Choosing a Pet Friendly Stay with Ease on Airbnb
UX Research & UX Design
Tools Used: Whimsical | Typeform | Adobe XD
Overview
As regular Airbnb users and dog lovers, my husband and I travel with our Great Pyrenees mix and look for pet-friendly listings. Airbnb allows us to filter for "Pets allowed" homes, but this feature doesn't cover all the needs hosts might have. It lacks details like pet fees, specific rules, and whether a property has a fenced yard. There's also no way to filter by pet type, weight, or number of pets, so important pet-related information often gets lost in the host's home description.
The primary goal of this comprehensive study was to uncover and better understand the specific needs of customers when they are searching for and deciding on which pet-friendly home to book. This, in turn, aims to recommend an easier and more efficient way of selecting the best accommodation based on valuable customer feedback and overall experiences.
Chosen Methods
Information Architecture Review
User Survey
Secondary Research
High Fidelity UX Concept
Information Architecture Review
The current method of finding pet-friendly homes is not very effective. After filtering for these homes, you still need to read the descriptions for details on rules, fees, and weight limits for pets.
User Survey Insights | 16 Total Responses
I created a survey to gather customer experiences with pet-friendly Airbnb stays, focusing on strengths and areas for improvement.
The graph below shows that 56% of people usually travel with their pets.
User Survey | When asked whether users have trouble finding a pet friendly stay with clearly defined restrictions & fees…
Most users, 69%, said they usually struggle to find a stay with clear restrictions and fees when booking. The remaining 31% said they were able able to find restriction and fee information easily when booking.
“The restrictions or additional fees were typically hidden discreetly in the “rules” section. Some rentals only started “pets allowed” without any additional info and I had to inquire directly...” - Survey Response
User Survey | Users mentioned specific information that would helpful to see when booking a pet-friendly Airbnb stay.
25% of customers said this would be helpful to know ahead of time whether a home had a fenced in yard or not.
Whether a pet crate is available on site or not and if so, what size.
Specific house rules such as whether pets are allowed on the beds and/or furniture or not.
Specific pet limitations related to weight, breed, & number of dogs allowed during stay.
Clearly listed pet related fees.
Information related to the best pet friendly parks and restaurants.
“A fenced in yard would be good to know. Maybe whether there are pet friendly stores and restaurants close by.” - Survey Response
“Yes. I'd like to know right off the bat if a place is pet friendly or not and what are all the fees associated with having the pet there. Some places are not ok with bigger dogs, specific breeds/species, etc. I also sleep with my dog, so I need to know if they're OK with that.” - Survey Response
“It would be great if the property owner indicated whether crates were already provided and best places to walk/relieve dogs.” - Survey Response
Secondary Research | Airbnb Forum Posts on Pet-Friendly Rentals
In an effort to gather additional feedback related to common issues customers face when booking and/or staying at pet friendly Airbnbs, I took time to review forum posts about traveling with pets on Airbnb’s community forum.
Customers shared frustrations and suggestions for improving their experience.
Airbnb does not clearly indicate which homes are free from pet allergens, making it difficult for those with allergies to avoid homes with cats or dogs. -
The platform combines all pets in searches, while customers prefer the option to filter for dog-friendly or cat-friendly properties.
Many want to know if pets live on-site.
Some have mistakenly booked homes labeled as pet-friendly that were not, leading to frustration for guests and hosts.
Additionally, some truly pet-friendly homes are not appearing in searches, likely due to software issues.
Customers suggest Airbnb should implement basic standards for pet-friendly listings, like having a fenced yard, food bowls, and pet towels.
Before | Previously, the “Pet’s Allowed” filter was unclear and did not provide important information like fees, restrictions, and helpful amenities.
After | Based on the research, I suggested we make it easier to find a pet-friendly home by offering clearer information in the filters.
Create a central place under “More Options” to check off the pet friendly filters that matter most when deciding where to stay.
Within the “Pet Friendly” filter options, allow customers the ability to specify the size of their dog(s), whether they require a fenced in yard and/or kennel, and so on as outlined below.
The ability to select whether they are traveling with cats, any fees associated, and/or whether there are cats on site to be aware of.
