Summer is just around the corner, and for many of us, that means it’s time to dive into vacation planning: searching for flights, comparing hotel rates, hunting for deals, and scrolling through endless listings of holiday rentals.

As a marketing professional, I can’t help but analyze every offer I come across. Some are cleverly crafted, clearly the work of experienced marketers who understand their target audience and what makes a travel experience appealing. Others, well… let’s just say it feels like the marketing, sales, ownership, and housekeeping were all done by the same enthusiastic—but perhaps overwhelmed—person.

One phrase that keeps popping up always catches my attention:
“Feels like home.”

You’ve seen it: “Cozy apartment – feels like home.”
“Charming guesthouse – feels like home.”

But here’s the thing: when I go on vacation, I don’t want to feel like I’m at home.
I want to feel like I’ve left home. That’s the point of a vacation, isn’t it?

Why ‘Homey’ Isn’t Always What We Want

The comfort of home is great—for every other time of the year. But when we take time off to escape our routines, we’re looking for something different. We want novelty, excitement, indulgence, or serenity. We want experiences, atmospheres, and sensations we don’t have in our everyday lives.

Of course, we still want comfort—clean sheets, a soft bed, maybe even a kitchen if we’re traveling with family. But it’s about more than function; it’s about feeling transported.

When a listing says “feels like home,” it sometimes signals something a bit too familiar. That might mean mismatched plates, IKEA furniture from 2005, or the same wall art you’d find in a suburban rental. Comfort is essential—but “comfortable” doesn’t have to mean “ordinary.”

A Marketer’s Perspective

From a marketing standpoint, “feels like home” is a lazy shortcut. It assumes that familiarity is the universal appeal, but it misses the emotional core of what a traveler wants. Better messaging might lean into what kind of home it feels like:

“A Tuscan villa that welcomes you like an old friend.”

“A beachfront hideaway with the warmth of home and the soul of the sea.”

“Luxury, without pretension—like home, if your home were on a vineyard.”

These communicate more than comfort—they offer context, aspiration, and story. And that’s where the true magic of a vacation begins.

What Should We Really Be Selling?

Instead of promising a home-like experience, vacation marketers should emphasize escape, enrichment, and emotional resonance.

Sell the feeling of being away—not just the amenities. Sell the view from the balcony, the scent of the ocean breeze, the thrill of unfamiliar streets, or the joy of doing absolutely nothing in a place that asks nothing of you.

Home is where the heart is—but vacation is where the heart gets to run free.

So, to every vacation rental owner out there: give us something we don’t already have. Don’t remind us of home—remind us why we left.

Because we’re not packing our bags to feel like we never left the couch. We’re packing them for the thrill of something new, something memorable—something that finally, truly feels like vacation.

If you liked this article and want to understand better how to communicate in your business and what should be the tone of phrase drop me a message and…