Finding your perfect holiday home can be tricky. You want the comforts of home, but also the excitement of new surroundings; somewhere unique, but also safe and reliable. Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy's new ‘Search with AI’ tool makes it much easier to find that balance: just free-type all of the elements you’re dreaming of, and it scours a global portfolio of premium accommodation for the ultimate match. Go on – put it to the test!
With the extensive selection of holiday homes in the Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, you can be confident you’ll find a spectacular place to stay, even in locations where there isn’t a nearby Marriott Bonvoy hotel. To spark your inspiration, here are a few of its most extraordinary retreats.
Live the countryside dream in the Cotswolds, UK
Foxcote Grange, Cotswold's, Cheltenham, UK (Photo: Marriott International)
Rolling meadows, quaint stone-built villages, rural pubs with roaring fires and real ales: it’s all on your doorstep at Foxcote Grange. Built in traditional Cotswold stone, this mansion near Cheltenham, UK, is just like Kate Winslet’s beautiful cottage in The Holiday – only more spacious, with six bedrooms sleeping up to 12 guests.
If you can tear yourself away from the heated pool and cosy woodburning stove, spend your days paddleboarding on tranquil Lake 32, shopping for one-off mementoes of your stay in nearby Stow-on-the-World's Tara Antiques Centre, or exploring the wonders of the wider Costwolds area.
Plan a multi-gen holiday to Menorca, Spain
Villa Margarita, Menorca, Spain (Photo: Marriott International)
The grown-ups want spacious sea-breezy bedrooms, with a palm-shaded terrace for balmy summer afternoons; the children, meanwhile, want their own pool, and a sandy beach within walking distance. Enter Villa Margarita on Menorca’s south coast, designed to keep everyone happy.
Near Sou Bou, this five-bedroom home has panoramic coastal views from its vast pool and garden. Adventurous tweens can try diving at Son Bou Scuba, while you’ll love the sizzling prawns at Casa Andrés – but don't forget that there's a whole island to explore. In August, look out for the giant puppet parades celebrating Sant Llorenç in nearby Alaior – one of the Balearic Islands’ many festivals.
Step into a period drama in Cornwall, UK
The Manor House, Cornwall, UK (Photo: Marriott International)
Maybe it’s the grand Georgian facade, surrounded by rambling gardens and a private lake – or maybe it’s the sumptuous interior, with its sweeping wooden staircase and library filled with antiques. Either way, The Manor House is seemingly plucked from an episode of BBC’s period drama Poldark, which was filmed throughout the local area.
This six-bedroom Cornish estate in the UK's southwest even has a tennis court, and sits a few minutes’ drive from Newquay’s surf schools and sandy Fistral Beach. Head to The Boathouse for harbourside crab tacos and lobster rolls, caught by the fishing boats bobbing nearby, before venturing further afield to discover the many riches of this corner of England.
Find your island idyll in Hvar, Croatia
Authentic Stone Villa Complex, Hvar, Zavala, Croatia (Photo: Marriott International)
Old stone houses hug Hvar’s sea cliffs, with front-row views of the glittering Adriatic and wider archipelago. If you’re craving coastal wow-factor, check out Authentic Stone Villa Complex in Zavala, Croatia – a four-bedroom, four-bathroom bolthole with a private pool, guesthouse and huge south-facing terrace.
Everything is just a few minutes’ walk away: from pebbly Zavala beach to Restaurant Davor Zavala, for lemon-spritzed calamari and syrupy Hvar rožata – a local panna cotta-style dessert. Take the boat to Šćedro, Hvar’s wild neighbour, to hike its rosemary-scented trails to crystal-clear bays.
Enjoy the high life in Amalfi, Italy
Villa Del Piano, Amalfi, Italy (Photo: Marriott International)
In the hills above Amalfi, on Italy’s southwest coast, Villa Del Piano’s four bedrooms and elegant dining room are flooded with light. Here, sunny beach days fade into glorious sunsets: best enjoyed from the terrace, with a frosty vino bianco in hand.
