Best Marriott Hotel Brands for Long Stays

planning

Mar 27

Written By Kelly W

When you’re on the road for more than a few days, the type of hotel you book starts to matter a lot more. On a quick overnight stop, almost any clean hotel works. But once you’re staying somewhere for a week, two weeks, or even a month, little things suddenly become important, like having a kitchen, a comfortable place to work, laundry access, and enough space to actually live in the room.

We’ve been working from the road since 2019 and often stay in one place for weeks or months at a time. For us, Marriott has consistently been one of the easiest hotel chains to rely on for extended travel. Between the number of locations, the consistency of the properties, and the loyalty program perks, it’s often where we start when booking longer stays.

Some Marriott brands are specifically designed for this type of travel. If you’re planning a long road trip, working remotely while traveling, or simply staying somewhere for several weeks, these are the Marriott brands that work well with life on the road.

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Element Hotels

Element hotels feel like a slightly more modern take on extended-stay travel. Rooms typically include full kitchens, open layouts, and large workspaces, and many locations offer free breakfast and evening social hours. In fact, these perks made us fall in love with Element while in staying in Calgary for three weeks. We had daily hot breakfast, plus weeknight happy hours… all included. It was the perfect way to start and end each workday, with access to a gym, lobby, and coin laundry in between.

Element’s design tends to be bright and spacious, which makes longer stays feel a little less like hotel living and a little more like staying in a studio apartment. If you like a clean, modern feel but still want the practicality of an extended-stay hotel, Element is a great fit. Element hotels are also usually dog-friendly.

breakfast including fresh fruit, fried egg, potatoes, orange juice, and smoothie — A glimpse into how we started each day at Element Calgary, with complimentary breakfast and smoothies.

Residence Inn by Marriott

Residence Inn is one of Marriott’s most well-known brands for longer stays. These hotels are designed specifically for extended travel, and the rooms feel more like small apartments than traditional hotel rooms. Most include a full kitchen, separate living area, and dedicated workspace, which makes it easy to settle in for several days or even weeks.

Many Residence Inns also include breakfast, on-site laundry, and fitness centers, which helps keep daily routines simple while traveling. In our experience, Residence Inn properties tend to feel a bit more traditional in their design compared to the brighter, more modern feel of Element hotels. We’ve also noticed they often have a little less natural light in the rooms. That’s something we personally notice when we’re living and working from the road, since a lot of our workdays happen inside the hotel room.

That said, Residence Inn is still one of the first brands we check when planning longer stays. The layouts are built for extended travel, the kitchens are actually usable, and it’s easy to settle in and feel comfortable for several days or even a few weeks at a time.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott

TownePlace Suites is another extended-stay brand that works well for longer trips. A slogan they’ve used on their home page is actually “Everything you need to live your life on the road.” The rooms are practical and comfortable, usually including an in-room kitchen, desks, and plenty of storage space. The layout tends to feel simple and functional, which works well when you’re traveling for an extended period.

TownePlace Suites is often a more budget-friendly option than Residence Inn while still offering many of the same extended-stay features. Many locations are also pet-friendly, which makes TownePlace Suites a great option if you’re traveling with a dog on longer road trips.

StudioRes by Marriott Bonvoy

StudioRes is one of Marriott’s newest brands. We actually haven’t stayed in a StudioRes hotel yet, but the new brand is designed specifically for long-term travelers. These properties focus on efficient, practical design, with kitchenettes, comfortable workspaces, and on-site laundry facilities. The goal is to provide the essentials people need for longer stays without unnecessary extras. (That means you’ll have access to appliances, for example, but are expected to bring your own cooking pans and utensils.)

StudioRes hotels are still expanding, but they’re clearly aimed at travelers who need affordable, functional places to stay for weeks at a time, including remote workers and long-term road trippers. The longer you stay, the better rate you can usually get.

Homes & Villas

If you want something that feels more like an Airbnb or VRBO but still gives you the perks of booking with a loyalty program like Marriott Bonvoy, Homes & Villas is a great option. Instead of traditional hotel rooms, this program offers professionally managed vacation rentals, including cabins, condos, and houses that can be booked under the Marriott umbrella.

