Airbnb introduces six new search filters: from hanoks to sky-high rentals

Airbnb has made it easier to plan your next vacation. The short-term rental website added new search features that help travelers to find exactly what they are looking for. Now, Airbnb users have an opportunity to select their stays based on accessibility, popularity, and specific aesthetics.

The six new categories introduced by Airbnb include: “trending”, which features high-rated stays with the highest number of views from potential guests, brand new listings added to the website in the past ten weeks, traditional Korean homes, known as “hanoks”, as well as units adapted for people disabilities, and rentals with games rooms and waterslides. 

Another exciting option to explore includes homes set 10,000 feet above sea level. Named the “top of the world”, this category invites guests to book their stay near Ecuadorian Andes, Torreys Peak in Colorado, Nepal Himalayas, and many more. These rentals guarantee breathtaking views, a relaxed atmosphere, and cool, refreshing air.

Those who enjoy historic architecture have an opportunity to book a stay at one of the many hanoks. These traditional Korean houses are built using natural materials, such as soil, timber, and rock. Hanoks also have a unique heating system – ondol. In these types of homes, the heat comes from rocks located underneath the floor. This approach helps to keep the indoor space warm during the winter. 

Airbnb is working on making its vacation rentals more accessible. The new category, known as "adapted", includes homes that are wheelchair accessible. According to Gizmodo, the short-term rental website works with third-party services to create 3D scans of the rentals. These scans are later used to develop a floor plan that can be viewed on the Airbnb app.

With the addition of new categories, Airbnb plans to put more emphasis on the experience rather than a specific destination. This way, users could explore places they have never been to and find a stay that checks all the boxes for their dream vacation. 

Resources:

“Airbnb just added some cool new categories – check out these high-altitude homes,” by Alex Floyd-Douglass (Time Out, 2022)

“The best new Airbnb categories — from hanoks to top of the world,” by Maddy Mussen (Evening Standard, 2022)

“Airbnb Is Adding a Mentorship Program to Help Hesitant Hosts List Their Homes,” by Mack DeGeurin (Gizmodo, 2022)