Over the summer season, we rented a villa in Greece by means of the Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy platform. I wished to share my expertise with that on this publish. We really had a terrific expertise, and it turned out to be fairly rewarding when it comes to the variety of factors earned.
Let me begin with some background on the Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy platform, after which I’ll clarify why we booked by means of it, and the way it all went.
The fundamentals of Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott’s trip rental platform. It may appear counterintuitive for a worldwide resort group to attempt to hire you properties, however that is clearly supposed as a approach for Marriott to interact its (200+ million) Bonvoy members preferring a house rental to a resort room for a selected journey.
So, how does Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy work?
- That is primarily a platform that white labels the properties out there by means of different dwelling sharing platforms; so nearly all of the properties out there by means of the platform are additionally out there by means of different providers
- Marriott clearly takes a fee on the bookings, and in flip, gives Bonvoy members advantages, like the flexibility to earn elite qualifying nights plus 5x factors per greenback spent
- Be aware that Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy usually has greater costs for a similar properties than you’ll discover by means of different platforms, so that you’ll all the time need to crunch the numbers for your self
Personally I feel the Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy platform falls into the class of “good to find out about,” nevertheless it’s not some constant slam dunk that’s going to alter your life.
Why we booked by means of Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
Over the summer season we wished to hire a villa close to Porto Heli, Greece, as we had been visiting some mates within the space. We had been touring as an enormous group, each with household and mates, so we valued having plenty of area. It was additionally our son’s first transatlantic journey, and coincided along with his second birthday, so it was a particular journey.
Ford had researched villas on-line, and located one which he cherished, so he was going to go forward and ebook it. Nonetheless, we discovered that another person had reserved it simply hours earlier, so he was discouraged and annoyed.
Making an attempt to be a good husband, I mentioned “don’t fear, let me determine it out.” Then I noticed I do know principally nothing about trip leases. However I do love factors, and I used to be acquainted with Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, so I figured I ought to begin my search there (that is maybe the prime instance of why these platforms work… hah).
To my shock, I discovered a villa within the space that met all of our wants — it had loads of bedrooms, a pool, and had a superb location. As soon as we determined that we favored that villa, I in fact spent some extra time researching on-line, to verify there wasn’t something that was a greater match for us that was out there.
So we actually lucked out, as a result of this was the most suitable choice I may discover. I wouldn’t count on that to all the time be the case, in fact.
The Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy worth proposition
For these curious, right here’s the itemizing of the property that we booked. Let me emphasize that it wasn’t low-cost, as you’d count on for a rental in Greece in early August. Nonetheless, it had eight bedrooms, and the fee was break up throughout a number of individuals (although I lucked out when it comes to being rewarded with the factors).
As you may see, the fee was 2,950 EUR per evening, so per week rental value 20,850 EUR, together with a 200 EUR cleansing payment. Ordinarily you earn 5x factors per greenback spent, and on the time of this rental, I had Marriott Bonvoy Platinum standing, which gives a 50% factors bonus (I’m now again as much as Titanium standing, which might’ve provided a 75% factors bonus).
How did this value examine to reserving the identical villa by means of different platforms?
- The villa was additionally bookable by means of Vrbo, and the speed was 20,250 EUR, so it was round 3% cheaper
- I later discovered that the administration firm for this property is VillaRentals, and the itemizing there had it for 19,950 EUR, in order that was round 5% cheaper
Nonetheless, I discovered it nicely price it to ebook by means of Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy. This system often has promotions, which provide a greater return than simply the usual 5x factors. Humorous sufficient, after I initially booked, the promotion wasn’t that nice. Nonetheless, the villa we booked allowed free cancelations up till 30 days earlier than check-in (50% needed to be paid on the time of reservation, with 50% was due 30 days out).
Simply over a month earlier than check-in, Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy was operating its greatest promotion ever (no less than for longer stays at dearer properties), so in fact I rebooked. With this deal, you possibly can earn 5x the standard variety of factors:
- Because you ordinarily earn 5x Bonvoy factors per greenback spent, this meant I’d earn 25x Bonvoy factors per greenback spent
- I then earned an additional 2.5x Bonvoy factors per greenback spent for being a Platinum member
In different phrases, I earned a complete of 27.5x Bonvoy factors per greenback spent, which translated to 616,119 Bonvoy factors. That’s fairly a haul!
For context, I worth Bonvoy factors at 0.7 cents every, so I’d worth 27.5x factors per greenback spent at roughly a 20% return. In the case of redeeming Bonvoy factors, 600K+ factors is sufficient to ebook no less than 5 nights at nearly any of Marriott’s prime properties, which may retail for nicely over a thousand {dollars} per evening.
However wait, there’s extra! I then earned 6x Bonvoy factors per greenback spent by paying with the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible® American Categorical® Card (evaluate), for an additional 135,510 Bonvoy factors.
I additionally began the acquisition by means of Rakuten, which gives 1.5% money again for these purchases (although I select to earn Amex factors, in order that’s 1.5x Amex factors per greenback spent). That was an additional 33,877 Membership Rewards factors.
So whenever you add all of it, I earned a complete of 751,629 Bonvoy factors, plus 33,877 Membership Rewards factors. That’s fairly a haul, and I’m certain you may perceive the way it was price paying a couple of further p.c for the keep to unlock these rewards.
