Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection: A Relaxing Weekend in Nature

The Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection is one of the latest additions to the loyalty program’s impressive collection of over 8,000 lodging options. Staying within this brand will not be the traditional Marriott experience, but that’s kind of the point! It’s nice to see Marriott expand its booking options to allow members to collect points on a variety of stays.

What Is The Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection?

The Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection is a specific brand within the Marriott Bonvoy brand portfolio and should not be confused with marketing for Marriott Bonvoy outdoor destinations, which had a worldwide promo at the end of 2025 that included the Outdoor Collection.

The Outdoor Collection is primarily made up of Postcard Cabins, with an impressive footprint of 29 locations across the US. Postcard Cabins are fun, tiny homes usually placed within a forest that feature a completely touchless experience. Also included in the Outdoor Collection are Trailborn Hotels, boutique hotels located as close as possible to outdoor activities, such as hiking trails or surf spots.

Does the Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection Provide Good Value?

Value is a bit subjective, but overall, I think it provides better value than other low-ticket Marriott brands for cash stays. I say this mainly because you’ll earn 10 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 USD when staying with Outdoor brands, compared to 5 per $1 USD at brands like Residence Inn, TownPlace Suites, Element by Westin, and other budget brands that average around or below $200 per night. 

It’s worth noting, though, that there is a $40 USD daily destination fee that you won’t earn points on. For the destination fee, you’ll get all of the following replenished daily:

• 4 Pour Over Coffee Pouches
• 4 Tea Bags
• 4 Hot Chocolate Mixes
• 2 Oatmeal Packages
• 1 Popcorn (in my cabin, this was a single-serving, snack pack)
• S’mores Kit for 2 with Roasting Sticks
• Firewood and Starter Kit

The sum of these items likely doesn’t total $40 daily, but there’s at least some value in the convenience of not having to source your own outdoor kit. Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above are given the option to select a welcome gift of 1,000 bonus points or a gift box with some more snacks. I felt like the gift box of snacks was a better food-and-beverage offering than most budget brands usually include. It was a better offering than even some upscale brands like Sheraton and Marriott!

Aside from the relatively low cash cost, there are often many deals around the Outdoor Collection as Marriott Bonvoy attempts to launch the brand. I was able to stack a 20% off “Escapes” promotion with a 10% card-linked offer on my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. I also think the price per elite night, considering the fun experience, is well worth it. Hopefully, Postcard Cabins will expand to Canada!

However, given my positive perspective on cash stays, redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points or using free nights is extremely poor value. It appears that Marriott Bonvoy points are only worth ½ cent USD or less when redeeming for a free night. There are many other stays you can use your points for at double the value, and it’s troubling to see new Marriott brands offer such a poor redemption value.

Given that points are such a poor value, and cash is the best way to go, you may consider whether VRBO or Airbnb is a better deal. Looking at the area on the same dates as the points and cash comparison, I think Postcard Cabins are priced appropriately.

If you are interested in earning Marriott Bonvoy points towards a redemption like this, the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best choice in Canada as it currently offers a welcome bonus of up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

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Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card offers benefits that include an annual Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate and 15 elite qualifying nights towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.

OFFER
110,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

MINSPEND
$6,000

EST. VALUE
$990+

ANNUAL FEE
$120

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
Apr 7, 2026

My Experience With The Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection – Postcard Cabins Eastern Catskills

The title of this section is aptly named, as Postcard Cabins should be considered an experience rather than a traditional hotel stay. At the end of the day, you’re going glamping (for those unfamiliar, like a fancier version of camping) and your expectations should reflect that. For example, there’s no daily housekeeping, and the shower water pressure won’t be the same as in a real building. After all, you’re staying in a trailer! Even if that trailer is beautifully designed. 

My experience started before I arrived, with a very prompt welcome text from the hosts informing me I had been proactively upgraded to an outdoor suite! I was impressed with the elite recognition and the fact that I was given a choice of a welcome gift, rather than being assumed to want the bonus points. Almost exactly at 3:00, they texted me the entry code to my cabin, along with my cabin number.

The signage to the campsites was easy to spot from the road, and once I started looking for my cabin within the facility, I found plenty of helpful signage as well.

