How Airbnb is becoming the “Amazon of Travel”: From Airbeds to In-Home Chefs

How Airbnb Evolved, and What’s Next

Airbnb started as a scrappy idea: two roommates renting out air mattresses on their floor to cover rent in San Francisco. Fast forward to today, and it’s a global platform reshaping the way millions of people travel, work remotely, and even invest in real estate. But Airbnb isn’t stopping at just providing places to stay, it’s evolving into something much bigger, with new income streams like “services” that could change how hosts and guests interact. So where is Airbnb headed next, and what does it mean for everyday hosts (like you and me) trying to keep up?

From Air Mattresses to Luxury Villas (and Beyond)

Seventeen years ago, Airbnb’s beginnings were humble: a couple of air mattresses in San Francisco, sharing space and stories. Since then, Airbnb has exploded into arguably the most recognizable name in short-term rentals and travel hospitality. Along the way, it evolved from simply offering stays, to curating local experiences, and now to adding “Services” inside its app; things like massages, chefs, personal training.

I’m writing this while planning a fall vacation for my adult family (my husband, my mom, my aunt, and two uncles) for the end of October. And after seeing Airbnb’s new “Stay Grounded” commercial, I’m seriously considering hiring a chef for one night. Because now that I can book fancy houses with a chef’s kitchen for only the cleaning fee through Hostshare, why not let someone else cook so I can fully relax?

Let’s walk through how Airbnb got here, what “Services” means, what “Amazon of travel” means (a phrase that really struck me in RSU by PriceLabs’ newsletter), and where Airbnb might be going next.

Part 1: The Early Days – Airbnb’s Starting Point

2008-2010: The idea was simple. Founders Brian Chesky & Joe Gebbia couldn’t pay rent, so they rented out space in their loft. What started as “Airbed & Breakfast” was about shared space, community trust, and a marketplace for spare rooms.
Growth phases:
1. Entire Homes & Private Rooms – letting people list apartments, houses, or spare rooms.
2. International Expansion – more cities, more types of property. Unique stays (treehouses, tiny homes) helped differentiate from hotels.
3. Superhost / hosting tools / guest trust – reviews, verifying hosts and guests, enhanced cleaning protocols etc.
Experiences were introduced (around mid-2010s) to connect guests with local hosts offering activities. Cooking classes, city tours, guided hikes, etc. This was already Airbnb stretching beyond just “bed & place to sleep” into “things you do while you stay.”

Part 2: Airbnb’s Strategic Shift – Why “More Than a Place to Stay”

Rental Scale Up by PriceLabs has several recent pieces explaining Airbnb’s vision for 2025. Key strategic pillars the company is using are:

1. Making Hosting Mainstream – making it easier for more people to host, with tools, regulations, co-host networks, etc.
2. Perfecting the Core Service – improving reliability, safety, guest satisfaction, app usability.
3. Expanding Beyond the Core – adding new verticals like “Long Stays,” “Real Estate programs” (like Airbnb-Friendly Apartments/Condos), and now “Services.”

In particular, the “Expanding Beyond the Core” pillar is where Airbnb is going big: it’s not just about the stay anymore. It’s about the whole travel & living experience.

Part 3: “Services” and the “Stay Grounded” Campaign

What is Airbnb Services?

Announced in the 2025 Summer Release, “Services” is Airbnb’s newest vertical. It allows guests to book additional offerings: private chefs, personal training, massage, hair & makeup, nails, spa treatments, prepared meals, catering, photography, etc. There are 10 categories at launch, across ~260 cities. (Airbnb)
These services can happen during a stay booked through Airbnb, or even separately at home in some cases. WiT

What did the “Stay Grounded” ad show?

The new Airbnb commercial, “Stay Grounded,” is a sort of flagship moment, they’re not just gradually releasing features, they’re re-introducing themselves.
Scenes include: a rustic kitchen where a family is cooking → then a chef appears in the garden bringing wine, bread, cheeses, grapes. Ski chalet → après-ski massage. A house in the clouds → yoga teacher helping someone “stay grounded.”
The voiceover: “Say you get a home on Airbnb with a chef’s kitchen. Now you can get a chef on Airbnb to cook in it.
Or if you get a ski house, now you can get an après-ski massage.
Or if you get a place in the clouds, now you can get a yoga teacher to keep you grounded.
Homes, experiences, and services. Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb.”

This is a big leap: Airbnb is making clear that “Services” is not a side project, but a full piece of its identity now, alongside Homes and Experiences.

Part 4: The “Amazon of Travel” – What That Means

That phrase popped up in RSU by PriceLabs’ newsletter (and elsewhere). What does it mean, exactly?

Analogy to Amazon: Amazon began selling books, then gradually expanded into nearly everything: electronics, groceries, streaming, cloud services, etc. The idea is: start with one core (books-or-in Airbnb’s case, places to stay), then expand adjacencies and eventually sell or offer nearly everything a traveler might want.
For Airbnb: first it was Homes → then Experiences → now Services. Perhaps next might be transportation, local guides, home-rental related operations (cleaners, maintenance, etc.), even longer term stays or rental-friendly apartments/real-estate projects. RSU has reported this is part of their 2025 strategy. (RSU by PriceLabs)
Also, Amazon’s model keeps people inside its ecosystem: once you buy books there, you might add groceries, devices, streaming from them. Airbnb likely wants guests and hosts to stay on their platform more often, not just for rare vacations, but perhaps for more frequent or even local services (spa, chef, etc.). If your travel app also handles almost everything you need (bookings, excursions, extras, services), you’re less likely to need other apps.

So “Amazon of travel” means being a one-stop travel and living marketplace.

