With à la carte services and curated experiences, Airbnb blurs the line between rentals and hotels, challenging the industry to adapt or fall behind
Jun 12, 2025
Airbnb’s latest move to expand its Experiences platform and offer hotel-style à la carte services—like massages and fitness sessions—signals a bid to blur the lines between short-term rentals and hotels. While some hotel executives appear unfazed, seeing operational challenges in Airbnb’s model, others warn the hospitality industry risks missing out on loyalty-building and ancillary revenue opportunities. At stake is more than just new features—it’s the future of guest expectations, technology innovation, and how hotels compete with ever-evolving alternative accommodations.
Key takeaways
- Airbnb expands into hotel-style services Airbnb now offers services like massage, spa treatments, and personal training—amenities typically found in hotels—to reduce reasons travelers might avoid short-term rentals.
- Hotel execs skeptical of execution challenges Leaders from Hilton and Accor argue Airbnb will struggle with consistent quality and service delivery across properties it doesn’t own or manage.
- Some see missed opportunities for hotels HotelAVE’s CEO believes hotels are overlooking a valuable chance to increase guest loyalty and revenue through curated experiences and local activities.
- Tech gaps hold hotels back Outdated hotel systems limit the ability to cross-sell or upsell non-room offerings. Experts urge the industry to modernize tech and enable online bookings for experiences.
- Shifting guest expectations Guests increasingly view hotels and rentals as interchangeable depending on the trip, prompting the need for hotels to personalize and simplify their experience offerings.
- New strategies are emerging Marriott is testing high-end, curated experiences (e.g., private dinners with local chefs), while some hotels are even listing inventory directly on Airbnb to expand reach.
- Hotels on Airbnb remain rare Though Airbnb now allows filtering for hotels and its CEO welcomes hotel listings, few have embraced it. Those that do often aim to tap into Airbnb-exclusive customer segments.
- The stakes are high As travel planning becomes more app-based and socially driven, the risk for hotels is losing relevance—not just to Airbnb, but to shifting consumer behavior and tech expectations.
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