According to you, how long should a vacation last? If you answered at least a week, preferably more, then count yourself on the bandwagon of extended-stay tourists. It’s a travel trend, especially popular in the luxury realm, where you can stay in one location for a week or more.
Studies show that over two in five Americans are already traveling twice a year. Many are in favor of fewer, but more enriching vacations. Hence, an extended stay seems to be the ideal. Such a trend is especially visible across destinations known for both relaxation and refined living.
For your next trip, consider lingering in each spot for weeks, or even months, until you absorb the local culture and lifestyle. Extended stays have gone as far as redefining luxury travel, and we will discuss how. This article shares four major ways luxury travel is understood in terms of multi-week vacations.
The worldwide market for extended-stay accommodations was huge in 2023, valued at $53.24 billion. It has been growing at 9.4% ever since and is expected to maintain this growth till 2030.
One of the key drivers in this market is evolving consumer trends. So, what exactly changed? In the past, travel was seen as a break from real life. Now, it is an extension of life itself. Wellness routines and remote work have enabled people to continue their lives in a new setting rather than put them on pause.
Take the example of Lake Como in Italy. It was once known for quick visits. Today, travelers seek multi-week stays in private villas, fully furnished with in-residence chefs, wellness professionals, and office-equipped lounges.
Lake Como’s real estate market, which is experiencing strong momentum in 2025, indicates this shift. It's a competitive landscape, especially regarding prime lakefront locations.
Private home-like accommodations allow guests to work, entertain, and live comfortably without sacrificing privacy or elegance. This level of continuity has redefined luxury, which is no longer about escape, but about effortless integration.
Travelers in search of premium destinations are looking for unscripted luxury. What does this mean? They’re not simply thinking in terms of a five-star service often marked by strict protocols and elaborate turn-down rituals. A new standard has emerged where hospitality is working behind the scenes to provide ease, privacy, and a sense of being at home.
Consider the example of Los Cabos, Mexico. The destination earned itself a spot among the 50 best places to travel in 2024. Its tourist numbers have risen every year, with a record 3.86 million in 2023. Not only that, but 20% of travelers visit Los Cabos four or more times a year.
High-end travelers are turning to private residences over resorts, not for extravagance but for a sense of ease and freedom. Many of these homes, set within premier luxury Cabo real estate communities, offer a dedicated staff that handles everything.
Want a private seafood dinner on the terrace, a sunset yacht ride, or some luxury golf time? All these experiences are arranged quietly in advance. The goal, as described by Del Mar Los Cabos, is to provide comprehensive assistance for daily living and personalized travel planning.
Under this setup, guests need to engage with staff only as needed. Simply put, the luxury lies not in being waited upon, but in never having to ask. This is an elevated way of living where a guest’s time and space are respected.
The more time someone spends in a destination, the deeper their connection becomes to it. This is true of the place’s daily rhythms, its people, and the local culture.
Travelers who plan extended stays begin to develop habits, from early morning strolls to greetings at the nearby cafe. A holiday gradually takes the form of a lived experience that includes familiar faces and a fixed rhythm to life.
Here, we can talk about Mallorca in Spain as a prime example. A sense of belonging is reinforced by Mallorca's popularity well beyond the usual summer season. In 2024, the destination recorded 80-90% occupancy, which is 20% higher than the year prior.
Such high occupancy rates in the slower months indicate that travelers are not simply visiting for a brief period. They’re extending their stay into the off-peak season with the desire to enjoy a sense of belonging.
This model creates a proper cultural shift, where travelers begin to live alongside locals. Frequenting the same venues and forming personal connections in a new place bridges the gap between a vacation and a genuine residence.
Does time seem to become more fleeting now than it was a few years ago? As strange as the feeling is, it's all the aftermath of modern existence. The clock has dominated the tempo of life. This has made time the ultimate luxury, especially in urban areas where even weeks can fly by in an instant.
The Conversation shared an article on how the frantic pace of modern life has destroyed our perception of time. A growing number of people report having feelings of time scarcity. Nature was said to have the answer to this dilemma.
However, that would still require a slower pace, something that extended stays make possible. They offer luxury seekers the ability to slow down, linger, and fully inhabit a destination without any pressure.
This is particularly apparent in St. Barthelemy, where discerning guests are trading whirlwind weekends for month-long immersive stays. The island welcomed around 292,000 visitors in 2023, which was already a 10% increase from the previous year.
More and more travelers were embracing longer stays of 10 to 14 days instead of quick visits. Such long vacations are helping visitors reclaim their time, decompress, and blend into a gentler pace of life.
The ultimate statement is when there's enough time to savor every sunrise, every slow breakfast on the terrace, and every starry night. Such a rare indulgence has become the defining factor of luxury travel due to extended stays.
In the final analysis, have extended stays taken the place of weekend getaways? No, because each travel model has its own importance and benefits. However, what today’s travelers are after is a meaningful experience that connects them to the destination they visit.
In most cases, that's only possible when one lives long enough to understand the local culture, cuisine, lifestyle preferences, and more. As extended stays reshape trends in luxury travel, the hospitality industry is also evolving to meet new demands in diet, sleep, and more. Together, they propel the era of intentional living.
