Cash Award: 5 Feedback/Reviews Awarded $5 Each. No Awards Remaining.
Unlocking unique spaces worldwide!
List, discover, and book unique spaces around the world.
Called the “Ebay for space” by Time Magazine, Airbnb is an online marketplace allowing anyone from private residents to commercial properties to rent out their extra space, from a night to a year. The reputation-based site allows for user reviews, verification, and secure online transactions. Listings include vacation rentals, private rooms, entire apartments, bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, castles, treehouses, and many other traditional and non-traditional accommodations.
The open platform allows users to post listings of their space. Prospective travelers can search by city or country, utilizing filters such as price and room type to find exactly what suits their needs. Travelers contact hosts directly through the web site, which includes user profiles and friend recommendations. Dates are confirmed through on-site messaging, and the traveler books directly online using their credit card or PayPal account. Hosts receive a reservation request which they can accept or decline. Both parties then receive an itinerary on accepted reservations, and are set to go.
- Visit Airbnb.com
- Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about?
- Now go back to the site and comment on various elements of the site. What sticks out? What do you find bothersome? What do you like?
- Imagine you are planning a vacation and find a place to stay? How was the search process?
- Were you able to find anything within your price range?
- How do you think the site compares to other accommodation providers (pricewise)?
- Please share any additional feedback/comments you might have.
Cash Award: 5 Feedback/Reviews Awarded $5 Each. No Awards Remaining.
I was very impressed by the comfortable feeling home page. The easy to use search utility made it very quick and easy to find available locations to stay. The site was very warm and inviting. The ability to also offer rooms to rent out was also very interesting as well.
This is the first time I have been to this site. Just a quick scan of the site shows that it offers “personal rentals”. In other words, it is more like “Couchsurfing” (allowing rentals from ‘real’ people) but the owners actually get paid and the renters get a full room.
I like the very simple, clean interface of the site. The question on the search box “Where are you going?” summarizes the whole purpose of the site and it’s value proposition. Nice pictures on top right of the homepage. However, I found some of the rentals rather expensive, given the service is all about “personal rentals”. After digging around a bit, however, I was able to find a few really good deals in Las Vegas.
The search process was very easy and the results were relevant. Particularly useful were the reviews of the rentals/owners. As I was browsing around the site, I found myself looking only into listings with reviews.
There were many listings (some were even in a very high price range) but did not have any pictures. I don’t think anyone would want to rent a place without seeing the pictures. In my opinion, these listings should not be added to the site (or at least require a mandatory inclusion of 1 photo).
This was also my first time visiting this site. I could tell right away it was a vacation/rental site.
To be completely honest, I loved the user interface for the results page. It is extremely easy to use and modern. Makes you want to keep searching. One thing I didnt like was the map on the right hand site, it looked to overcrowded, makes it kind of difficult to read where each location is.
The search process was right on point. The fact that you don’t have to fill in useless stuff in order to find that perfect place is even that much better. All I have to do is type in where I want to go and I will be provided with many options.
I actually did, simply because of the “Price” box/scale on the right hand side of the results page. It allows me to stay within my budget, without wasting time searching for that right one.
I mean every site has different prices. Some many be high some may be low, but in the end it’s the users choice on how much he can spend.
Things I would change on the site include; the description box on the location page. Looks unorganized, and overcrowded. The fact that the entire site is so clean and modern, the description box makes it look bad, also a bit too much flash, hard to load, many people might get frustrated and just leave the site.
Seeing the hompage, I immediately know it is a travel site. I am interested in the slidehow right off the bat and the website looks like it would be very user friendly. This meaning that the search is not complicated, there are plenty of options, and I would not be scared to keep exploring the site.
I went back and actually just typed in Guatemala. I liked that the search bar generates possible outcomes as you type. I did not even bother putting in a date span, just the country I was interested in and I like that there was not a fuss because I didn’t fill in the dates. The list of choices is presented very well. The Google map on the side is an A+. The List, Photo or Map viewing option is great. I tried moving the Price Range slider up to about $150 and it said “Your Search was a Little Too Specific”. I did not particularly like this answer, maybe a “Not Available in that Range” would make more sense??
I actually appreciate the “simplistic feel” if the website. I am an avid “onliner” and it felt nice not to have to try and de cipher every little aspect of the site before even considering moving on past the homepage. I already recommened the site to a friend who is looking to plan an affordable bachelorette party, so hopefully she gives it a thumbs up as well!
