For as long as I’ve known about Airbnb, it’s always been a vacation rental app for finding hotel alternatives. Whether it’s a charming apartment in Salem, cozy cabin in upstate New York, or the ultimate girl’s trip getaway in Charleston, my knowledge of the Airbnb brand has centered around places to stay. But just in time for summer, the homestay platform is looking to own the entire travel experience with all-new booking features.
And as someone who loves curating my trips to match my moodboards (and sometimes highly specific whims), I’m ready to plan a vacation around these new features like, yesterday.
Airbnb Services, Airbnb Experiences, and a completely redesigned Airbnb app arrive as a triple-launch marking the brand’s biggest upgrade in years. The most exciting updates have to do with finding activities and amenities that can either complement an Airbnb stay or be accessed from wherever you already are.
Together, they make Airbnb feel less like a booking site and more like a travel concierge. Now, you can book pretty much anything from a massage to a personal chef to a full-blown fashion styling session. You can connect with professionals for hire, whether it be personal trainers, nail techs, photographers or party planners.
But apparently Airbnb Services won’t comprise common gig workers. Airbnb says the average service host will offer 10+ years of experience, with many having established reputations in their given field. Prices will start below $50 for many offerings, but from the looks of it, you’ll also be able to go full luxury. That is, if you’re booking in one of the 260 cities around the world that’s opening to Airbnb Services hosts.
Then there’s Airbnb Experiences, which have been offered via Airbnb for a while, but they’ve now been completely overhauled to vary from what you’ll find on the likes of Viator and GetYourGuide. The refreshed version centers on authenticity and local expertise in over 650 cities. Compared to Services, Experiences have more to do with travel activities aimed at avoiding crowded tour groups and basic hotspots.
For me, finding “off the beaten path” experiences is a must for a good itinerary. But that’s where Airbnb Originals might come in. Originals are, essentially, more one-off events hosted by celebrities and other noteworthy names. Think: a barbecue with NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes or a beach volleyball lesson with Olympian Carol Solberg in Rio.
Airbnb hasn’t clarified yet how often or to whom (or for how much) Originals will run. That said, I think most people should expect to stick to the basic Experiences, and Airbnb is even accepting applications for new Experiences hosts as of this writing.
As for how these new services and experiences can be searched and booked, the Airbnb app is receiving a major makeover. It now acts like a concierge and planner, complete with a redesigned homepage for exploring homes, services, and experiences all in one place. Meanwhile, the new Trips tab gives you a full itinerary with schedules and recommendations. The messaging experience has been improved, too.
I appreciate how Airbnb is pushing the idea that travel doesn’t start and end with where you sleep. Whether it can pull that off at scale (without over-commercializing the intimacy that made staying in an Airbnb appealing in the first place) remains to be seen. I think Services can be a key success factor, considering how hard it is to find private pros for hire unless you know someone who knows someone.
So no, I haven’t booked a blowout or ramen-making class (yet). But I am rethinking how I plan my next trip, and wondering if Airbnb might be the only app I need.
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