Airbnb to Display Total Prices Up Front and End Checkout Task Drudgery

Bowing to criticism about surprise fees that potential guests encounter late in the booking process, Airbnb announced Monday that starting next month it will begin displaying the total price of a stay before taxes, but including its own fees and hosts' cleaning charges, at the very beginning of the search process.

In many parts of the world, Airbnb listings initially show the nightly rate only without the taxes and fees. So a 5-night stay might initially quote a rate of $1,195 per night ($5,974 for five nights), but only on the next screen would guests learn of a $199 cleaning fee and an $871 service fee for a total rate of $7,044, for example.

Guests for years have taken