Hi,
The first thing I noticed about the site is that it looks legitimate. So often with online sites guests are fearful of scamming sites, or losing their money. With the NYTimes bit, and the reviewing element, I felt assured that this site was for real.
I also liked the featured homes – it draws attention to what customers can get through the site – without having to search for them at all! What a treat to go on, and see a gorgeous estate out West that I can stay in for just $150/night – talk about inspired travel.
I am a unique visitor in that I just recently used airbnb to book a trip in NYC (first time using it). I found the process incredible easy, rewarding, and fun! I showed everyone at my office, and they all shared the same sentiments. What a cool experience, and finally – something new!
I was traveling on a budget and was very easily able to find many options within my budget and with all the ammenities I’d hoped for. I even began mapping out trips for my friends and I to take at a later time (4 bedroom, NYC loft, $250/night) – and sent it to them saying “we’re doing this soon, get ready”. It’s just such a fun idea, and it allows those looking for specific needs, or within a specific price range, to find alternatives to drab and boring hotels.
This site offers the best pricing I’ve seen – even when compared to Priceline, Orbitz, ect. – well, there really is no comparison… airbnb trumps all. I loved it, it felt secure, legitimate, and fun. I hope the word spreads, because my travel has become better as a result of airbnb.
Thanks!
I like how you have on the first page where you can put in the place you want to go to and you can put in the day your checking in and checking out.
I was also pleased when I put in the place that I wanted to go to like Florida and it showed a number of stays you could choose from.
Overall I thought the search process was pretty fast and I also like how you can put in the number of guests you want to bring along. This is a site I
This is a site I would probably come back to in the future.
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When I see it I think it helps you find a hotel (message “Find a place to stay”)
Sticks out: Search, Publish
I like the minimalist design and the nice pictures shown, it gives me the impression that I will find a nice place to stay.
I could easily find something within my price range.
I normally travelled to hostels so I think prices here are competitive yet some seem quite expensive. I think a sort by price is missing or I did not find it.
Loved the design of your home page. You have kept it simple but it sells your point. 2 suggestions I would like to make is:
1. Put an about link(similar to the footer) in the header section too.
2. Could make your logo more prominent
Your search is good, liked the suggest. Maybe you can also give an advance search feature for people who would like to search based on more categories. It would also be nice if the list displayed after searching contained the number of accommodations that were available for each listing before we click on the details.
Likewise I also liked the similar listing feature is also pretty neat.
You could also consider a share button(twitter, fb etc) for the listings.
All in all I found the design to be pleasing and apt in context of the website
I liked the design of each & every page
Spend no more than 5-10 seconds on the home page. What do you think the site is about? My immediate impression of the website is that it offers vacation room rentals to anyone searching for a place to stay during their visit of a certain destination.
Now go back to the site and comment on various elements of the site. What sticks out? What do you find bothersome? What do you like? What clearly sticks out to me is the scenic pictures that are being displayed on the right side of my screen. It is very enticing. I think the home page is extremely easy to navigate and clearly user friendly. I like the fact that I can list a place or find a place in a few easy steps.
Imagine you are planning a vacation and find a place to stay? How was the search process? So, I entered in Nashville, TN, just to see what popped up in the search. It was amazing to me that I could stay in virtually any environment that I chose. I could easily find a cheap cozy room to rent, or a more expensive room to rent. The prices were all clearly listed with a very descriptive tour of the room. The process was extremely easy.
Were you able to find anything within your price range? Oh, absolutely. I could find a small bedroom for as low as $15.00 a night or a a very scenic room for $120.00. I appreciate the wide gap in the price range which should work for people of all walks of life.
How do you think the site compares to other accommodation providers (pricewise)? I think this site is very competitive. The prices are well within reason for anyone in search of a place to stay. One can plan an expensive night out to a quick inexpensive one night layover.
Additional Feedback: Really I am amazed at the simplicity of this site. I will definitely use this site for future arrangements while traveling.
I also appreciate the information contained in the “Contact” tab.
As far as i can see, this site is really well accomodating.
all the features are really nice and well elegant.
As you pay for your stay, you will never fell regret because it’s totally beautiful to stay in.
It really catches the flavor of the customer.
All the designs of the room are very comfortable,
it will surely give you a relaxing ambiance too.
to sum it up, it’s really awesome.
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