In a recent survey from Clever Real Estate, 96% of travelers agreed with one or more downsides of short-term rentals. Nearly a third of Americans don’t trust Airbnb listings, while 28% don’t believe the costs are fair. Safety and security are the third largest concerns, followed by a lack of on-site staff for immediate assistance.
While Airbnb has cracked down on significant cleaning requirements and fees and worked to improve affordability, travelers’ preferences have boomeranged. Going reports that in 2024, 83% of travelers prefer hotels, up significantly from 50% in 2023.
“With nearly a third of vacationers polled spending most or all their time at their hotel or resort while on vacation, it’s clear that travelers deserve more than just a place to sleep,” adds Annie Roberts, Senior Vice President of Club and Owner Services at Club Wyndham.
“People want to ensure their vacation decisions bring quality, consistency, and peace of mind for their entire experience. Accommodations that actually enhance your vacation, like separate bedrooms, bathrooms, and full-sized kitchens, offer travelers a special luxury – the chance to gather comfortably.”
People don’t want to play a game of chance with their next vacation, yet they still want to have their cake and eat it, too. These properties give travelers a taste of the options that offer the roominess of rentals and the amenities, service, predictability, and safety of resorts.
Timeshare Rentals
As travelers increasingly book these in-demand timeshare resort properties, they remain 15% fuller than hotels.
Among more than 5,000 timeshare resorts worldwide, 70% are 2-bedroom accommodations, mostly inside resorts from global brands like Hilton, Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Wyndham, Disney, and The Four Seasons.
“Timeshares provide travelers with the spacious accommodations that include multi-bedrooms and full kitchens like you would find in an Airbnb but mixed with resort amenities like pools, on-site restaurants, fitness centers, and maybe most importantly, on-site professional management,” says Jason Gamel, CEO of ARDA, the trade association for the timeshare industry. “Many people don’t know that you don’t have to own a timeshare to experience it — anyone can book a stay in a timeshare resort.”
Travelers spend $2.7 billion a year renting timeshares directly from resorts, an owner renting theirs, or through trusted booking sites like Redweek, Go-Koala, and Timeshares Only.
They include properties such as Ocean Enclave, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, and an all-suite retreat in Myrtle Beach. This family-friendly resort features the perfect combination of condo rooms and resort-style amenities. Steps away from Myrtle Beach’s Grand Strand, boardwalk, and famous fairways, guests enjoy the golden sandy beaches right outside their door and two refreshing pools, a restaurant, bar, marketplace, and exceptional concierge services.
Or the Hyatt Vacation Club at The Welk, situated on 450 acres of beautiful wilderness outside San Diego. Offering 714 residential-style villas, five recreation centers, eight pools and eight whirlpool spas, a 120-foot waterslide, a 6,000 square-foot fitness center, day spa, sports court area, two 18-hole public golf courses, and an escape room, its is the whole resort experience. With a mix of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom villas that sleep up to 10 people, the accommodations include fully equipped kitchens, living and dining spaces, a washer/dryer, and a private patio or balcony.
Rentals From Hotel Brands
Twenty-seven percent of Marriott Bonvoy’s 196 million members use home rental services, leading the company to enter the space in 2019 and add apartment rentals in 2022. Travelers can earn and redeem loyalty points for vacation rental stays. Pick from options near golf courses, family-friendly accommodations, or those that include hot tubs or private pools.
“Our guests want to travel in the right way, staying in homes that meet and exceed local legislation and regulatory requirements to ensure consistency. They expect a comfortable bed, hotel-quality linen, 24/7 support, and they don’t want any nasty surprises. And finally, one of our most important differentiators is loyalty — how can guests be rewarded for their home rental business in the same way as they would be rewarded staying in a hotel,” shares Jennifer Hsieh, Vice President, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy.
Boutique Boom
Frommers estimates that only 10% of all hotel rooms are connecting, making family travel difficult. This demand for guaranteed larger spaces has led to a boom in residential resort offerings around the globe. For example, parents relish Martinal Resort, with apartments meticulously crafted and designed with families in mind in Portugal’s most sought-after destinations.
“Our DNA centers on luxury accommodation in combination with the lifestyle that “parents can have the cappuccino with the foam still on it,” says Chitra Stern, Owner, Founder, and CEO of Martinhal Resorts. “We created the Martinhal brand that goes beyond common 5-star hotel experiences. We know what luxury family traveling is about, and we grew our brand by developing a concept that combines the new lifestyle of workcation, branded residences, and state-of-the-art design.”
With six properties in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, and Seattle, Level Hotels & Furnished Suites also specializes in nightly and extended stays in the comforts of fully furnished suites, the service of a boutique hotel, and the amenities of a resort. Their rooms range from 475 to 2,000 square feet and offer fully equipped kitchens, in-suite washers and dryers, and space for groups or families to spread out.
Take Another Look at Hotels
Hotels are the most popular choice for travelers, and increasingly, that doesn’t mean giving up spacious home-like stays. Hotels report a 20% increase in demand for larger accommodations, driving brands to build more of these rooms. Approximately 30% of Marriott hotels in development are all-suite properties.
Anantara The Marker Dublin is an urban retreat with the exceptional service travelers expect from a Leading Hotels of The World property. It offers larger rooms for more than two guests, a rarity in European cities. Its junior, one, and two-bedroom suites offer space, privacy, and breathtaking views over Grand Canal Square and the Docklands.
Arizona Biltmore, with a stunning mix of Frank Lloyd Wright architectural style and old Hollywood glamour, is a jewel of the desert. The expansive 39-acre Phoenix resort sings after a $170 million property-wide refresh across its dining, stylish accommodations, and seven pools. After a day splashing in its perfectly managed 82 to 84-degree pools or zipping down the waterslide, families or groups can spread out in its generously sized cottages, villas, or suites.
Embassy Suites by Hilton has all-suite properties in popular vacation destinations, including the Caribbean. For example, their Aruba property on Eagle Beach offers two-room accommodations with separate bedrooms and living areas, as well as complimentary breakfast, evening cocktails, and light bites.
