During 2025, the company continued its momentum in the luxury travel sector, expanding its curated villa portfolio worldwide, enhancing its organisational structure, and achieving its strongest sales performance to date. The year was defined by product growth, internal investment, and the rollout of new tools and resources designed to support travel advisors.
Brian Schwimmer, chief executive officer and co-founder of Rental Escapes, said: “Last year was an exceptional year for Rental Escapes. Expanding our internal team alongside our growing portfolio ensured we are able to remain true to our commitment of providing unprecedented quality and personalized service. As demand for luxury villa rentals continues to rise and as we reach new levels of growth, we are focused on delivering exceptional, unforgettable experiences for our travel advisor partners and guests.”
One of the key milestones in 2025 was global product expansion. Rental Escapes added more than 300 new villas to its portfolio, including its first-ever properties in London and Kitzbühel, Austria. The company also expanded significantly in high-demand destinations such as the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and Italy, while recording its largest-ever portfolio growth in the United States across leading domestic leisure markets.
To support rising demand and maintain service standards throughout the guest journey, Rental Escapes invested heavily in its internal teams. In 2025, the company increased its villa sales team by 30% and expanded its guest experience team by 40%. Its IT department was also strengthened to enhance technological capabilities and infrastructure supporting both guests and travel advisors.
Villa Weymouth
Strengthening relationships with travel advisors remained central to the company’s strategy. In late 2024, Rental Escapes appointed Vonda Keeler as director of travel advisor partnerships, with responsibility for reinforcing key relationships and supporting advisor growth. Throughout 2025, the company entered new agency and consortia partnerships, including Virtuoso, extending its reach within the advisor community.
In parallel, Rental Escapes enhanced its ‘Keys to Success’ programme with the completion of the REimagine digital magazine collection. The series comprises 20 interactive publications highlighting the company’s most popular destinations and providing travel advisors with ready-to-use, client-facing content.
The company’s performance and service standards were recognised through multiple industry awards in 2025, including the Gold Magellan Award for Best Villa Rental Company, as well as several individual agency honours, such as being named Villa Partner of the Year by multiple travel agency partners.
Entering 2026, Rental Escapes stated it is positioned for continued growth, with a focus on strategic expansion, technology enhancements, and deeper engagement with travel advisor partners, building on the foundations established during its record-breaking 2025.
Tags: Brian Schwimmer, Rental Escapes
