Airbnb is launching a brand new version of its iOS and Android app designed for more than just booking great places to stay. The new app allows you to enhance every trip with opportunities to make memories and enjoy unique experiences around your destination. That’s because Airbnb’s major app redesign supports a new initiative called Airbnb Services, a modern take on hotel amenities for the Airbnb era.
Airbnb services, at your service
With Airbnb services, the company is expanding from being primarily known for connecting travelers with a place to call home for a few nights. Going forward, Airbnb aims to make booking things to do as much a part of the product as finding places to stay.
No need to spend time searching for local experts, sorting through recommendations, or juggling bookings on different apps. Airbnb offers a reliable screening process with the same easy-to-use booking system you already use.
Airbnb services aren’t just an addition to the accommodation booking experience either. The new app treats Airbnb services with the same attention and care that users expect when booking a place to stay.
The idea is simple: Hotels provide amenities like fine dining and fitness centers, and Airbnb has changed the way people book accommodation. Now, Airbnb wants to change the way people discover local experts who offer great services in photography, cooking, health, and more.
Airbnb launches today with 10 categories in 260 cities to start:
- Chefs – Completely customizable home-cooked meals from professional chefs.
- Photography – Portrait photo sessions from experienced photographers.
- Massage – Restorative massage including Swedish, deep tissue and reflexology from certified therapists.
- Spa Treatments – Facials, microdermabrasion, body scrubs, and other treatments provided by licensed estheticians.
- Personal Training – Yoga, strength training, HIIT, and more, with personal trainers, including renowned fitness professionals and world champion athletes.
- Hair – Professional haircuts, hairstyles and more from experienced hair stylists.
- Make-up – Make-up for every day or for special occasions from professional make-up artists.
- Nails – Manicures and pedicures performed by experienced nail professionals.
- Ready meals – ready-to-eat meals prepared by professional chefs.
- Catering – Complete catering service with custom menus, decor and equipment, plus set-up and clean-up.
Like Airbnb accommodation listings, Airbnb services are intended to be available to everyone. For this reason, the company says prices on many offerings start at less than $50. Expect the service to be rolled out to more cities regularly over time.
Airbnb experiences and assets, reimagined and unique
Along with services, Airbnb puts more weight behind Experiences, a collection of curated activities hosted by locals, as part of its efforts to provide great solutions to make the most of every trip.
The company says each experience is inspected for quality, with an emphasis on expertise, authenticity and strong guest feedback. Hosts are chosen based on their connection to the site and their ability to provide something memorable, not just a general tour.
A new addition called Airbnb Originals takes things to the next level. These are exclusive experiences created specifically for Airbnb, often hosted by public figures and celebrities. You can make pastries with Chef Rafael Elbaz at Paris favorite French Bastards bakery or play beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg on Rio’s Leblon Beach.
The originals also include great moments with big names like Megan Thee Stallion, who invites guests to become the anime alter-ego in Otaku Hottie Quest. You can also join Sabrina Carpenter in the Short n’ Sweet group for a day of magic, dancing and espresso, or spend time with Patrick Mahomes to learn how to throw the perfect screwball and eat Kansas City barbecue.
You don’t have to travel to participate in Airbnb Experiences. Airbnb wants Experiences to be something you’ll actually want to book in your city, too.
Take 9to5Mac
Pairing Airbnb stays with services seems so natural it’s surprising it didn’t already exist. But the reason Airbnb is so successful now is because it’s built on years of product iteration and a global network of partners that make it possible.
Airbnb’s services, combined with its experiences and assets, turn the app into something of a global catalogue—not just places to stay, but things to do and memories to make along the way.
The redesigned app is packed with rich icons, fluid animations, and thoughtful selection that sets the tone before the journey even begins. It adapts to what you do, whether you’re planning, traveling or reminiscing afterwards in a way that should be useful when you use it.
Airbnb is making experiences more social, too. Later this year, you’ll be able to see who else will be attending before you book, message the group or individual guests during the experience, and stay in touch afterward.
The idea is to make it easier to join friends or meet new people along the way and stay in touch. Seeing technology get out of the way and embrace human connection in a way that people want and need is very refreshing.
For a nearly 20-year-old company that’s part of everyday life, Airbnb has built a new app experience that actually gives you a reason to plan your next trip. Achieving this is neither easy nor foolproof, yet Airbnb does both with a sense of fun and intention that is a joy to see.
Download the completely new version of Airbnb for iOS and Android today. Happy travels!
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