At first, the big hotel chains of the world laughed off Airbnb and vacation rentals. No seriously, they did. Now, they all compete in the vacation rental business and act like it was always the plan.
The problem for the traveler, is that almost all of the newer entrants just plug into a massive pipeline of already existing vacation homes and apartments and pop them on their own branded website with no added luxury, differentiation, amenity or expertise in curation.
There’s no huge unlock of new places or highly curated places that you could virtually always stamp as worth recommending to a friend, the way you’d rate an Aman, St. Regis, or Four Seasons hotel.
This is precisely where Wander.com comes in, and it’s by far my favorite luxe vacation rental platform to date. The fact that it’s boutique and limited is what makes it, at least for me.
Wander.com: What’s The Deal?
Wander is a vacation rental company which truly hand picks every property that it lists, and has the exclusive listing on. Crucially, each of the vacation properties undergoes a sort of ‘Wander’ transformation to conform with brand standards for wifi, amenity, style and vibe.
It’s above my pay-grade as a blogger on this topic, but it seems like Wander co-invests in the real estate portfolio’s, or partners with owners in a unique way that’s far more integrated than others.
Where are they? Most Wander.com properties are scattered across the US, from the shores of Malibu to the great National Parks in Wyoming and all along the Eastern seaboard too. Hawaii is also a recent addition. New destinations keep popping up!
Each of their properties feels uniquely wonderful and aspirational, and I’d say all have a very modern and contemporary slant to luxury. Grandma’s cabinets are not in any of these homes, but Tesla chargers are. One nice touch: each Wander offers a dedicated workspace with desk, chair, monitors and lightning fast wifi.
I completely respect that all tastes are individual, but the interiors and setups of these homes much more reflect my personal tastes, more minimalist chic, than many less curated vacation rental options.
Wander: Not Cheap But Real Value
Most Wander properties are around $1000 a night. Some will be half that, some will be double. On its face, that’s intimidating to many, but when you factor in the number of bedrooms and features it’s really reasonable. Families, or multi-family get togethers… amazing.
All Wander.com properties are at least two bedrooms and many are four, five or even twelve. One is an entire island with multiple residential complexes. For me, I love these sort of getaways for catching up with family or friends, and I never mind when other people are contributing too.
We’ve had some of our best ever vacations renting a house in Palm Springs for weeks or months at a time. Often, family or friends want in too, so we split the house and end up with two bedrooms each for under $500 per night.
That’s highly competitive in any hotel market for two rooms and the x-factor comes in the form of privacy, full on kitchens, gym facilities, often and a pool or entertainment area and laundry too.
We’ve used these bonus rooms and features to socialize or catch up with people in the serenity of the home, not annoyed by service, crowded pools or tight room setups. For a longer stay, I absolutely hate having to rely on a hotel kitchen for every meal. I love to hit a local market and grill with family or guests.
Good Intro Promo: $250 Off Wander
Wander is offering $250 off first bookings, which is a great way to get started. To browse the homes, you simply download the Wander app and start doom scrolling. When you find one you’re ready to book, the process is very self explanatory and easy to share with others.
I’m personally a fan of virtually California vacation and the properties offered on the platform cover everything from Palm Springs to Napa and all in between in stunning form. The $250 off is a solid discount and combined with new property discounts, which are frequent, there is a lot to love. You can browse Wander and download the app here.
If you don’t see the Wander.com discount in your account, you can add promo code AKFVDFD7 once the app is downloaded.
