slate.com

This past winter I checked into a Super 8 motel in Maine after discovering that my intended lodging had been rendered inaccessible by several feet of snow and, probably, roaming black bears. I got lucky in that the room only cost about $60 plus tax and the bedspread wasn’t greasy to the touch. But I was prepared to pay much more than that: There aren’t too many options when it comes to last-minute accommodations in Maine.

The limits of those offerings may expand—even in Maine—if a new last-minute booking service from Airbnb catches on with travelers. The feature, which is rolling out in San Francisco and Los Angeles, is designed to help people find and book housing on short notice through their mobile phones. To accomplish this, the hosts who make their rooms and homes available for last-minute reservations (brand-new hosts aren’t eligible) must agree to waive the typical “pre-approval” process that allows them to vet guests. Hosts will be able to set certain parameters, such as whether to take first-time guests, but for the most part they’ll forfeit the right to choose who books a stay.

According to Airbnb, the average user is methodical: She reserves a month in advance, and takes about a week to investigate options and liaise with prospective hosts. But by going out of its way to facilitate last-minute reservations, Airbnb is trying to tap the market for a new kind of consumer: the adventurous, impulsive, even haphazard traveler who needs somewhere to stay that day or the next.

Read the full article at slate.com