Airbnb presents dedicated Rooms category with more information on hosts

By clicking into the “host passport” in the bottom-left corner of each listing, guests can view the host’s ratings, reviews, interests, and job information, along with other information they choose to share such as pets or unique aspects of their home.

User can find out from a host's passport whether they have verified their identity, email address, and phone number with Airbnb. The platform also notes that every listing will contain information on whether the bedroom door has a lock, if bathrooms are shared or private, and whether guests will be sharing the home with anyone else.

The Rooms tab contains over one million private bedrooms, with 80% of rooms costing under $100 per night and an average price of around $67 per night. So, the update is part of Airbnb’s bid to offer a cheaper and more personal approach, with the company providing more transparent pricing information and improved filters that allow users to easily switch between Rooms, entire homes, and all listings.

Airbnb is also reducing its guest service fee for stays longer than three months, and users in the US and Canada can now pay for their stays in four interest-free payments over the course of six weeks via a partnership with buy now, pay later service Klarna.

The features will roll out this week, with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky saying the Rooms push will help the platform regain its “founding ethos of sharing.”