Want to Stay With a Stranger? Check In With Airbnb Rooms

pcmag.com:

These days, most people use Airbnb to rent out entire homes or apartments in the cities they're visiting. But amid backlash from people who can't afford housing(Opens in a new window) in Airbnb-heavy locales, city officials going after short-term rentals(Opens in a new window), and complaints about fees, Airbnb is pushing an updated, single-room rental option.

"Airbnb began as a way to stay in a room in someone else’s home," the company says(Opens in a new window), and that's what you get with Airbnb Rooms. Travelers can tap into a "curated set of 1 million private bedrooms," Airbnb says, as well as details like whether the bedroom door has a lock, if bathrooms are shared or private, and how many people will be in the home during your stay.

For those who want info on their temporary roommate before booking, Airbnb Rooms will include a Host Passport, which features a larger photo and details about a host, "including where they went to school, what they do for work, [and] fun facts about themselves."

"With Airbnb Rooms, we're getting back to the idea that started it all—back to our founding ethos of sharing," CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement. "Airbnb Rooms are often more affordable than hotels, and they're the most authentic way to experience a city. This is the soul of Airbnb."

Affordability is one reason Airbnb took off, but the company has been dealing with complaints(Opens in a new window) about exorbitant fees, as well as checkout-related demands that owners have made on renters. To that end, Airbnb says it will now display a guest's total price with fees, before taxes, "across the entire app including in search results, price filter, maps, and listing pages."

Overall, Airbnb teased over 50 new features and