Hi, I'm designing a new site for AllTheRooms, a huge search engine for accommodations. Was hoping to get some feedback on how to improve the user interface and webpage design. Thanks!
If you are taking on airbnb and tripadvisor I'd be hiring a team of usability experts and running focus groups rather than relying on random, spur of the moment ideas. If you are continuing as a meta engine it might help to know which bits you feel are letting you down. We've just been through the holiday booking process so I thought I'd repeat the process. No Rarotonga? Can't see the details unless I log in? A bit soon to be applying a content locker IMO. Sites like booking.com only prompt for a login when you want to save to a list or make a booking. Having more rules than the rest of the industry may mean you lose users. I'd like to be able to drill down on those listings by district but couldn't. Booking.com give me this: I'd add the map with pins that airbnb use to help people decide which listings to check further.
Agree with @sarahk about the area bit. I tried doing a search for London, and while I got a LOT of hits, there were no easy way to drill down by district (apart from the slider for distance from city center)