Wimdu

Find Travel Accommodations

Published 08/30/2011 and rated 4 out of 5 stars
by AppAppeal Editor

Wimdu helps users find rooms and accommodations outside of the standard hotel room. Users can browse locations all over the world that are offered by other users. Wimdu enables the traveller to live like a “real local” when visiting a new city. Users can search Windu to see what locations are available in the area they plan to visit. Host listings are posted with past visitor reviews so the user can see if the location is a good fit. A messaging system is also in place so users can submit questions or comments directly to their potential host. Users book their rooms through Wimdu, which holds their funds for up to 24 hours after they arrive (just in case there are any unexpected issues). Users can also be hosts for Wimdu travellers. The user registers and lists their property as available on Wimdu. When a reservation comes in the user confirms it and the guest arrives on the agreed upon date. If the booking is successful, the user is paid for their services.

Wimdu was created to give travellers a way to find accommodations outside of a hotel. The site also lets other users make extra cash by hosting guests. The company was founded in April of 2011 and is located in Berlin, Germany. Today, Wimdu is active in Asia, Europe, North America and South America and is available in 11 languages.

Wimdu presents travellers with more options. Those who dislike traditional hotel stays can find accommodations with actual people. Wimdu provides the user with a unique opportunity to travel and live like an actual local.

Wimdu users a plain, but elegant design that focuses on color images of appealing rooms (which look just like someone’s living room rather than a hotel room). The orange Wimdu logo is positioned in the upper, left hand corner while the site is highlighted with hints of blue against a white background. Property listings include multiple images, a contact me button to reach the user and accommodation details.

A new user can join the Wimdu community by clicking the blue “Sign Up” link in the upper, right hand corner of the homepage. An account is not required to search for accommodations; however it is needed to host or book a stay. Users who prefer to log in with a Facebook account can do so by clicking one of the two blue and white buttons at the top of the following page. Along the right hand side, the user can find the registration form. The form asks for a first and last name, email address and password.

Wimdu allows all users to create an account for free. Those who would like to host guests can also list their property on the site for free. There are no subscription fees or other charges for searching the site or maintaining an account. However there is a 3% fee deducted from the total for each booking. This is a processing and handling fee and does not include any additional fees charged by the user’s preferred payment method.

Wimdu.com is a great resource for two types of people: travellers who dislike hotels and property owners who want to make a little cash by sharing their accommodations. The application makes it easy to browse for rooms and offers a handful of safety precautions to help ensure that both parties stay on the up and up.

• Post your properties as available for free
• Search for locations all over the world
• Send a question directly to a host
• Post and read user reviews for each property
• Save money by staying with a real person rather than a hotel

Wimdu video