Move Over, Airbnb: Big Hotels Target Group Travel

Big hotel brands are adding vacation rental properties to their portfolios, creating new options for large groups and families.

For years, home-sharing platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo have been go-to sources for large group travel accommodations. These platforms make it easier to find multi-bedroom rentals. Often, these were more comfortable and cost-effective than spreading across multiple hotel rooms. But in recent years, peer-to-peer home rental sites have drawn scrutiny for high fees and unreliable hosts.

Still, interest in short-term rentals remains strong. Demand for short-term rental surged by 7% year-over-year in 2024, according to a 2024 report from AirDNA, a firm that tracks vacation rental data and analytics. AirDNA projects demand for short-term rentals will further grow by 4.9% in 2025.

Now, big hotel companies like Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott have debuted their own vacation rental properties.

Most recently, on Jan. 8, 2025, Hilton Hotels & Resorts announced a partnership with a vacation rental resort called Evermore Orlando Resort. Evermore offers hundreds of vacation rentals on one sprawling property, alongside resort-level services such as a 24-hour front desk and on-site dining.

For travelers seeking group accommodations — and who want to avoid the unpredictability that can come with renting from individual owners — these hotel-affiliated vacation rentals are worth a look. One potential downside, though, is that they can be pricey.

Why Hilton’s eyes are on Evermore Orlando Resort

Evermore Orlando Resort opened in January 2024 as a 1,100-acre luxury vacation rental complex consisting of 69 houses, 206 flats and 41 villas that range in size from two-bedroom apartments to 11-bedroom homes.

“We designed homes perfect for a weeklong vacation,” says Christopher Kelsey, developer of the Evermore Orlando Resort. “Every home has identical primary bedrooms, so there’s no arguing over who gets the best room, or who should pay more or less because they got better bedrooms.”

Units have features that appeal to families like bunk rooms and — in the biggest ones — a slide that takes you downstairs. Resort amenities include an artificial beach complex, golf courses, restaurants and a gym. Unlike other vacation rentals, the property has onsite staff to assist with issues.

But the units can be expensive. Evermore rates vary by night, but nightly rates for the 32-person, 11-bedroom home — the largest residence available — start at about $3,000. If you split that cost with a full house of guests, though, it could be more affordable than individual hotel rooms.

As of Jan. 8, 2025, guests at Evermore can use Hilton Honors points to book homes through Hilton’s website. Two-bedroom villas will be available for standard room award stays, while larger units will be available for premium award stays. Those who book with cash can earn Hilton points during their stays, too.

Major hotel brands embrace more space and multi-family trips

Hilton’s partnership with Evermore is hardly the only instance of big brands getting into vacation rentals.

In 2019, Marriott International launched Homes & Villas by Marriott International, a collection of 140,000 vacation rentals worldwide, where Marriott Bonvoy members can earn and redeem points for stays.

In contrast to Evermore, these are mostly standalone homes, cared for by Marriott-vetted property management companies that offer 24/7 support (albeit not necessarily onsite).

The collection includes several luxury properties, which tend to have costly rates. Properties include an Italian villa with a sauna, private chef and infinity pool, which accommodates up to 24 and starts at $3,800 per night. There’s also an 18th century Irish Castle in Galway that sleeps 17 and starts at about $6,300 per night. Affordable properties include multi-bedroom homes in Orlando that cost less than $100 per night.

In 2023, Hyatt Hotels Corp. launched a similar offering called Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt. Like Marriott Homes & Villas, Hyatt’s program features standalone properties overseen by management companies that have earned Hyatt’s stamp of approval.

The hotel brand also offers larger accommodations through timeshares with Hyatt Vacation Club, where you can purchase fractional ownership or usage rights in a property. Owners typically pay an upfront fee and annual maintenance fees in exchange for points to book stays at locations across the brand’s network.

Hyatt Vacation Club units are also bookable with cash or World of Hyatt points, which can be earned through stays or certain credit cards. Prices vary by location, with some resorts offering multi-bedroom villas for $200 or $300 a night, while others could charge upward of $900.

There are more than 20 Hyatt Vacation Club locations across the U.S. and Mexico, and each resort is designed to showcase its host location.

Stephanie Sobeck Butera, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Hyatt Vacation Club, said in an email that Hyatt Vacation Club specifically builds in places that are “not necessarily traditional timeshare markets.” That includes Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Branson, Missouri.

Offerings vary by location. For example, the Hyatt Vacation Club Wild Oak Ranch in San Antonio, Texas, offers classes on how to make guacamole, tortillas and margaritas, and families can enjoy the lazy river and playground.

Hilton’s timeshare arm, Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV), similarly markets to timeshare members — but like Hyatt, it also allows non-owners to book either using cash or Hilton Honors points. Hilton’s HGV portfolio is currently about 200 resorts worldwide.

In November 2023, HGV expanded its Elara property in Las Vegas to nearly 1,300 units. Like most hotels, there’s a check-in desk plus resort amenities like a pool and restaurant. But because these properties are timeshares, they also have kitchens and spacious dining areas — a rarity at hotels.

What this means for travelers ahead

Travelers already have more properties to choose from when booking large group accommodations. Before travelers head straight to Airbnb or another short-term rental platform for family gatherings or a group trip, they should compare some of the other options.

New vacation rental or timeshare offerings from hotel companies could offer more amenities or services, plus ways to earn and use hotel points. And more competition in the short-term rental space may lead to lower prices for everyone.

Caitlin Mims contributed to this story.