Category: Travel
Price: Free
Release Date: Updated May 25, 2012
Version: 1.4.0
Seller: Airbnb, Inc.
Rated: 4+
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.
Link to app

TiP Rating: 4/5 Stars

App Store Description:

Unlock the doors to inspiring and unique accommodations around the world with the Airbnb App!

Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace that connects you with people who have space for rent. The award-winning Airbnb App allows everyone to list, discover, and book any of these distinctive spaces — from a private apartment to a private island — directly from your iPhone or iPod Touch.
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Summary:

Airbnb’s updated mobile app provides users with a more streamlined experience, as well as offline access to messages and itineraries.
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Review: 

If you’re anything like me, then you wind up managing most of your travel arrangement from your phone. Sometimes hotels don’t cut it, so I turn to Airbnb for my accommodation needs. Unfortunately, its mobile app was pretty frustrating to use — until now.

Airbnb has made several updates that significantly improved it’s mobile booking experience. If you don’t know what Airbnb is, it’s a social site that connects travelers with people that have space to share. Often times you end up getting more bang for your buck than if you book a hotel room.

Through Airbnb’s app, you’re able to book space in a few clicks, find last minute availability, access your upcoming itinerary, message hosts, and even find out what your place is worth so you can start renting out your space.

The most significant change addressed some super frustrating stability issues. Previously it was almost impossible to use the app without a wi-fi connection. That has changed with the most recent update and I’ve been able to search crash-free.

The update has also made it so all of your conversations and itineraries are downloaded to your device, so you can access everything even when you’re offline — a convenient feature for travelers who often find themselves with limited service, whether on a plane or road trip.

If you’re in a pinch an need to find a place to stay tonight, you can search by location, or if you’ve got some time to plan, you can browse Airbnb’s collections through its Featured tab. Your options are sorted by popular destinations, country or city. Tapping on Airbnb Top 40, for example, will bring you to a slide show of its most popular rentals. The price tag is right on the image, and you can swipe left to view more.

To get more information about a specific option, just tap on the lower bar along the bottom. Doing so will open a screen with a description, property details, amenities, reviews, and an option to contact the host or to book your stay.

Another convenient addition to the app is that you no longer have to re-login. Airbnb has made it so you only need to log in once with your email or through your Facebook account and your information will remain stored as long as the app is installed.

If you’re already using Airbnb’s mobile app, you’ll notice a huge improvement to your experience the next time you launch it. Overall, I’ve had a much more pleasant experience with the updated version and you can bet that I’ll be doing a lot of my booking through it from now on.. 

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