Marriott taking on Airbnb w/ homesharing website (Trial in several cities)
 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...-a8323211.html

Excerpt:

"Launching Tributeportfoliohomes.com on 23 April, Marriott has a selection of more than 200 specially selected homes in London to choose from. The service is initially a six-month pilot scheme in partnership with Hostmaker, a London home rental management service. Guests can expect added extras such as a guaranteed in-person check-in and 24/7 phone support should there be any issues. They will also receive loyalty points for Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest schemes.

Marriott isn’t creating a new brand or relying on the Hostmaker name to sell its product, but is instead using one of its existing brands – Tribute Portfolio, a collection of 28 independent hotels around the world. Marriott says guests should get a similar experience in a homestay property as they’d get at a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. The average nightly rate for a one or two-bedroom home in the pilot is between £200 and £250; more upscale than budget. The Marriott offering differs from Airbnb in several ways, the main one being quality control. Hostmaker offers on the ground maintenance and regular checks to ensure homes continue to meet its standards

As Tributeportfoliohomes.com is in its beta phase, the website, although attractive, doesn’t quite have the functionality of bigger homestay brands yet. For example, there’s no way of filtering by price, and users have to click through to the property to view pictures. However, if the pilot is successful, Marriott will no doubt tweak and improve, plus consider expanding into other markets."

i saw this on the Marriott website today. Prices are very attractive - $250/night for a 2 bedroom - in most neighborhoods and the offerings look very good. . It would eliminate the "how many rollaways can I fit into a room at County Hall?" question that frequently comes up

It would also eliminate confusion from hotels not knowing what types of connecting rooms they have ;)

This sounds very promising, and option I'd consider when traveling with my family or a group of friends.

Marriott Expands Homesharing Pilot to Paris, Rome, & Lisbon Giving Guests Access to 340+ Homes

Marriott press release today:

Marriott International Expands Homesharing Pilot | Marriott News Center

Excerpt:

"Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced the expansion of its homesharing pilot to include Paris, Rome and Lisbon in addition to London. Beginning today, travelers can choose from more than 340 properties across four European markets with the ability to earn and redeem points across Marriott’s award-winning loyalty platform, including Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). This follows on the heels of a 5-month pilot initiated earlier this year in collaboration with Hostmaker, a London-based home rental sharing management company.

Homes are chosen based on their overall design, functionality and location. Having also met high quality, safety and security standards, selected properties feature 1- bedroom or more, full kitchens and in-unit laundry. Guests also have access to 24/7 support as well as an in-person welcome/check-in experience through Hostmaker.

Tribute Portfolio Homes allows travelers to experience destinations with a new and local lens. Residences are as diverse as: a 3-bedroom Parisian atelier with floor-to-ceiling French doors and views of the Eiffel Tower; an impeccably designed, Italian mid-century style apartment on a charming street in Rome; a minimalist yet rustic home in the vibrant heart of Lisbon; and a bright and airy flat in London with a chef’s kitchen, reading nook and multiple, well-appointed bedrooms.

With its powerful pilot in London, Marriott International found that travelers are drawn to Tribute Portfolio Homes for the curated selection of homes, ease of booking, and service level. Some insights from the pilot include:

– Staying longer: On average, guests stayed more than 2x the typical hotel length of stay
– Needing more space: Most guests sought units with multiple bedrooms and were appreciative of features such as full kitchens and in-unit laundry.

More than 75% of guests staying at Tribute Portfolio Homes were traveling for leisure with friends and family or extending business travel to include their friends and family; and overall, the pilot indicated that Tribute Portfolio Homes resonated with loyalty members."

Glad to see this expanding and apparently working for MAR; I do believe this is a big part of the future of travel for certain groups (families, groups of griends, etc.)

Heck, I can see it working for FT Dos as long as one earns points (of course then there would be fisticuffs amongst the many as to who earns the points :D).

Cheers.