HAP x Journey: Residences Above Par Giveaway

Your group chat just found its next destination—and this time, it actually delivers.

We don’t recommend rentals—we curate residences. And now, one reader will experience them firsthand.

Hotels Above Par has partnered with Journey Rewards to offer a stay at one of our Residences Above Par: a collection of design-forward homes that feel more like private hotels than rentals. Think floating villas, architectural standouts, and stays that redefine what “checking in” looks like.

From waterfront escapes with Flohom to cinematic desert stays at StayOnera, and design-led homes by Fieldtrip, Parker Reserve, Abode Luxury Rentals, and Vose, this is your chance to turn the group chat fantasy into an actual itinerary.

The Prize:
A complimentary weekday stay at one Residence Above Par of your choice.

How to Enter:
1) Sign up for a free Journey Rewards membership
2) Subscribe to the Hotels Above Par newsletter
3) Follow Journey Rewards, Hotels Above Par, Fieldtrip, Parker Reserve, Abode Luxury Rentals, StayOnera, Vose, and Flohom
4)Tag who you’re bringing (each tag = an additional entry)
5) Share to your story for a bonus entry

By Lauren Harano

Lauren: You keep your portfolio intentionally curated. What makes a home stand out enough to be part of Abode?

Rachel: We manage properties that have a base average nightly rate of $1000 - this definitely narrows the field. We target specific neighborhoods in each location where we operate. We decide which neighborhoods to focus on based on which areas are the most sought after and the common threads are proximity to ski access, proximity to the Main Street/downtown area, highest value real estate areas. We are focused on properties with over three bedrooms in general. We do consider properties outside of our target neighborhoods only when those properties are compound style, ranch style or especially unique and magnificent.

Lauren: What are guests asking for most right now when they book a luxury mountain stay?

Rachel: Guests are ideally looking for residences with more than five bedrooms, featuring hot tubs and reliable AC during the summer months. Proximity is key–homes close to ski lifts in both winter and summer, whether for skiing or biking, and also conveniently located near town centers.

Lauren: How hands-on is your team once a guest books? What does that support actually look like on the ground?

Rachel: Very! Every single guest that books with Abode without back and forth discussions prior to booking gets called, emailed, texted until we can get a conversation going with them to find out what type of group they have, family, extended family, guys trip, girls trip, etc., and what they might be celebrating—anniversary, birthday, etc. We have a series of emails that all guests receive after booking before arrival including a few from our dedicated concierge team. We offer in person check in for all guests so we can show them all of the details of the property and make sure they feel they have a local contact they’ve met face to face.

Lauren: Do guests tend to come for the homes themselves, or for the experiences you help curate around them?

Rachel: Guests tend to have a desire to come to the location first and then they select a home booked with Abode generally because they’ve heard about us from their friends, they found us because they or their Assistant or Travel Planner was looking for a larger property or they were searching for luxury properties and found us because we have very targeted marketing. Guests do also find us when they search about concierge services in the markets where we operate. We tend to have the strongest concierge offerings as we have two full time employees who handle experience design and itinerary planning in addition to the six plus additional full time guest services team members. At Abode our concierge team handles experiences and itineraries while our guest services team handles guest requests for more towels, more toilet paper, issues at the property, etc.

Lauren: Abode positions itself as more than just a rental company. How do your concierge services and local expertise help transform a stay from simply booking a beautiful home into something more memorable?

Rachel: Our entire team understands the service recovery paradox so that we can take every issues that may come up and turn it into an opportunity to create connection and belonging with our customers. We are very focused on the fact that for our guests time is more valuable than money. Our customers can make the $8k or $25k or $90k they are paying for lodging back in one hour or one day but they can’t get their time back. The time they have available to spend with family and friends is limited so we remain laser focused on making their time at the properties we manage frictionless and curated perfectly to meet their expectations. Our concierge offerings a very carefully curated and presented so that the guest experience so much more than just the lodging component.