Beautiful Homes and Villas for Celebrating Life's Milestones

Special occasions deserve an extra special getaway. Perhaps you've got a big birthday on the horizon, a milestone wedding anniversary to gather the family for, or you're looking for the perfect spot to pop the question. Whatever the event, mark it with a stay at a spacious, stunningly located property with Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy. Need some inspiration for your next big celebration? Read on!

Treat yourself to a birthday celebration in Barcelona or Marrakech

Riad Gypsum in Marrakech is the perfect location to celebrate with friends (Photo: Marriott International)

Marrakech, Morocco

Vibrant and enchanting, Marrakech is a feast for the senses. For a fabulously indulgent birthday treat, you can book an entire riad to enjoy with up to 14 friends. Explore the maze-like souks of this ancient Moroccan city then retreat from the hustle and bustle to the tranquil boho beauty of Riad Gypsum with its exquisite courtyard and on-site chef. Soak in the private hammam, book a massage, and chill out on the roof terrace. Breakfast is even included in the rental fee to get your days off to the best possible start.

Barcelona, Spain

With its bustling food markets, tapas bars and astonishing architecture, Barcelona is always a good idea. Spend your birthday in the Catalan capital visiting art museums in the Gothic Quarter and sipping sundowners in a beachside bar. You can host a very special birthday getaway at this homely six-bedroom apartment in L’Eixample Dreta, one of the city's most exclusive neighbourhoods. Dotted with artistic pieces and offering scenic balcony views, the apartment will immediately become your Catalan home from home. And if friends or family need to buy you a birthday gift, just point them in the direction of nearby Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona's hub of prestigious shopping. 

Curate the perfect setting to pop the question in South Africa or Greece

You can pop the question on a dreamy treehouse in South Africa (Photo: Marriott International)

George, South Africa

What could be more enchanting than a luxury cabin built into a forest canopy, the branches of milkwood trees woven into the architecture? The dreamy Ballots Bay Treehouse offers a breathtakingly romantic setting within a private nature reserve overlooking a secluded beach. Here, the wind whispers through the aromatic fynbos shrub as the Atlantic waves roll in. What a beautiful way to start the rest of your life together.

Santorini, Greece

With its whitewashed towns atop towering cliffs, the volcanic island of Santorini enjoys some of the most dramatic sunsets in the Aegean. Add warm Mediterranean breezes, crystalline waters and that famous Greek hospitality, and you have the ideal spot to drop down on one knee. The traditionally designed domed Mezzo villa offers an intimate space with a courtyard overlooking the vineyards of Santorini, the perfect place to pop open a bottle of bubbly and celebrate the ‘Yes’. Take a celebratory dip in the pool afterwards.

Bring your friends to Ibiza or Portugal for your hen or stag-dos

Ibiza is one of the world’s greatest party islands and perfect for hen or stag-dos (Photo: Marriott International)

Ibiza, Spain

For a last wild weekend of singledom, you can’t beat one of the world’s greatest party islands. All-night clubs boasting big name DJs, beachside chill-out zones, and charming market towns to explore the morning after the night before – Ibiza has you covered. Then there are the island’s enviable style credentials, which are fully in evidence at spacious Ocean Paradise, all clean, modernist lines and earthy tones that harmonise with the natural surroundings. Whether or not you and your crew arrive by boat at the private jetty, you'll have a very special stay at this cliffside villa, with its unrivalled views and direct access to one of Ibiza’s most beautiful beaches. You can even call on the services of a personal chef and waiting staff, and hop into the villa's sports car for an unforgettable tour of this legendary island.

Grândola, Portugal

Make memories that will last a lifetime when you bring your closest friends together at this expansive, stunningly designed Portuguese villa set in an aromatic pine forest. Located near the coast just south of Lisbon, you'll indulge in laid-back afternoons by the infinity pool, roam the aromatic woodland, play tennis on your private court and share stories round the fireplace. It’s a place to treasure friendship as you prepare to embark on your next big life adventure.

Combine romance and adventure in Italy or South Africa for a special wedding anniversary

Tuscany provides the best backdrop to celebrate special a wedding anniversary (Photo: Marriott International)

Tuscany, Italy

Whether it’s a trip to mark one year of marriage or a lifetime together, seeking out the romantic vistas of Tuscany to celebrate your love is a peerless choice. This stunning contemporary villa near Volterra is an architectural masterpiece, its centrepiece the panoramic glass wall in the living area that looks out onto your own private and oh-so inviting swimming pool. Just spending time here will create lasting memories, but the villa is also a perfect base for explorations. Strike out to discover the region’s historic hill towns, sprawling vineyards and endless pastoral scenes right out of a Renaissance painting, like the ones you’ll find in nearby Florence’s Uffizi Galleries.

Garden Route, South Africa

South Africa’s scenic Garden Route road trip is top of many a bucket list and there is no better reason to tick it off than for a landmark anniversary. The Garden Route takes in wild forests, misty mountains, game reserves and a rugged coastline where you can spot whales from the shore. It also boasts some of the best beaches in the world and nestled above one of them is Knysna Castle, whose grand, rambling architecture and impressive setting befit its stately name. Its four bedrooms mean you can bring some of the family along to celebrate with you, should you so wish, while the property's captivating outlook over the Indian Ocean will have you falling in love all over again.

Take to the Alps or Côte d'Azur to enjoy the special months before your newborn arrives

Gorgeous landscapes, bracingly clean air and perfect peace and quiet in Austria (Photo: Marriott International)

Gurktal Alps, Austria

Gorgeous landscapes, bracingly clean air and perfect peace and quiet. If this sounds like your ideal babymoon, then how about a mountain retreat amid pristine Alpine scenes? This chic modern chalet in Austria, promises blissful calm and a generous dose of uninterrupted quality time. Take easy strolls around the lake or just gaze out across the forest to the pretty snowy peaks beyond. Don’t forget, too, that there’s a reason this country is so famous for its cakes and pastries: perfect when you’re eating for two!

Côte d'Azur, France

Set just apart from the glamorous comings and goings of the French Riviera, No Chichi is a stylish villa nestled in the hills above St Tropez. Relax in your own private infinity pool, bask in the sunshine on one of terraces, or just sink back in a shady corner of the garden, cooled by a gentle sea breeze - all balm for expectant mothers.

Host a festive gathering in Finland or the United Kingdom

In Rovaniemi, you can stay in the middle of snowy Lapland landscapes (Photo: Marriott International)

Rovaniemi, Finland

If you long for a winter wonderland of deeply blanketed snow and a sky ablaze with the northern lights, then head to Finland’s Arctic Circle. From the cosy luxury of the stylish five-bedroom wooden cabin overlooking a lake at Rovaniemi 1247, located near the city of the same name, you can gaze out of picture windows at snowy Lapland landscapes where reindeer might stroll by, or even visit the nearby Santa Claus village to meet the man himself.

Bridgnorth, United Kingdom

We’ve all dreamed of being Lord or Lady of the Manor. Picture a family get-together in the noble surroundings of a stately home in the English countryside with portraits of ancestors in the antique-filled drawing room and four-poster beds in oak-panelled chambers. At Apley Hall in the heart of Shropshire, you can experience the grandeur of a Downton Abbey-style Christmas with everything from brisk walks across the frosty grounds to preprandial sherry and parlour games.

Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is a curated and growing collection of over 180,000 premium and luxury whole home rentals globally. Part of the award-winning travel program, Marriott Bonvoy, members can earn and redeem points at all homes, providing more choice for a range of travel needs.

Published: February 13, 2025

Last Updated: March 13, 2025