With more than 20 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality sector, Jesse Stein leads Airbnb’s renewed focus on the hotel segment. We spoke with him to learn more about the strategy aimed at independent and boutique properties nationwide, as well as the role played by Dingus in this process.
“At the end of the day, guests come to Airbnb to find a great place to stay. And we’d love to offer them fantastic hotels!”
This was stated by Airbnb’s Global Head of Hotels during his presentation at ITB in March 2026. Stein recalls that, while the project was originally built around vacation homes, the expansion into the hotel segment took shape in 2019 with the acquisition of HotelTonight, which specializes in boutique hotels and last‑minute bookings. How does Airbnb’s original strength influence its current strategy?
“Vacation homes will always be the heart and core of Airbnb’s business, but we recognize that some types of travel are better suited to what hotels offer. Our goal is to provide guests with a single, trusted platform where they can find the perfect stay, whether that’s a cozy studio apartment, a boutique hotel, or anything in between.”
But for Airbnb to be suitable for hotels, technological evolution has also been required.
“So much has changed. The most notable updates include dedicated hotel carousels and search filters, the integration of all hotel room types and rates into a single property page, and of course, seamless connectivity with channel managers, allowing hotels to keep their distribution optimized with no additional effort.”
What type of hotels are you currently looking to onboard, and which locations are you focusing on in Spain?
“Spain is a priority market for us. Right now, we’re focusing on 11 key destinations: Madrid, Barcelona, Mallorca, Tenerife, Costa Brava, Costa de Valencia, Málaga, Palma, Ibiza, Sevilla, and Gran Canaria. Hotels outside these areas remain on our radar for future phases of expansion. As for hotel profiles, we’re currently prioritizing independent boutique hotels and local chains, mainly in the mid-scale to premium segment. Luxury properties will be addressed at a later stage.”
Dingus, a key connectivity partner for Airbnb hotels in Spain
Let’s talk about the relationship with Dingus. How does the connectivity flow work for hotels working with Airbnb?
“Dingus is a key connectivity partner in Spain. Hotels can easily connect through the HotelTonight interface, which simultaneously distributes inventory to both Airbnb and HotelTonight. It’s a single integration for two powerful distribution channels.”
And what specific value does Dingus bring to this strategy?
“Significant value, not only because of your technology focused on leisure destinations, but also due to your strong national and international presence, especially in regions such as the Caribbean.”
Finally, if a hotel meets your criteria, what should it do?
“It’s very simple. Hotels located in the destinations mentioned earlier and belonging to the mid-scale to premium segment can complete our interest form by clicking here. For now, the program is invitation-only and carefully curated, but if a property meets our requirements, our Senior Market Manager, Víctor González, will personally get in touch to initiate the process.”
Through its partnership with Airbnb, via seamless integration and a shared commitment to the professionalization of the independent and boutique hotel segment, Dingus reinforces its dedication to destinations and efficient distribution. We therefore continue to support hotel properties by strengthening and integrating the channels that best enhance their competitiveness.
Cristina Torres
Communications Director, Dingus
cristina.torres@dingus.es
