Uber wants to become your one-stop app for booking your ride, hotel, dinner, and even your morning coffee. At its annual GO-GET product event, the company unveiled a wave of new features, and hotel booking is the headline act.
How does Uber’s new hotel booking feature work?
Through a new partnership with Expedia Group, you will be able to search and book hotels directly inside the Uber app. There will be a new Hotels section on the home screen where you enter your destination and filter results across more than 700,000 properties globally.
Uber One members will get the better end of the deal, with at least 20% off a rolling list of 10,000 hotels and 10% back in Uber credits on every booking. Those credits can be spent on future Uber rides. Vrbo vacation rentals will be added to the app later this year.
From June, Uber rides will also be integrated into the Expedia app, with travelers getting push notifications before check-in to book discounted rides for their trip. Uber One benefits will also go global from June 1, meaning members can earn credits and access perks while travelling abroad.
What other new features are coming to Uber?
Uber also announced a bunch of other new features at the event. The Eats for the Way feature lets Uber Black and Uber Black SUV riders add a drink or snack to their booking, so your coffee is ready in the passenger seat when your driver pulls up. It launches first in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco.
Shop for Me lets you request a courier to visit any store, including ones not listed on Uber Eats, pick up whatever you need, and bring it to you. You describe the item, set a budget, and pay the in-store price plus delivery.
Another feature called Travel Mode will provide curated local recommendations, restaurant suggestions, and tourist hotspots when you land somewhere new.
Voice Bookings, powered by AI, lets you book a ride hands-free just by talking to the app. And One Search consolidates rides, food, and store results into a single search bar, reducing the need to switch between Uber and Uber Eats.
Meanwhile, Uber is also putting driverless Mercedes-Benz S-Class cars on the road, partnering with Rivian to bring thousands of robotaxis to streets, and rolling out a Cart Assistant on Uber Eats to shop faster with fewer taps.