Airbnb adds private chefs, massages and tour guides to new-look app - Travel News

May 15, 2025

It’s a whole new way to level up your stay.

There’s no denying that Airbnb has transformed the way we travel. It has also transformed our towns and cities – not always in a good way. Now Airbnb has completely transformed itself, introducing a newly overhauled app and two new offerings: Airbnb Services and Airbnb Experiences. And these look set to change the way we travel all over again. As Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, says, “Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb”.

What is Airbnb Services?

Have you ever chosen a hotel because of the services they offer? Maybe room service, or access to a gym or yoga classes, or spa treatments. Now you can access those services through Airbnb – whether you’re staying in Airbnb accommodation or not.

Airbnb Services has launched with 10 categories to begin with, across 260 cities, with more services and cities to be added regularly. Here’s what you can access at the moment:

Chefs – Fully customisable in-home meals from professional chefs
Photography – Personalised photo sessions from experienced photographers
Massage – Restorative massages including Swedish, deep tissue and reflexology from certified therapists
Spa treatments – Facials, microdermabrasion, body scrubs and other treatments provided by licensed aestheticians
Personal training – Yoga, strength training, HIIT and more, with personal trainers, including renowned fitness professionals and world champion athletes
Hair – Professional haircuts, blow-dries and more from experienced stylists
Make-up – Make-up for every day or special occasions from professional make-up artists
Nails – Manicures and pedicures from experienced nail specialists
Prepared meals – Ready-to-eat meals prepared by professional chefs
Catering – Full-service catering with custom menus, decor and equipment, plus set-up and clean-up

All service hosts have been thoroughly vetted, and some are even stars in their field, including chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, award-winning photographers and elite trainers.

What is Airbnb Experiences?

Part of the allure of an Airbnb is that you can stay in a house or apartment rather than a hotel, and live more like a local. But it can still be hard to know the best things to do and see when you’re in a new place, no matter how useful Google might be. Airbnb Experiences has been designed to create a more ‘authentic’ way to experience a city.

Launching across 650 cities, with more to be added, the new service will offer a range of experiences hosted by locals – from museum and gallery tours to food tours, cooking classes, outdoor adventures and even shopping tours. Each experience has been vetted to ensure it offers expertise and authenticity, and each will be regularly reviewed.

For a more exclusive experience, you can try Airbnb Originals. Touted as “extraordinary experiences hosted by the world’s most interesting people”, original experiences include learning how to make pastry at the renowned French Bastards bakery with chef Raphaelle Elbaz, or playing beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg on Rio’s iconic Leblon Beach. You can even hang out with Sabrina Carpenter, if you really want to.

The new Airbnb app

All of this is incorporated into the new Airbnb app. Once you book your stay, the app will suggest experiences and services based on where you’re staying, and will provide a detailed itinerary once you arrive.

Airbnb Services, Airbnb Experiences and the all-new app are now available.