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- Owners of branded residences within the Marriott portfolio earn elevated Bonvoy status and gain access to the company’s new platform, Onvia, which provides additional perks.
- The upcoming W Cleveland will introduce Marriott International’s first branded rentals, offering apartment leases with a minimum duration of 12 months.
- The Ann Savannah, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, which opened earlier this year in Georgia, features 157 accommodations ranging from studios to four-bedroom lofts; it is the first hotel of the new Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy brand.
When Boston’s newest skyscraper is finally completed later this year, the mixed-use development soaring above South Station will symbolize Marriott International’s decades-long effort to diversify its residential portfolio. The 680-foot tower is crowned by 166 luxury Ritz-Carlton residences, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with city and harbor views.
Twenty-five years after the opening of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Washington D.C., which was the first branded residential project for Marriott, the company now has 300 similar offerings, either open or in development. These are across 17 brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, W, St. Regis, JW Marriott, and Edition. The variety of options includes full ownership of branded residences, extended-stay furnished apartments, and vacation villas.
“Customers love our brands, and they love this special lifestyle that they can buy into,” says Dana Jacobsohn, chief development officer for U.S. luxury brands and global mixed-use at Marriott International.
Courtesy of The Ann Savannah
The perks associated with ownership are music to a Marriott Bonvoy members’ ears. Approximately 93 percent of Marriott residential owners are already Bonvoy members, the company reports.
New homeowners earn Bonvoy status depending on the brand their residence is tied to; Those purchasing a unit in The Ritz-Carlton Residences receive Platinum status. (Prices at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Boston, South Station Tower start at $1.3 million.) But company leaders emphasize that this isn’t your standard Bonvoy Platinum status.
Residence owners also tap into a new program called Onvia, an owner recognition platform that includes benefits such as preferred rates at Marriott-affiliated hotels worldwide, exclusive perks when booking a voyage on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and access to a variety of exclusive partnerships, events, and activities. Additionally, once owners put down a non-refundable deposit on their future home, they can enjoy the benefits of elevated Bonvoy status for a period of two years.
“Our hope is that with that elevated status you start with, you’ll travel and earn a higher status,” Jacobsohn says. “Once you’re a loyal customer, that status typically just comes so easily.”
Marriott’s residential options are expanding and now include a variety of ways to experience the company’s hotel brands.
The upcoming W Cleveland, slated for completion in late 2026, will feature Marriott International’s first branded apartment rental, with 12-month leases (at minimum). While W will be the first Marriott-affiliated brand to offer rental units, additional brands could follow, adds Jacobsohn.
For travelers who prefer not to sign an ownership agreement or a 12-month lease, Marriott has an alternative in store.
The Ann Savannah, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, boasting 157 accommodations ranging from studios to four-bedroom lofts, opened earlier this year in Georgia as the first hotel of the new Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy brand. It caters to different types of travelers, from those in town for the weekend to those seeking a much longer stay. And it provides an elevated experience compared to roadside extended-stay hotels.
Courtesy of The Ann Savannah
For starters, The Ann Savannah isn’t highway-adjacent; instead, it is cloistered in downtown Savannah, just around the corner from one of the city’s must-visit restaurants, The Grey. The hotel’s residences include full kitchens, in-suite laundry, and well-furnished living spaces.
“People are extending the amount of time they can work out of a place, particularly in the summer,” explains Peggy Roe, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Marriott International. “So, if they’re going to do that, they want more of an apartment-style type of experience.”
Another residential-style brand is Marriott Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, offering high-end vacation home rentals that allow guests to accrue or redeem points. The platform recently made a splash by aiming to ensure guests don’t have to deal with rain during their stay through a new partnership with WeatherPromise, a service that pays travelers if there is excessive rainfall during their stay.
Marriott’s foray into residential hospitality also signals the broader evolution and appeal of blended travel, Roe says.
“From a customer standpoint, I think if you erased all the hotels today and you started over, you would probably see everybody [build for longer-term stays] a little bit more,” she explains.
And with the rising popularity of bleisure travel and remote work, it looks like Marriott’s long-term focus on alternative accommodations is hitting the mark.
