Airbnb braces for busy summer travel season

Airbnb is rolling out several new features for what is expected to be one of the busiest summer travel seasons on record.

State of play: Among the new options is Airbnb Rooms, which shows individual rooms available in a host's home.

• The average price for a single room in Cleveland during Memorial Day weekend is $79 per night, while the average price of staying at a home during the same period is $235 per night.

Yes but: While some travelers may want to save money by booking a room, privacy and safety concerns could keep others from considering that option.

Meanwhile, Airbnb's other big addition is price transparency. Guests can now see a "total price" for listings, which includes service and cleaning fees.

• A two-night stay at a home in Ohio City over Memorial Day weekend is listed at $89 per night. However, the total cost is $272 with fees.
• The cost of a hotel room in Cleveland at Booking.com during the same dates ranges from around $200 to just under $700 per night.

💭 My thought bubble: Airbnb Rooms will appeal to younger guests who are used to couch surfing.

• Showing a total cost is a no-brainer. Why would I care about a per-night rate when I'm going to end up paying more than that?