she wants to get in touch with the AirBnb tech team to confirm.
- Send feedback.
