Hospitality giant Marriott International has officially entered the short-term rental market, going after home vacation rental giants like Airbnb and HomeAway.
Earlier this week, Marriott announced that it is launching Homes & Villas by Marriott International, a home-rental initiative that offers 2,000 premium and luxury homes located in more than 100 destinations across the U.S. and worldwide in vacation destinations such as Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America.
The new venture officially begins next week, when potential guests will be able to book short-term rentals on the initiative’s website. The company also noted that travelers searching for accommodations on marriott.com for three nights or more in markets that include its rental home inventory will see links to rentals on Homes & Villas.
According to a press release from the company, Marriott’s expansion into luxury short-term home rentals was developed as a result of a pilot program the company launched in 2018, under the brand extension
"The launch of Homes & Villas by Marriott International reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation as consumer travel needs evolve," said
The company explained that the launch of Homes & Villas adds nearly 40 new destinations for members of its rewards program, Marriott Bonvoy.
"This curated selection of homes aims to connect travelers to thousands of rental properties around the world and sets the stage for guests' most treasured travel moments – home-cooked dinners with extended family, lawn games in the backyard or celebrating a milestone birthday with family and friends," the company said in a release.