As I was looking for my cabin, I even spotted a deer! I grew up in the Midwest, so this is not that exotic, but it proves the point that these cabins are usually in pretty remote areas.

Arriving at my cabin, I could see the differences in the outdoor suites right away, with the shade sail, outdoor string lights, and a more substantial fire pit. There’s also plenty of parking out front!

A small detail that I found joyful is that all the cabins have creative names! Stepping inside the cabin, I was happy to find a modern and easy-to-use keypad. I’ve used Airbnb quite a bit in this area, and far too often you’ll be left with a crummy, half-frozen lock box to get into your accommodation.

Immediately, I was impressed with the fit and finish of everything in the cabin. While it’s not a luxury hotel room, it’s certainly a lot more put together than it needs to be. And how about that massive window! Even though the entire interior space is shown in these four photos, there’s a lot to unpack.

The food and beverage welcome amenity I had requested through text was waiting for me on the dining table, along with a very nice note from the staff.

The wooden box “Cellphone Locker” is a fitting touch for the nature-inspired stay. I was really impressed with the amount that went into the giftbag considering the other choice is only 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

On the counter, I found my daily beverage mixes and s’mores kit, as included in my destination fee. There’s also a perfectly styled landline to contact the property or use in an emergency.

Just above that, you’ll find some books, a deck of cards, and a radio with Bluetooth. I had to cycle the power to get the Bluetooth to connect, but other than that, it worked flawlessly. Next to these items is some storage space.

The middle cabinet is filled with creamer and sugar for coffee, along with some utensils and coffee cups. The far right has quite a lot of cooking gear, including bowls and cups, and you could easily cook up some eggs and bacon with what’s provided. Not to mention a huge amount of utensils on the magnetic strip, everything is very well designed to maximize space.

The bottom cupboards in the kitchen area are mainly for storage, but you’ve got a decent-sized fridge with an icebox. Under the sink, you’ll find the trash bin and some other cleaning supplies. Above the sink, there’s a notice about the hot water, as each cabin only has a small tank.

Overall, I was really impressed with the kitchen! And while oatmeal is not a complete breakfast, considering the camping dishes provided and great views in the morning, I was satisfied.

The eating area had a lot going for it as well, with a bench seat close to the bed and a chair on the doorside. Not only that, there was storage built underneath the bench for luggage to be tucked away. I never needed the outdoor lamp with the string lights, but you do get one hung on the wall here.

The only quirk I found is that there’s only one charging port in the whole cabin. But at least it’s near the dining area, so you can easily charge a laptop if you have some work to do. Importantly, it passes my litmus test as it includes a USB-C port directly in the outlet!

The bathroom is simple but still higher quality than I expected. The first aid kit contained only hygiene products and also included a warning to flush only paper, as the cabins have a delicate plumbing system. Surprisingly, the bathroom had a functioning fan installed, which I did not expect. The bathroom has a pretty large window that overlooks the road, and the shade is easy to close.

While the shower looked like a high-quality hotel, the water pressure was very weak. However, that’s to be expected considering it’s in a free-standing trailer.

My final point for the interior is the bed, and just how much natural light it allows in. My view out of the large window in the morning was stunning. Not only do you have the amazing bed-to-ceiling window, but there’s also a smaller window that looks out to your exterior space. Even though there are 56 cabins on the property, you can’t see any of them from my window here at cabin 23.

The outdoor space is, of course, a huge highlight, as that’s the whole point of the brand. The outdoor suite cabins have a more robust fire pit, a shade sail and string lights, and a hammock that’s really meant for summer use. Nearby the fire pit is a food prep station with grilling tools.

While the fire pit came stocked and ready to go, next to my cabin was a box full of wood and firestarters. I helped myself to a few small logs to help get the fire started and wasn’t charged anything extra after checking out.

After the sun went down, I ventured out, got an excellent fire going, indulged in some of my pre-paid s’mores, and enjoyed a peaceful evening of listening to the fire crackle and watching the flames dance. Roasting marshmallows is such a rarity for me nowadays; it really took me back!

Conclusion

The Marriott Bonvoy Outdoor Collection is an exciting addition to the Marriott brand and the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. While I’m sure it’s not for everyone, I loved my experience with Postcard Cabins, and I’m already looking at other locations to visit. Hopefully, we continually see promotions around the brand to sweeten an already great experience.