Part 5: Impacts & Implications for Hosts (That’s You !)

What does this evolution mean for hosts? Both opportunities & challenges.

Opportunities:

New revenue streams: With Services, hosts could offer or enable additional booking options. If you have a property with a chef kitchen (as I might for my October trip), you might partner or promote chef services, or property managers could add partnerships.
Higher guest expectations: Guests may start expecting more upscale add-ons. If they see Airbnb offers spa treatments, what about having good towels, lighting, extra amenities?
Better positioning: Hosts who adapt early (offer services, promote wellness, etc.) may stand out. If your listing description says “chef kitchen + local chef service available,” that could be a differentiator.
Platform stickiness: As Airbnb becomes more of a lifestyle platform, hosts may get better exposure, better tools, more integrated services (cleaners, maintenance, insurance, etc.).

Challenges:

Competition: More hosts will be trying to get the “extras,” so you’ll need to differentiate (quality, reviews, design, service).
Cost and logistics: If you want to offer (or facilitate) services, you need reliable providers (chefs, massage therapists, etc.), pricing, scheduling, liability, quality control.
Regulations: Local laws may impact what you can advertise or provide (e.g. food preparation, catering, massage, etc.).
Platform fees & margins: Airbnb may take a cut, or service providers may charge more. Ensuring your pricing still works will require careful planning.

Part 6: Where Airbnb May Be Going Next

Based on RSU by PriceLabs, Business Insider, Skift, and others, here are plausible next steps:

Longer stays / mid-term rentals will continue growing. Airbnb is already seeing a big slice of bookings for 28+ day stays. (RSU by PriceLabs)
Real estate verticals: Airbnb-Friendly Apartments / Condos/partnerships to make hosting more integrated with landlords and property owners. More of these programs are expanding.
Service provider marketplace: Not just “chef, massage, yoga,” but tools for hosts: cleaners, maintenance, co-hosts, revenue management, insurance. Airbnb may integrate or offer more services for hosts.
Personalization & AI: They are investing in personalization, perhaps an AI concierge which helps plan stays, suggests services, experiences, handles recommendations.
Ecosystem expansion: Maybe flights, car rentals, local transport, or even local errands or home services. The idea is to reduce friction in travel, make Airbnb a frequent-use app rather than occasional (vacation) use. Brian Chesky has said that he’d like users to use the app more frequently, not just once or twice a year. (Business Insider)

Part 7: My Personal Take

As I plan that vacation at the end of October for my husband, mom, aunt, and two uncles, I am already picturing that fancy kitchen and thinking: “Why not get a chef for one night?” Because if Airbnb now offers chefs, what an amazing opportunity for a family night that is something extra special. And with “Stay Grounded” showing chefs in the garden, a massage after skiing, yoga in the clouds, it’s like Airbnb is daring us to upgrade from “just staying” to “being stunned by the stay.” So…now my wheels are turning again….who doesn’t love a massage?

I mean, it’s now starting to feel like an opportunity to splurge a little bit. It’s vacation right? And if you’re anything like me, I do like an extra treat, something that’s special and isn’t a normal occurrence at home. So, we may try out the massage service, too!

Part 8: What Hosts Should Do Right Now

If you run a short-term rental or are thinking of doing so, here are strategic moves to stay ahead in this Airbnb evolution:

Audit your amenities – If your kitchen is chef-friendly (good layout, tools, clean, nice cookware), highlight that. Guests may pay extra if you offer chef services.
Network with local service providers – Chefs, massage therapists, photographers, etc. Maybe partner so you can recommend them or integrate their services. If Airbnb Services takes off, being on their provider list could help.
Upgrade your listing & photography – Now that services are visible in searches, your listing images and descriptions need to reflect the experience. Show off kitchens, spa spaces, places for yoga or wellness.
Pricing strategy adjustments – Guests may expect higher rates if services are available. If you don’t offer them yourself, judge where your pricing stands among listings that do.
Stay compliant & safe – Depending on local regulations, offering certain “services” like food prep, massage, etc., may come with licensing, insurance, health codes. Don’t ignore that.
Stay visible & informative – Update your descriptions. Use keywords like “chef available,” “massage offered,” etc. Guests looking for those services should be able to find you.

Conclusion: Homes, Experiences, Services, and the Big Picture

Airbnb’s move from Homes → Experiences → now Services is more than feature creep; it’s a strategic evolution. The “Stay Grounded” campaign is Airbnb’s way of saying: “We’re now in the lifestyle business, not just lodging.” With phrases like “Amazon of travel,” they’re sending a message: travel is changing, and Airbnb wants to be your go-to for everything around travel: accommodations, experiences, extras, services.

For guests like me, that means opportunities: better stays, more curated experiences, luxury at the click of a button (chef in the garden? yes please). For hosts, it means competition, and opportunity. If you adapt, add value, and lean into these new services, you can stand out. If you don’t, the listings that do will steal some of your shine.

As for my fall trip: I think hiring a chef for one night is going from “interesting idea” to “yes, absolutely.” After all, fancy kitchens + chef = good memory. And maybe a nap while someone else does the dishes.

References & Further Reading

“Airbnb Stay Grounded Ad Marks the Official Start of Its Identity as a Lifestyle Platform” (RSU by PriceLabs)
“Airbnb’s 2025 Strategy: Evolving into a Comprehensive Lifestyle Platform” (RSU by PriceLabs)
“Airbnb unveils Services and relaunches Experiences” (Short Term Rentalz)
“Airbnb adds catering, massages, personal training, and more in new services business” (WiT)
“Making the Airbnb app an “Amazon of Travel” comment from Chesky” (Business Insider)