Amalfi’s charms are no secret, but there are hidden gems too – such as Mamma Agata’s cooking school in Ravello, where you can learn authentic recipes for parmigiana, limoncello and more. In cool weather, the 1.5-hour walk from Amalfi to Ravello is a delight, weaving through citrus orchards and vineyard-covered hills.
Discover the epic mountains of Austria
Gold Club Brand, Austria (Photo: Marriott International)
In summer, Austria’s valley village of Brand offers easy rambles through fragrant pine forests, farm fun with fluffy alpacas, and 18 panoramic holes at Golf Club Brand. In winter, catch its gondolas up into the peaks to swoosh down 64km of snow-laden pistes – not to mention husky sledding, ice climbing and archery.
Whatever the season, Chalet GM makes an unforgettable base to discover Austria: a five-bedroom hideaway with an infinity pool, hot tub and terrace, all with 360º mountain views. Inside, its style is ultra-modern Alpine chic – think vaulted ceilings and sumptuous sofas galore, with a large fireplace keeping things cosy.
Relax and regroup on the island of Madeira, Portugal
Bella Vita (Madeira Villas), Portugal (Photo: Marriott International)
Meaning ‘beautiful life’ in Portuguese, Bella Vita (Madeira Villas) certainly lives up to its name. Here, the subtropical island of Madeira’s lush farmland meets the azure Atlantic, guaranteeing you a spectacular view from the villa's private pool. With three bedrooms sleeping up to six, this is a great choice for families.
Chilling out is top of the agenda, whether you’re bonding over table football in the games room or flipping espada – a local speciality fish – on the barbecue. Go paddling in the waterfalls at Lagoa das 25 Fontes, while Prazeres market on Sundays is the place to buy juicy passionfruits and island-brewed cider. If wanderlust strikes, then head out to discover the wider island's bounty of attractions.
Have a fairytale summer in Languedoc, France
Chateau De Valombreuse, Languedoc, France (Photo: Marriott International)
In the sun-drenched region of Languedoc, southern France, Chateau De Valombreuse sleeps up to 14 beneath its fairytale-style turrets – with acres of private gardens to explore, plus a tennis court, outdoor pool and ballroom with a gleaming grand piano.
At the weekly Thursday market in nearby Mèze, you can buy creamy cathare goat’s cheese, a local speciality, while the coastal village of Étang de Thau is the spot for fresh oysters. For drinks, look to the chateau’s own vineyard, yours to explore by bike and on foot: its zesty Picpoul is one of its many award-winning wines. If the desire to explore takes you, then striking out beyond your immediate environs is sure to reward the effort.
Unwind in the serene Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
Villa Branko, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro (Photo: Marriott International)
From your sunlounger at Villa Branko, you’ll spy everything from fishing boats to glitzy yachts on the Bay of Kotor – an inlet of the Adriatic so rich in history that it has UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Overlooking the water, this four-bedroom Montenegro home is more than 100 years old, still with its original stone walls and beams.
That said, it’s no museum piece: expect an outdoor heated pool, outdoor cinema and stylish dining area, plus a games area with table tennis and darts. Nature trails reach from its door up into the mountains, and boats depart from nearby Perast to Kotor’s islets, which are topped with picturesque churches.
Ease into island life on Elba, Italy
Villa Padulella 8 2 Emma Villas, Elba Island, Italy (Photo: Marriott International)
Come summertime evenings, when the air is sweet with wild herbs, you can kick back on the terrace of Villa Padulella 8 2 Emma Villas – dangling your toes in the pool, or listening to music by the light of the moon. On the island of Elba, just off Italy’s Tuscan Coast, this four-bedroom villa is a secluded retreat for up to ten guests.
A passageway runs from its garden to a white-sand beach, where you can swim in sapphire-clear water – part of a marine nature reserve. Dolphin-watching tours depart from nearby Portoferraio, too.
Published: October 07, 2024
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