How to Build an Airbnb-Like App with Experiences Guide

Last Updated on June 5, 2025

Looking to create the next big thing in travel apps? What if you could combine cozy stays with unforgettable local experiences, just like Airbnb? Today’s travelers crave more than a roof over their heads—they want authentic adventures, cultural immersion, and easy access to unique activities. Building an app that offers both accommodations and experiences isn’t just smart; it’s necessary to stand out in a crowded market. But where do you start? What features are essential? And how do you make sure your app delivers a seamless, enjoyable user journey? In this blog, we’ll break down everything you need to know to build a successful Airbnb-like app that captivates users and drives growth. Ready to dive in?

Why Offering Both Stays and Experiences Matters

A platform that combines accommodations and activities delivers much more than convenience—it creates an entire ecosystem that simplifies travel planning and enhances the overall journey. Here’s why integrating both stays and experiences can be a game-changer for your app

Strong Consumer Demand for Authentic Experiences

Today’s travelers—especially Millennials and Gen Z—prioritize authenticity over generic sightseeing. They want to connect with local cultures, try unique activities, and discover places through the eyes of residents. According to Airbnb’s latest insights on India’s evolving travel trends, overall domestic bookings have grown by more than 30% year-over-year. This data clearly reflects the surging demand for immersive travel options.

Higher Average Order Value Means More Revenue

When users book both their stay and local experiences through your app, their total spend increases naturally. This not only boosts the average order value but also amplifies your commission and service fee income. Offering bundled services encourages longer stays and multiple bookings, increasing lifetime customer value and overall platform profitability.

Better User Engagement and Retention

A platform that covers all aspects of a trip keeps users engaged for longer periods. When travelers can plan accommodations and activities in one place, they’re more likely to explore additional offerings, try new experiences, and return to your app for future trips. This improved engagement reduces churn and builds a loyal user base.

Network Effects That Drive Growth

The more hosts, experience providers, and travelers you attract, the more valuable your platform becomes for everyone involved. Hosts benefit from more visibility, experience providers reach larger audiences, and users enjoy a richer selection. This growing ecosystem fuels organic growth, word-of-mouth marketing, and long-term traction—key factors for scaling your business.

Also Read: Why Startups Prefer Ready-Made Rental Platform

Step-by-Step Guide to Building an Airbnb-Like App with Integrated Experiences

To successfully launch a platform that brings together accommodation bookings and curated local experiences, it’s essential to approach development with a structured and strategic plan. Below is a comprehensive step-by-step roadmap that covers everything from ideation to post-launch scaling:

1. Conduct Market Research and Validate the Idea

Start by identifying your niche within the travel and hospitality market. Is your platform focused on eco-friendly stays, luxury getaways, adventure tourism, or cultural immersion? Study competitors like Airbnb, Viator, and regional players to understand what’s working—and where the gaps are. Conduct surveys, interviews, and beta testing with travelers and hosts to validate demand and refine your concept based on real user needs.

2. Define User Roles and Core Features

Clearly map out the primary user roles:

• Travelers looking to book accommodations and experiences
• Hosts listing properties
• Experience providers offering tours or activities
  Some users may take on multiple roles, so build the system to support multi-role accounts. Then, define your MVP features—such as user onboarding, listings, availability calendars, search, bookings, reviews, and payments. Focus on building a frictionless, intuitive flow across all touchpoints.
  

3. Select the Right Tech Stack

The scalability and performance of your platform depend heavily on your technology choices.

• Frontend: React Native for mobile apps; React.js or Next.js for web
• Backend: Node.js (JavaScript ecosystem) or Django (Python)
• Database: PostgreSQL for structured data, Redis for real-time caching
• Infrastructure: AWS or Google Cloud for hosting, Firebase for chat and real-time features
  Choosing tools that can grow with your platform will save you from costly rewrites later.
  

4. Design Seamless UX and UI

Your design must cater to users who expect intuitive booking flows, rich visuals, and easy navigation. Develop wireframes and prototypes to map out how users will search, view listings, book, and communicate. Prioritize simplicity—especially on mobile devices—and ensure accessibility for global users. Tools like Figma can be used for iterative design and user testing.

5. Develop and Test the MVP

Now begin building the minimum viable product that includes core functionalities:

• Dual listings for stays and experiences
• Search and filtering
• Unified booking engine
  Secure payments
• User profiles and messaging
  

Start with one or two core regions or categories to keep things focused. Perform extensive QA to identify bugs, fix usability issues, and ensure that features like calendar syncing, real-time availability, and notifications function as expected.

6. Integrate Payment Gateways and Calendar Sync

Incorporate trusted payment providers like Stripe, Razorpay, or PayPal for secure transactions. Allow users to save cards, use discount codes, and view transparent fee breakdowns. For availability management, implement calendar syncing with iCal or Google Calendar—especially important for hosts and experience providers managing multiple channels.

