Google Maps evolves into a full-featured travel assistant with food orders and hotel bookings

Google is broadening Google Maps' scope beyond navigation, turning the platform into a more capable assistant for everyday travel and dining tasks. The company unveiled new agentic capabilities for its "Ask Maps" feature that enable users to order food, reserve accommodations, and purchase event tickets directly within the app.

What's new in Ask Maps#

The food-ordering integration allows users to ask natural-language questions such as "Where can I order vegan avocado toast and an oat milk latte near home?" and receive a list of nearby restaurants offering those items. Once a user selects a restaurant, they can proceed to check out through supported payment platforms, including Square, Toast, and Uber Eats, with Ask Maps populating the cart automatically.

Hotel searches work similarly. A user might ask Ask Maps to find a "decently priced, top-rated hotel with an artsy vibe within walking distance from a gym and restaurants" for an upcoming weekend trip. The tool evaluates availability and pricing across options before presenting results with direct booking links.

For entertainment, users can query Ask Maps about local events—"What are some comedy shows or live music this evening near work?"—and receive ticketing links alongside event details. These capabilities are starting to roll out to U.S. users.

Adding personal context#

Google is layering in Personal Intelligence, a feature that taps into Gmail and Google Calendar to furnish contextual responses. A user might ask, "What time will I land in Vancouver on my upcoming flight?" or "Can you recommend where to eat near my hotel?" and receive answers tailored to their actual itineraries and reservations. Personal Intelligence is disabled by default, giving users control over what data Ask Maps accesses.

Enhanced continuity and real-time updates#

Ask Maps will now retain conversation history, allowing users to reference prior suggestions. For example, someone planning a trip to Seattle could ask, "What activities had you suggested for my trip?" and continue where they left off. A new live transit widget also tracks delays and service changes as they occur, helping users stay informed on commuting conditions across all markets where Ask Maps operates.