Primarily based on my valuation of Bonvoy factors and Membership Rewards factors, I worth this at a return of $5,837, which interprets to a roughly 25% return on spending. Let me emphasize that if it hadn’t been for the 5x factors promotion on the time I used to be reserving, I’d’ve as an alternative earned 448,089 fewer Bonvoy factors. That might clearly make an enormous distinction when it comes to how rewarding that is.
One cool factor is that the usual factors for the keep posted the day after I checked out, so I used to be impressed by how shortly these rewards posted.
Additionally understand that spending with Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy counts towards Ambassador standing, so now I’ve to determine if I’m getting again on that hamster wheel or not. I’m within the odd place of getting met the income requirement, however not having met the nights requirement (the other of the way it has all the time been for me prior to now).
Our Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy pre-stay expertise
Once you undergo the reserving course of, Marriott primarily white labels the entire expertise, and doesn’t inform you which property administration firm is chargeable for the villa. Now, you possibly can sometimes determine this out by looking on-line for a few of the property’s attributes, and searching for listings by means of different related platforms.
As quickly as I confirmed the reserving, the affirmation e-mail revealed that VillaRentals was the “trusted property administration accomplice,” and their contact data was offered. I’ve gotta say, they had been superior to take care of, and had been very communicative earlier than and throughout the keep, so I’ve nothing however good issues to say.
Now, it’s essential to acknowledge that I’ve seen loads of unfavorable opinions of Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, the place prospects had been annoyed by the shortage of buyer assist on the Marriott facet when issues go unsuitable.
I can’t say that surprises me one bit, and if one thing had gone unsuitable, I’m certain it might’ve been an entire headache making an attempt to get Marriott to intervene in any approach. So going into this, I hoped we’d have a superb expertise, and considered it the identical as if I had made a direct reserving with the property administration firm. I wasn’t anticipating that Marriott would by some means assist me if one thing went unsuitable.
In order that’s one thing to concentrate on. I don’t assume we had a terrific expertise as a result of Marriott by some means vets probably the most superb companions, however somewhat it was only a good property administration firm to work with, and it so occurred to be a part of Marriott’s portfolio.
Our Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy Greek villa keep
I’m not going to do an in-depth, airline-style evaluate of 1 particular villa, as a result of that appears pointless. Nonetheless, I wished to briefly discuss our expertise with renting a house. Normally I desire inns to dwelling leases, since I respect the providers and facilities that they provide.
That being mentioned, for this journey a villa was the higher possibility. There have been plenty of us (we had eight bedrooms), we wished to all have the ability to simply spend time along with household and mates, and wished Miles (our son) to have the ability to spend time outdoor, together with in a pool.
For that matter, we wished to be in Porto Heli to satisfy mates, and the one first rate resort there may be Amanzoe, the place a single room prices as a lot we had been paying for the villa. 😉
The indoor area of the house was fairly good good, and was unfold throughout three flooring (there was a basement stage, which you’ll’t see above). The primary shared space was a lounge and eating space.
The property administration firm gladly offered a excessive chair and crib for our son, plenty of pool toys, and had the largest basket of snacks for us that I’ve probably ever seen (the image doesn’t do justice to only how a lot stuff was in there), plus a present for Miles.
The bedrooms had been additionally enough, although nothing thrilling. In the meantime the bogs may’ve used some work, however I wasn’t anticipating a lot, primarily based on the images on-line, and that is additionally form of what I count on in Greece.
However what made this place so superior was the outside area, which is the place you need to spend your time in Greece in summer season anyway. There have been limitless locations to sit down, so we had been barely indoors besides to sleep.
Then there was a pool, plus a beautiful backyard space.
Final however not least, simply exterior the gate of the house was a quiet, secluded seaside. The seaside was a bit rocky somewhat than having nice sand (as is frequent in Greece), however gaining access to such an empty seaside was fairly cool.
On the finish of the day, a visit is barely pretty much as good because the recollections you might have of it, and we had an incredible time. This wasn’t an expertise we may’ve had in a resort, however in fact this was a totally completely different kind of trip.
Some individuals could surprise about how we dealt with the meals scenario. We ended up hiring a chef for the week, who did all of the buying and cooking for us. He was unbelievable, and ready us breakfast after which both lunch or dinner. We couldn’t have been happier with that call.
Backside line
We rented a villa in Greece by means of Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, and had a constructive expertise. For one, we bought a superb worth in comparison with reserving direct, however that’s largely due to the superb promotion that Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy was providing on the time that I booked. I ended up incomes over 750,000 Bonvoy factors and over 33,000 Membership Rewards factors, in order that’s fairly a haul.
So far as the villa rental itself goes, it was precisely what we hoped for, and we had no points in any respect. Nonetheless, that comes all the way down to the property administration firm being nice, somewhat than something that Marriott particularly did. So I wouldn’t view reserving by means of this platform to essentially add a lot of a layer of safety within the occasion that issues go unsuitable.
I’m not abruptly some convert who plans to constantly hire properties instead of staying at inns going ahead, however for the form of journey we had been on, this was the best transfer.
Should you’ve used Properties & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, what was your expertise like?
