The Advantages of Reserving a Vacation Rental with the World’s Largest Hotel Brand

In 2021, my mother and I recognized a unique opportunity to celebrate my father’s 80th birthday this year. My brother and his family were planning a trip from Romania to California in August 2022—just in time for my father’s birth month. We knew we had to make the most of this moment: it would be our first family gathering in three years, perfectly timed to toast 'Opa,' the affectionate name my kids and my brother’s children have for their Romanian grandfather.

Family reunions often come with the challenge of juggling various work and school commitments, and this one was no different. Thankfully, my father’s birthday fell on a weekend, but at the end of August when my son, Niko, was already back in school. Then there was the logistics issue: we’re in Northern California, while my parents are in Southern California. How could we organize a quick yet meaningful weekend get-together without extensive travel?

“What if we meet halfway?” I suggested to my mom as we planned the celebration. We all adore California’s Central Coast, making somewhere like Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo an obvious choice, yet that posed another challenge: finding the right venue. With my kids being just three and six, and my parents understandably not keen on dining out with them, a vacation rental with a kitchen for shared meals and a pool to keep the kids entertained was ideal.

Though vacation rentals have been central to many family trips over the years, the pressure to secure a well-managed property for such a significant celebration accommodating multiple families and various age groups was intense. Suddenly, selecting the perfect vacation rental became about ensuring satisfaction for everyone, from the toddler to the octogenarian.

While I’ve booked numerous stays at Airbnb and Vrbo properties, it can sometimes be tricky to assess their quality beyond reading reviews. Listings may claim to be 'deeply cleaned,' but how can you verify that? However, one recent vacation rental experience stood out, and it wasn't through a typical rental agency—it was with the world’s largest hotel chain.

What is Homes & Villas by Marriott International?

During the pandemic, my family and I sought safe travel options that allowed for social distancing, and we came across Homes & Villas by Marriott International, a vacation rental platform launched by Marriott in 2019. In the summer of 2020, we enjoyed our stay at a Homes & Villas by Marriott International farmhouse in Sonoma County, California. The assurance of cleanliness and corporate oversight from Marriott made our getaway feel secure, allowing us to relax in a professionally cleaned home while staying within our family pod.

While organizing Opa’s 80th birthday weekend, Homes & Villas by Marriott International appeared to be the perfect solution, combining our need for spacious, comfortable accommodations with the professional management that offers peace of mind regarding the vetting, cleaning, and operation of the properties.

Originally featuring around 2,000 vacation rental homes in 100 locations across the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America, the collection has expanded to over 76,000 upscale and luxury homes in more than 700 destinations. It has also included properties in Canada, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific—making it a great alternative to Airbnb. Most of the domestic locations for Homes & Villas by Marriott International are in areas where Marriott does not have a significant hotel presence; these were chosen to complement the company's extensive hotel portfolio and provide guests with more options.

Like other vacation rental platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, you can search by your chosen destination and travel dates. However, if you seek inspiration to guide your choice, Homes & Villas by Marriott International offers a selection of “Curated Collections,” featuring retreats organized into categories like “Homes with Pools,” “Room to Reconnect” for larger gatherings, and “Cozy Cabins.”

The average nightly rate for these homes is around $500, but prices vary widely, with urban and beach condos starting as low as $150/night and extravagant English manors and Caribbean villas reaching up to $20,000/night.

Collaborating with reputable vacation rental management companies

From the moment you visit the platform’s homepage, it’s evident that this thoughtfully curated collection of residences strikes an impressive balance of character, style, and sophistication. This achievement stems from Marriott’s collaboration with seasoned home management companies (all of which Marriott thoroughly audits), including Vacasa, which managed our vacation rental in Paso Robles and has been the primary provider of Marriott’s vacation homes since May 2021. Other property management firms collaborating with Marriott include Loyd & Townsend Rose, specializing in castles in the U.K. and Ireland; Tripwix, which offers villas in destinations like Barbados, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey; and Veeve, known for “handpicked homes for city stays.”

After Opa’s incredibly successful 80th birthday weekend at a Homes & Villas vineyard estate in Paso Robles, I can confirm that the house met everyone’s expectations—toddlers, teens, weary parents, and retired grandparents all enjoyed it.

Upon entering the home, it was obvious that the property had been professionally cleaned. I never experienced that unsettling “icky-ness” that can sometimes linger in vacation rentals (if you know, you know). Additional assurances include Wi-Fi, in-home laundry facilities, and high-quality bed linens and towels—the beds in the Paso Robles home were luxurious (the whole family slept wonderfully). Essentials like shampoo, conditioner, and soaps are always provided.

Knowing the place was clean and that we were in capable hands allowed us to concentrate on what truly mattered. For the kids, that meant hours of fun in the pool, soaking each other with water guns and enjoying pool floaties. For us parents and grandparents, it was delightful to sit and chat between meals while the kids entertained themselves. It’s those little moments of connection that make staying in a vacation rental so memorable. There were morning conversations with a teenager who woke up early, late-night fireside chats between a father and son who live far apart, and evening karaoke performances from the grandkids for their grandparents.

Nestled among the vineyards of Paso Robles, the location offered the perfect blend of stunning rolling hills and grapevines, along with access to family-friendly wineries, coffee shops, and takeout spots. We ordered my father’s celebratory dinner from Catch Seafood Bar & Grill in downtown Paso Robles and brought it back to the house, avoiding the chaos of small kids in a restaurant.

Every home comes with 24/7 support, which was invaluable when we checked out on Sunday afternoon and I struggled to lock the door and store the key. A quick phone call provided the help I needed to secure everything. Plus, there wasn’t a lengthy chore list upon departure—we were only asked to start the dishwasher if there were dirty dishes inside. We could leave all the bedding in place and didn’t have to take out the trash.

Utilize (or combine) Marriott Bonvoy points to reserve a vacation rental

While you can technically book homes directly through the management companies mentioned earlier, Marriott Bonvoy loyalty members gain the advantage of earning and redeeming points when booking through Homes & Villas by Marriott. Since November 2021, Marriott has allowed travelers to reserve homes using a combination of points and cash. Currently, over 90 percent of bookings come from Marriott Bonvoy members, and nearly half of the guests at Homes & Villas this year used Marriott Bonvoy points to pay, whether fully or in part. It’s clear that Marriott loyalists have discovered—and embraced—vacation rentals. I consider myself a convert as well.