Skift Take
Marriott Bonvoy's new AI tool probably isn’t sharp enough yet to be reliable. But as one of the first tools like it by a major hotel brand, it offers an early glimpse at how lodging search could look in the future.
Marriott Bonvoy last month released a new AI tool meant to help users search for vacation rentals under its Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy brand.
Skift took it for a test run.
Marriott Bonvoy last year said that it had more than 100,000 listings through Homes & Villas, which it says is focused on the “premium and luxury tier of rental homes.”
The AI search bar is right at the top of the Homes & Villas webpage, and it invites users to search for rentals in natural language based on their preferences. The tool is available on desktop browsers only, with plans for mobile later. Traditional manual search is still available.
Some third-party marketplaces, like HomeToGo, have released similar tools powered by generative AI. But this release by Marriott Bonvoy is among the first from a major hotel brand.
Theoretically, it would be a big time saver if a user could ask in natural language for certain features rather than having to s