An Online Marketplace for Booking Accommodations
A travel booking website for renting LGBTQ‑friendly accommodations
Learn how we built an online marketplace for medium and short‑term stays that allows gay‑friendly hosts to earn money and guests to stay in safe places without being misunderstood or judged.
Tourism
Industry
16 specialists
Team size
France
Location
2015 – present
Project duration
Business context
Like many great startups, MisterB&B was born out of necessity. One day, Matthieu Jost, MisterB&B co‑founder and CEO, booked a shared apartment in Barcelona with his partner. Upon arrival, it was clear the host was not comfortable with gay men staying in her home.
That homophobic incident made clear to him that a short‑term rental service for gay men was needed to help provide not only a safe and comfortable experience but also one where gay men could connect and expand their sense of community.
This is how our client decided to create MisterB&B.
[ Product scope ]
Our team needed to:
Build a dedicated team capable of working daily with an in‑house client’s team to enable the startup company to focus on marketing and refining customer service
Migrate from outdated technologies to achieve better performance and extend the platform functionality
Achieve a high level of security to down fraud attempts to a minimum
Update outdated versions of LGBTQ travel booking mobile applications for iOS and Android and ensure their proper functioning
Integrate several third-party services to extend platform functionality
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[ Solutions we provide ]
Our client already had an LGBTQ travel booking website and mobile apps for iOS and Android, but we needed to improve performance and extend the product functionality.
Since the current tech stack was outdated, we offered more advanced and reliable technologies to guarantee high‑quality product operation.
Our team needed to update outdated versions of mobile applications and ensure the proper functioning of all app features on the selected platforms: iOS and Android.
Moreover, we decided to implement reliable third‑party services to add extra vital features.
The Onix team offered the following solutions for building a community‑driven vacation rental solution:
Enhanced search functionality
Our specialists provided an improved search engine that allows quick search within a 2M+ listings database using various filters.
Technology stack upgrade
We migrated from outdated technologies to more reliable ones. For the backend and front end, we used RoR and React. Using reliable technologies allowed us to guarantee high-quality app operation, enhance product capacity, and broaden functionality.
Seamless integration with aggregators
Our team ensured proper integration with property listing aggregators and providers like Booking.com, Rentals United, Guesty, Ospita, and BookingSync. This allows our client to increase the listing's base and expand business opportunities significantly.
Fraud detection system
We built a fraud detection system to detect illegitimate and high-risk financial activities such as credit card transactions, theft, cyber hacking, and suspicious messages. This feature enabled us to reveal scams in time, keep business and users' finances safe, and achieve high security.
Secure payment integration
The Onix team integrated the Stripe, Paypal, Payoneer, and Adyen payment systems, which allow users to accept payments and send payouts online securely. This feature automates the finance process and tracks payments within the platform.
Core technology stack we used
Ruby on Rails,
React,
Nginx,
WebSocket,
PostgreSQL,
Redis,
Stripe,
PayPal,
Payoneer,
Adyen,
Shufti Pro,
Elasticsearch
[ Results ]
Onix provided solution development for mid to long‑term rentals by building the platform that delivers a revolutionary and long‑overdue travel accommodation service for the LGBTQ community
The service is available on a website and two mobile apps: iOS and Android. Today, MisterB&B is considered the largest gay hotelier in the world and even was called the "gay Airbnb" by Forbes.
As a result of Onix’s collaboration, our client now promotes cultural exploration, fosters friendships and connections across the global LGBTQ community, furthers charitable causes, and creates a more tolerant world.
Achieved results
900K+ LGBTQ members
MisterB&B was called the "gay Airbnb" by Forbes
1 million accommodations in 200 countries
MisterB&B is considered the largest gay hotelier in the world
Today, the client is still improving and updating its LGBTQ online marketplace for short and long term homestays in cooperation with Onix.
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