You still earn Bonvoy points when booking, but you get the extra space and residential feel of a vacation rental. For longer trips where you want a little more room or privacy, this can be a great alternative. We booked through Homes & Villa when visiting Driggs, Idaho, and enjoyed it so much that we rebooked the same vacation rental when returning to the area with friends a few months later.

We love that we can get the space and uniqueness that makes Airbnb and VRBO special, while using our Marriott loyalty program. We can use points to book and we can earn points through bookings. In our experience, Homes & Villas are typically more expensive than Airbnbs and VRBOs in the same area, but they’re generally high quality stays.

dog sleeping on carpet in large vacation rental — Our Homes & Villas in Driggs was one of the best vacation rentals we’ve stayed in, and bonus: we could accrue loyalty points staying there!

washer and dryer in laundry room — It had an in-unit laundry, which was such a treat after months on the road using shared laundry spaces and laundromats.

Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy

Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy is a newer Marriott concept that sits between a hotel and a vacation rental. Think of it as Marriott’s answer to travelers who want the space and independence of an apartment but the reliability and standards of a hotel brand.

Instead of a traditional hotel room or suite, these properties offer full apartment-style accommodations. Most units include private bedrooms, a separate living room, a full kitchen, and an in-unit washer and dryer. Some properties offer one-bedroom units, while others have two- or three-bedroom layouts designed for families or groups traveling together.

The idea is to create a stay that feels more like actually living somewhere rather than just passing through for a night or two. (This is something we’ve loved most about our Travel Seasons, so this concept really speaks to us.) Many locations also include shared amenities you’d expect from a hotel or residential building, like a fitness center, common spaces, and concierge-style services, while still giving guests the privacy of their own apartment.

Compared to some of Marriott’s other extended-stay brands like Residence Inn or Element, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy tends to lean more toward the premium or luxury side. The design is usually more residential and locally inspired, and the properties are often located in central city neighborhoods or destination-style areas.

Another important difference is that these are true apartment-style properties rather than traditional hotels, so inventory is more limited and the locations are still expanding. A few examples include places like Casa Costera in Isla Verde (Puerto Rico), The Ann in Savannah, and Le Géant in Courmayeur, Italy.

For travelers who already use Marriott Bonvoy, the biggest advantage is that these stays are bookable within the Marriott ecosystem, meaning you can earn and use Bonvoy points while staying somewhere that feels more like a private residence.

chart comparing amenities for traditional hotels, extended stay brands, homes and villas, and apartments by Marriott

Why We Like Marriott for Long Stays

When you’re traveling for weeks or months at a time, consistency becomes really valuable. Marriott has worked well for us because their extended-stay brands tend to offer the same core things we rely on: strong Wi-Fi, comfortable workspaces, easy check-in, full kitchens or kitchenettes and amenities, like gym access and complimentary breakfast, that make daily life easier while traveling.

Their loyalty program also adds up over time. If you travel frequently, sticking with one hotel family can lead to free nights, upgrades, and better booking flexibility.

For longer trips, we’ve also found that hotel living can actually simplify things compared to short-term rentals. There are fewer surprise fees, fewer last-minute maintenance issues, and it’s easy to check in, settle in, and focus on the trip itself.

What Makes a Hotel Good for Long Stays

Not every hotel works well for extended travel. After years of doing this ourselves, a few features make a big difference.

The biggest one is a kitchen or kitchenette. Being able to cook simple meals or store groceries can make a long stay feel much more comfortable and affordable.

We also look for workspace and reliable Wi-Fi, especially when we’re working remotely. Even a simple desk setup makes daily work routines much easier. Since we both work from the road, we need at least two spaces that can comfortably function as a desk. That includes a traditional desk, countertop, table, etc. Here’s how we plan for working on the road, including our desk setup and packing list.

Laundry access is another big one. When you’re traveling for weeks, being able to wash clothes without searching for a laundromat is incredibly convenient. For hotel stays, the machines are usually in shared rooms and require coins.

Finally, space matters. Suite-style layouts or rooms designed for longer stays tend to feel much more comfortable than a traditional hotel room if you’re there for more than a night or two.