Although the AI-powered Hotel.com chatbot is easy to use, it is not very useful at this stage due to its errors.
This is what we found after testing updated Hotels.com. Expedia Group launched last week an AI chatbot in the Hotels.com application and a redesign integrating the new feature.
The company has just launched the new Bellboy mascot, a brand refresh for Hotels.com. All of this is part a plan for Hotels.com to grow after Vrbo and it saw a decline in business due to the company’s migration. Expedia received criticism from Hotels.com users for scrapping its reward program and launching One Key in the past two years.
The Hotels.com app — and the Expedia app — got a smart filter feature last week, among its updates. The feature allows users to specify their preferences to the chatbot, such as a rooftop bar. Booking.com launched a similar feature in the past year.
Shilpa Ranganathan, chief product officer for Expedia Group, said during the annual Expedia conference last week that booking conversions have increased by 35% among those who have tested the smart filter. 
