Marriott Inernational has acquired two outdoor-focused accommodation brands, as it joins peers Hilton and Hyatt in expanding its choice of places for guests to stay.
Postcard Cabins and Trailborn will form the core of a larger outdoors collection the hotel giant has promised will be launched in 2025. The company has acquired Postcard, which has 29 sites across the USA, and has signed a long term agreement to add the Trailborn portfolio to its system.
The choice of staying in a cabin
Postcard has around 1,200 cabins at its 29 destinations, which allow guests to unplug and enjoy nature, in locations that are within two hours of major conurbations. The modestly sized cabins have their own kitchens and private bathrooms, and have plenty of room around each one to ensure guest privacy.
“We’re excited to bring the Postcard Cabins experience to a global audience seeking exactly what we offer—a place to slow down, disconnect from the everyday and invest in the relationships that matter most,” said Postcard founder Jon Staff. “What started a decade ago with a small group of believers in the power of spending free time in nature, has grown into a national movement.”
In something of a contrast, Trailborn is a boutique hotel brand with five properties and 559 rooms, in national park locations including the Rocky Mountains and Grand Canyon. The properties combine an outdoors experience with comfortable hotel-style accommodation, and supporting amenities. The brand has two further sites in development, in Wrightsville Beach, NC, and Mendocino, CA.
Marriott has promised that its new collection will be conversion-friendly, and will focus on “upscale and upper-upscale accommodations in nature-forward destinations”. For the developers, investors and owners that Marriott is looking to attract as partners, a big part of the appeal will be an opportunity to market these outdoor accommodation sites to members of Marriott’s Bonvoy loyalty programme, which currently numbers over 219 million members globally.
The theme of adding an under the stars offering has been a strong one in 2024. Earlier in the year, Hilton agreed a partnership with Autocamp, adding stays in that brand’s iconic Airstream caravans to its portfolio. Autocamp brings eight US locations to the Hilton offer, with its sites including a central clubhouse that delivers hotel-style services for guests.
A growing trend among the brand groups
Hilton’s lead was followed midyear by Hyatt announcing a tie-up with glamping brand Under Canvas. The deal added 13 Under Canvas destinations to the hotel group’s portfolio. The brand offers safari-style tents for guests to sleep in, and makes a point of not offering wifi, instead encouraging guests to enjoy the off-grid experience.
The Best Western group is also experimenting to see what demand there is for a glamping option. In March 2025, it will open a site in Zion National Park, developed by one of the BW members, as another off-grid option for travellers who are seeking something distinctly different from a hotel room.