7. Launch Softly and Gather User Feedback

Start with a soft launch in a specific city, region, or travel niche. Onboard a small group of trusted hosts and providers to seed the platform with quality listings. Encourage early adopters to leave detailed reviews and provide feedback on performance, ease of use, and desired features. Use this data to make iterative improvements before scaling widely.

8. Scale and Optimize with Data

Once your MVP is stable and well-received, focus on scaling user acquisition and enhancing the platform through data insights. Analyze booking behavior, listing engagement, drop-off points, and user feedback. Improve personalization, introduce loyalty programs, and begin regional expansions. Invest in SEO, content marketing, affiliate partnerships, and influencer outreach to drive both supply and demand.

Also Read: How to Build a Vacation Rental App

Essential Features for a Combined Stays + Experiences Platform

Building a platform that successfully combines accommodation bookings and experiences requires a thoughtful set of features. The app must be user-friendly, scalable, and offer seamless functionality for all user types—guests, hosts, and experience providers. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key features your platform must include:

1. User Registration & Profile Management

Your platform will serve multiple user roles: guests booking stays and experiences, hosts listing properties, and experience providers offering activities. Each user should have a comprehensive profile containing a personal photo, a bio, and identity verification to build trust. The profile must also display user reviews and ratings along with booking history. Additionally, it’s important to support multi-role accounts, so users can act as both hosts and experience providers if they choose.

Key points:

• Detailed profiles with photos and bios
• Identity verification for safety
• Reviews, ratings, and booking history
  Support for multi-role accounts

2. Dual Listing System (Stays + Experiences)

The platform needs a dual listing system that accommodates both accommodations and experiences. Hosts should be able to list properties by providing location, amenities, photos, house rules, availability, and dynamic pricing. Experience providers should list activities with relevant details such as title, category, duration, group size, skill level, what’s included, photos/videos, price per person, and schedules. Offering both instant booking and approval-based workflows makes the platform flexible for different provider preferences.

Key points:

• Property listings: location, photos, availability, pricing
  Experience listings: category, duration, group size, price
• Instant booking and approval workflows

3. Search and Discovery

To help users find exactly what they want, your platform should feature a powerful search engine with intelligent filters. Users should be able to search by location, date, and category (stay or experience), and refine results by price, rating, guest capacity, and amenities. An interactive map view allows users to explore nearby listings, while personalized recommendations based on user interests and past searches increase engagement. Using advanced search tools like Algolia or Elasticsearch ensures fast and relevant results.

Key points:

• Search by location, date, category
• Filters for price, rating, capacity, amenities
• Map view for geographic discovery
• Personalized recommendations

4. Unified Booking Engine

A streamlined booking experience is critical when combining stays and experiences. Your platform should let users add multiple listings—both accommodations and activities—into a single itinerary. Real-time availability syncing, clear date and time selection, and a transparent pricing breakdown (including service and host fees) are essential. A multi-step checkout process supporting saved payment methods, discount codes, and clear cancellation policies will make the booking seamless and trustworthy.

Key points:

• One itinerary for stays + experiences
• Real-time availability and scheduling
• Transparent pricing with fees breakdown
• Multi-step checkout with saved payments and discounts

5. Calendar & Scheduling Management

Hosts and experience providers must efficiently manage their availability with a dynamic calendar system. They should be able to set availability by day or hour, block off unavailable periods, and sync with external calendars like Google Calendar or iCal. This is especially important for experience providers who often need time-slot based bookings for group sessions or private activities.

Key points:

• Dynamic calendar for availability
• Time-slot bookings for experiences
• Sync with external calendars

Looking to Launch an Airbnb-like App with Experiences?

At Oyelabs, we specialize in building powerful travel platforms inspired by Airbnb’s winning formula—combining unique stays with authentic, curated experiences. Whether you want a lean MVP or a full-featured custom app, we deliver scalable solutions that ensure smooth booking flows, secure payments, and location-based discovery tailored for today’s travelers.

With proven experience creating rental app like Airbnb, we understand the challenges and opportunities of this market. Ready to build a seamless travel ecosystem that delights users and drives revenue?

Let’s bring your vision to life. Book your free consultation with Oyelabs and start building an Airbnb-like app your users will love—and return to again and again.

Conclusion 

Combining accommodations and experiences into a single travel app is a powerful strategy to meet modern traveler expectations. This integrated model not only boosts user engagement and encourages repeat bookings but also opens up multiple revenue streams. By catering to the full journey—from stays to immersive local activities—you create a richer, more valuable user experience. Additionally, a growing user base of hosts, experience providers, and guests enhances your platform’s network effect. Success, however, hinges on solid technology, intuitive design, and scalable infrastructure. With the right execution, your Airbnb-like app can emerge as a trusted, all-in-one solution for global travelers.