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At the very end of 2024, Marriott purchased a hospitality brand called Postcard Cabins (once known as Getaway) which marked the hoteliers move into the outdoor leisure industry. Now, six months after the acquisition was announced, Postcard Cabins is part of the Marriott Bonvoy program.
What is Postcard Cabins?
Postcard Cabins is a subsidiary of Marriott which offers over “private stays through thoughtfully designed cabins” across 29 destinations in the United States.
It only takes a quick glance at the property location map to see how heavily biased Postcard Cabins it towards the eastern half of the United States …
… but with a lot of the cabins located within a 2-hour drive of a major city, they’re not particularly hard to reach if a cabin in the countryside is what you’re looking for.
We’re told that the cabins are “modern” and include ensuite bathrooms, workspaces and kitchenettes and come equipped with air conditioning and heating. Some even offer fire pits.
Having had a look at some of the images on the Postcard Cabins website, I think it’s probably safe to say that these cabins aren’t aimed at the luxury end of the hospitality market, but a lot of the locations look beautiful, so if you’re into the outdoors and don’t need all the frills that we usually expect with hotel stays, you may find the Postcard Cabins offering is worth investigating.
Marriott Bonvoy integration
If you’re interested in what Postcard Cabins has to offer, it will probably be easiest if you start your search on the Postcard Cabins website, but you’ll also find the cabins listed on the Marriott website if you happen to search a location where the cabins are found.
The cabins can also now be booked using Marriott Bonvoy Points or free night awards …
… and cash bookings will earn Bonvoy points at the standard rate of 10 points/dollar.
Bonvoy Elite benefits are also honored where possible (no suite upgrades, unsurprisingly!)
And as with regular Marriott bookings, Postcard Cabins stays will earn 1 elite night credit per night stayed.
There are, however, a couple of things to look out for.
Firstly (and very annoyingly), it looks like Postcard Cabins are yet another set of Marriott properties which charge a “destination amenity fee” and this looks like it may have been something added since Postcard Cabins was acquired by Marriott.
We’re told that the fee will cover the following:
- Three bundles of firewood with starters
- A s’mores kit
- Four servings each of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate
- Two bottles of water
- Snacks for your adventure
All of that for $35 + taxes (per night!)
How this type of gouging is still legal is a mystery to me.
Secondly, all the dummy cabin bookings that I’ve made so far (of which there have been about 10 – cash and award) have shown that the flexible rates that are offered require guests to cancel at least 14 days before their check-in date if a penalty is to be avoided – keep that in mind if you have plans to make any speculative bookings.
Bottom line
Postcard Cabins, which Marriott acquired in December 2024, has now been integrated into the Marriott Bonvoy program. Cabin bookings can now be made on the Marriott website, bookings earn Bonvoy Points at a rate of 10 points/$, every night stayed earns 1 elite night credit and Bonvoy elite benefits are honored.
Unfortunately, all cabin bookings (cash and reward) seem to come with a mandatory rip-off fee of $35 + taxes per night, and even the more flexible rates appear to require guests to cancel at least 2 weeks before their check-in date if they are to avoid a penalty, so it’s certainly not all good news.
What do you think of Postcard Cabins? Something you would consider or would you give this type of accommodation a wide berth?
Featured image courtesy of Marriott.
I’ve stayed at a Postcard Cabin (pre-Marriott). Yes, the amenity fee is new.
I think the cancel period is necessary because (1) these are marketed to guests in nearby cities looking for a short nature getaway, and (2) mush of the relaxation comes from sitting outside the cabin or around the firepit. If they had a 2 day cancel policy, they would lose a lot of guests anytime the forecast called for rain.
The cabins are small, the size of a small RV. But if you want a quiet getaway, if you want the outdoor experience of camping but without the hassle and with a real bed and bathroom, then these are pretty nice – and fairly affordable, even with the junk fee.