Roast or toast? New feature: find cheaper Airbnb alternatives

On Friday, we launched our newest feature: RatePunk is now available on Airbnb, and I really want to hear your, IH guys, feedback. ❗This update is still in its very first stages and is still being very actively tested❗ I want to see if it generates any traction and how users interact with it before diving in (like always, testing is the key). That’s exactly why I would like to know how the user experience seems to you.

The working principle is identical to the original extension: you choose the destination and dates, and the extension pops up after clicking on your wanted option.

What’s the purpose of this feature?

By offering similar properties or the same stay from OTAs (from now it’s only Booking, more coming later), we have 2 main goals we're working towards to by testing it now:

✅ Find the exact match for a possibly better price offered by an OTA - the simple function of price comparison for properties on Airbnb and other booking websites.
✅ Offer alternatives - present users with all the similar options out there, letting them choose the best stay for their needs.

Here are two extension versions that could pop up: the one on the left shows all the alternatives and similar properties offered by Booking, and the one on the right shows the exact Airbnb match for a possibly better price on Booking (if it’s found).

But that’s still far from how this feature looks now. Comparing hotel prices on different OTAs is one thing, but Airbnb, which is far from being a traditional booking website, picked our brains a bit. The problem is that comparing one hotel to another is easy: you can do it according to room type. But how to make this work when comparing A HOTEL ROOM with AN APARTMENT?

The ISSUES this feature has & the SOLUTIONS we still need to find:

❌ Airbnb doesn’t show the precise location of the apartment, so it offers hotels that are pretty much in that area, and that’s a huge gamble. For example, while testing, we found a case: the Airbnb is located in a small skiing town, and Booking offers options that are on the other side of the mountain (which is entirely inaccurate & unhelpful if the main reason you’re going there is skiing). After this example, we understood that we must get more data on it.

❌ The properties listed on the extension are chosen from Booking recommended, and let’s agree - that’s not a way to find SIMILAR options. For example: the user can be searching for low-budget apartments in Las Vegas, and we recommend Bellagio just because it’s at the TOP of the Booking recommended according to the location. We're looking for ways to sort the hotels in more detail.

❌ And we come to the main one - it has no filtering yet. If you really want to stay in an apartment, what’s the point in us giving you a list of hotels that are picked randomly from the Booking recommended list? Airbnb has its filtering option, but RatePunk still doesn’t have access to that data, so it can’t give the best alternatives. It’s in our plans to scrape enough data to offer hotels that are really similar to the Airbnbs (check the budget, the preferred amenities, etc).

Overall: we have to find a way to adapt the Airbnb filters to the filtering in other OTAs for more personalized results.

FAQ section

❓Why would a user want to book an Airbnb property through Booking or any other OTA

Most Airbnbs are also available on other booking websites, and most often, they’re listed with fewer fees there. We all know that Airbnb has a bit complicated system when it comes to payments for cleaning and various service fees, and booking through OTAs protects you from overpaying. Moreover, you see the accurate location of your accommodation before making the confirmation, and not only an approximate one.

❓Why choose a hotel & not an Airbnb

Room service, what’s that? Airbnbs are self-serviced, and you never know what to expect: you have to follow the most random rules & requests sometimes (like do not shower from 10 pm to 8 am because of the noise or put your sheets in the washing machine - these are real stories from our team). Hotels often offer more comfort and reassurance.

Now your time to roast: How does this look to you? What seems to be the biggest drawbacks? Would you toast it with the essential improvements that were working on now?

Leave your idea if you would like to hear my roasts & toasts about it - I promise to share my thoughts that could improve it as a thank you!