You've probably booked an Airbnb at some point, and you know the drill: You find a great place, you're all set to book it, and then: there it is, the dreaded Airbnb cleaning fee.
Airbnb's CEO, Brian Chesky, has heard your woes, and he's got a plan to make your booking experience a whole lot less frustrating.
The "Total Before Taxes" Toggle
Here's the scoop: Airbnb is rolling out a new feature, and it's right at the top of the app's homepage, easy to spot. It's a toggle button that says "Display total before taxes." Flip it on, and you won't have to play detective with the fees anymore. Instead, you'll see the grand total—including all those extra charges—right from the get-go. This has long been requested, and it appears to now be fully on the way.
CEO Chesky seems pleased about it: "It’s the first thing you see. It’s larger type than the search box," he said, emphasizing its user-friendliness.
The Sneaky Cleaning Fee Switch
But here's the real kicker: Airbnb is on a mission to make cleaning fees vanish—well, almost. When you hit that toggle, the cleaning fee won't just disappear; it'll merge seamlessly into the nightly rate.
So, from your perspective as a guest, it's a win-win. No more pesky cleaning fees to catch you off guard; it's all part of the upfront price, just like when you book a hotel.
Rewarding Upfront Pricing
Airbnb isn't just stopping at the toggle switch. They're giving some appreciation to hosts who play fair, too. In their search rankings, they're giving algorithm bonus points to hosts who embrace upfront pricing and nix the cleaning fees. It's all about promoting listings that keep it straightforward and transparent. Airbnb hopes this will incentivize the behavior that guests want on their platform.
A Numbers Game
The stats don't lie: Since Airbnb launched the total price display feature, Airbnb now says that over 260,000 hosts have either dropped or axed their cleaning fees. That means nearly 3 million listings are now on their way to being proudly fee-free.
Notably, Airbnb isn't planning a price cut—this isn't about penny-pinching. It's about giving you a crystal-clear picture of what you're paying for.
The Reason Behind Cleaning Fees
Chesky gets it: Cleaning fees might seem sneaky, but there's a method to the madness. The cleaning process, he says, doesn't change whether you're staying for a night or a month. Plus, it's often outsourced. So, hosts have their reasons, and Airbnb wants to help them pay their cleaners a fair wage, even if it means a longer commute for the cleaning crew.
Joining the Fight Against Sneaky Fees
This move is part of a larger trend in the 2023 travel industry to do away with some so-called "junk fees," like the resort fees that some hotels have been slipping into your bill for years in places like Las Vegas. While the battle against these fees doesn't always include cleaning fees, there might be some regulations on the horizon in the U.S.
Chesky summed it up, saying, "If there’s regulation, then it’s a level playing field. But at this point, it’s not. We are choosing to show prices more transparently than others."
So, as Airbnb continues to fine-tune its platform, you can look forward to more transparent pricing, fewer surprises, and smoother booking experiences. Say goodbye to those unexpected cleaning fee shocks and hello to a more straightforward way to book your next Airbnb adventure!
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