Bring back search by categories!

[Terri466]

I'm so frustrated as both a host and a traveler that the search by categories is no longer available.  Why or why remove that feature?!  

We host a glamping site - so folks found us when they wanted to camp. I've noticed my bookings through Airbnb are fewer this year than by other platforms such as Hipcamp.  

As a traveler, I specifically enjoy staying in treehouses - I am planning vacation now and am unable to find treehouses.  I'll have to use a different platform or just search the internet for websites and book directly.  

[Elegant-Homes-Retreat0]

Hi @Terri466,
Thank you for sharing your perspective—it's clear this change has had a real impact on both your hosting and travel experience.

The search by categories feature was genuinely helpful for highlighting unique stays like glamping, treehouses, and other special accommodations. Many hosts of niche properties have noticed a decline in visibility since its removal, and as guests, being able to search by experience made planning easier and more exciting.

@Airbnb, it would be great to hear whether there are plans to improve discoverability for unique stays again in the future. Features like this are what made the platform stand out, and they supported a wide range of hosts who offer more than just traditional lodging.

Thanks again for raising this topic respectfully, @Terri466—it's an important discussion for all of us in the community.

– @AryaStay

[Geoff7]

@Terri466 I agree with you on this. Personally I liked Categories - despite the fact that as i recall, it did have a bit of a rocky start. A lot of hosts in my area also like the categories. One suggestion that has come out recently which I really think is worth supporting, is that we should at least have a category for disability accessability - this is a group of guests who are often overlooked and find it hard to get the right type of accommodation for their needs.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Terri466 

I agree completely - the categories were excellent for us and for our guests. It was convenient and an attractive feature to quickly shop for matches and not have to sort through properties that were not at all what we were looking for. Now it is a mishmash again, and no longer a convenient, focused search. Our guests tell us that this was a feature they loved and now it is tedious to search without it. For me as a prospective guest, it is less efficient, and thus less respectful of my time. I miss it!

[Emilie · Accepted solution]

Hi, thank you for sharing your feedback with us on the recent update!

Airbnb has changed the homepage to make Experiences and Services available right upfront in the Airbnb app, and this new look enables the app to be more personalized for users. The search filter will now suggest homes, experiences and services nearby, in a destination that you’re booked to go to next. Airbnb will serve more relevant suggestions that are personalized for each guest. Guests will still be able to use filters to search for homes with specific amenities including pools, a waterfront location or accessibility features.

If you think certain filters would be valuable to add, such a treehouse or glamping as a type of property, you can let the team know directly using our feedback form: https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback

Thanks, 

Emilie

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Emilie 

It makes a huge difference to hosts and to guests, to be able easily to shop and find matches for unique stays that the category search provided. We are hearing complaints about them being gone, and it is no longer efficient for us and our many traveling friends to search and find what we are looking for in a stay. The categories were wonderful and well loved!  Such a loss, and imho not a very good business decision.

[Clifford79]

Airbnb will lose a lot of customers b/c of this change. They will start to gravitate to a new platform. Think about your customers, not making more money just for yourselves. The hosts have spent millions on their properties and now you can't find them through 'unique stays' b/c you took it away. Very bad business decision!

[Michele2419]

@Emilie As someone who uses air bnb all the time for trips, removing the wow factor homes is terrible! I'm looking for somewhere unique right now and can't find anything!! Please put that feature back. I have not even used the experiences or services on your site. And instead of removing something useful for 2 things less useful, why not keep the unique house search button so we can easily find unique stays? Like, have it there too, along with services and experiences? Taking away the wow factor homes and making me have to sit for HOURS looking and scrolling for what I want, when one click of unique places found it in minutes? Why would anyone want that?? Being the unique homes button back. Because you're going to start losing guests.

[Jennifer5367]

 this is not true. Before I would always look for cabins and treehouses, but now ive been trying to fond one for over 30 minutes and I can’t because it doesnt give me the option to filter cabins and treehouses. Bring back those filters please!!!

[Emilie]

@Jennifer5367 @Michele2419 I'm sorry to hear you're struggling to find the right fit for your next trip now! I would encourage you to share your comments directly with the team as well via this feedback form: https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback

[Ryan4260]

This change makes searching for unique homes less personalized. I get more general results instead of the specific style houses I like to rent. Bring bank categories, your algorithm is doing nothing to personalize my house searching experience. 

[Stacey584]

I agree with all the comments about this feature needing to be brought back. I submit this form as suggested by Emilie. Maybe if enough people do, the company will add something to the filters to allow users to search for unique stays.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback

[Joan2709]

@Terri466 

I would provide feedback to Airbnb as @Emilie suggests. Perhaps they can just add a section in the Filters that guests can use. Just add a section called Categories in the search filters:

[Erin122]

I hate that took those away too, that is how I booked all my places!!!!!!  Airbnb - why are you killing what was working????

[Laura8371]

After some frustrating time trying to find unique stays on Airbnb, I googled it and found this site.  It's absolutely horrible that they removed this filter!  My favorite stay was in a tee pee in a tree and now I'm looking for a boat house.  Airbnb just ruined everyone hosting a unique stay.  They invest all this money to do something cool and end up losing customers!  I'll just have to start my own platform and compete with Airbnb.