The Lobby Boy

19/10/2025

The Top OTA Feature Updates Hotels May Have Missed (April–October 2025)

If you’ve been busy running your hotel, you probably haven’t had time to keep up with what the big Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) have been building lately. But over the past six months, Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia Group have all rolled out updates that quietly—but significantly—change how travelers plan and book stays.

From AI-powered search tools to “everything apps” and more transparent pricing rules, these platforms are becoming smarter, faster, and more traveler-centric. Here’s what’s new, why it matters, and how your hotel can adapt before these updates reshape your bookings.

1. Airbnb: From Home-Sharing to Full-Service Living

Airbnb’s 2025 Summer Release marks its most ambitious transformation yet. The company is no longer just a platform for private homes—it’s building an everything app that manages the full guest journey.

The Big Updates:

Airbnb Services & Experiences (Summer 2025): Guests can now book private chefs, massages, trainers, or photographers directly from the Airbnb app—bringing the concierge to the home.
Redesigned App: The new interface unifies homes, services, and experiences into one dynamic itinerary, simplifying how travelers plan their trips.
Group Trip Tools (Summer 2024): Shared wishlists, co-traveler invites, and group chats with hosts make it easier for families and friends to coordinate.
Co-Host Network (Winter 2024): A built-in network that helps hosts and small operators connect with professional co-hosts to manage listings.
Hotel Expansion (Announced 2025): CEO Brian Chesky confirmed plans to add a dedicated hotel interface—focused on boutique and independent properties.
Global Total-Price Display (April 2025): Airbnb now automatically shows the full price—including all mandatory fees—by default in every market.

Why It Matters:

Airbnb is no longer competing only on space—it’s competing on experience. When guests can book everything from yoga to catering inside one app, the line between home rental and hotel service starts to blur.

What Hotels Should Do:

Package your services as bookable experiences on your website—spa treatments, dinners, and local tours.
Highlight your professional standards: trained staff, verified safety, and reliability.
If you list on Airbnb, update your pricing to match the new total-price rule and stay compliant.

2. Expedia Group: AI Tools and Smarter Partner Insights

Expedia’s evolution is all about automation, personalization, and scale. With its network of Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, the group is turning data into a competitive advantage for both travelers and hotels.

The Big Updates:

Smart Trip AI™ (October 2025): A conversational AI that recommends destinations, properties, and itineraries based on real-time traveler intent.
AI Review Summaries & Property Q&A: Summarizes guest reviews and answers traveler questions instantly.
Lodging Sponsored Listings API (Pilot): Let's hotels promote sponsored listings not only on Expedia.com, but across partner platforms like airlines and travel portals.
Targeted Member Deals (June 2025): Tailored discounts for Expedia’s loyalty tiers (Blue, Silver, and Gold) directly through Partner Central.
Vrbo Distribution Expansion: Vacation rentals are now being cross-listed through Expedia’s global B2B network, broadening reach across travel channels.

Why It Matters:

Expedia’s new AI tools reward structured, high-quality data. If your property profile isn’t detailed—complete amenities, verified features, strong visuals—the algorithm will likely favor others.

What Hotels Should Do:

Keep listings accurate, visual, and structured—AI needs context to recommend to you.
Prepare to test the Sponsored Listings API when available; it’s a new way to appear on high-intent travel sites.
Segment your offers for loyalty members—they’re the travelers most likely to spend more and return.

3. Booking.com: Building the “Connected Trip”

Booking.com’s focus this year has been on turning its platform into a one-stop ecosystem—helping guests manage every step of the trip from a single app.

The Big Updates:

Agentic AI Tools (Announced October 2025): New “Smart Messenger” and “Auto-Reply” features help hotels respond faster and reduce manual communication.
Recency-Weighted Review Scores (January 2025): Recent reviews now carry more influence in property ratings—rewarding consistent, up-to-date performance.
Booking.com for Business Upgrades: The new Smart Stays search accepts natural language queries (“Find two rooms in Berlin for next week”) and introduces improved dashboards, traveler maps, and budgeting tools.
Attractions & Activities Integration (September 2025): Through its global partnership with FareHarbor, Booking.com added thousands of tours and local experiences, solidifying its end-to-end travel offering.

Why It Matters:

Booking.com is turning travelers into platform loyalists by integrating every part of their journey. The more activities they book through the app, the less likely they are to look elsewhere.

What Hotels Should Do:

Encourage recent reviews—a strong 60-day feedback cycle can now lift your score faster.
Offer and promote your own local experiences directly, keeping guest engagement and revenue under your roof.

The Bottom Line

In just half a year, the three largest OTAs have taken major steps toward full-trip ecosystems powered by AI and data. They’re simplifying booking, personalizing experiences, and locking travelers deeper into their platforms.

But hotels have one powerful advantage that no algorithm can replicate: human hospitality.

Use these updates as your cue to innovate—make your services bookable, refresh your digital presence, and turn every guest touchpoint into a reason to book direct.

Because in 2025, staying competitive isn’t just about being listed—it’s about being memorable.

Written by The Lobby Boy — simplifying smart hospitality.