Why 30 Nights > 3 Nights: The Future of Luxury Travel

By Joe B., Co-Founder of The Joes

Luxury used to be about thread counts, Michelin stars, and a weekend away at a five-star hotel. For me, it’s something different, something deeper. The new currency of luxury isn’t a room upgrade. It’s time. More specifically, it’s the time you give yourself to truly belong in a place.

This isn’t just theory for me. My co-founder, Joe R, moved from Washington, D.C. to Healdsburg because he craved exactly this. Cities have their perks, but they can be lonely places. You can ride the same condo elevator with the same people every day and never say a word. People are hardwired to protect themselves, to look down at their phones, to avoid small talk. But here in Sonoma, it’s different. People wave on the street. They linger. Curiosity beats self-protection. That openness is what makes staying longer so powerful.

I’ve seen it myself countless times. One of the clearest memories comes from a trip my family took to Costa Rica. We were staying at a luxury hotel on the beach, and one afternoon I struck up a conversation with Mario, the guy running the pool shack and water rentals. His English was limited, my Spanish even worse, but somehow we connected. Mario told me his mama was the best cook in Papagayo. My family wasn’t even surprised when I announced we’d be eating dinner at Mario’s that night because they know me, and they know how I roll.

That evening we walked along the beach to a rougher local neighborhood, far from the hotel restaurants. We found Mario’s family home, and in the courtyard under the stars, with a pack of dogs at our feet, we had one of the most unforgettable meals of our lives. His mama cooked, his brother poured drinks, and my family and I shared something real, something lasting. We went back twice more that week, and to this day those three dinners mean more to me than anything the hotel could have provided. The only regret was not staying longer.

That’s what thirty nights makes possible. It’s not about rushing between restaurants or checking off attractions before a flight home. A month gives you the time to find “your” café, where the barista knows your order before you even get to the counter. It’s enough time to be recognized at the farmers’ market by the woman in the oversized hat who always seems to have something quirky to share — one week it’s hummingbird books, the next week it’s tips on growing the perfect heirloom tomato. It’s enough time to connect with people who aren’t just serving you but welcoming you into their lives. Research even backs it up: a University of Kansas study found it takes about 50 hours to move from acquaintance to friend, and more than 200 to become close. Three nights won’t get you there. Thirty nights just might.

Even the world’s Blue Zones — places where people live the longest, healthiest lives — point to the same truth. One of the strongest predictors of longevity is community: belonging, routines with neighbors, daily interactions that make you feel seen. Those connections don’t just make life richer, they make it longer. When you give yourself the time to connect deeply in a new place, you’re not just traveling, you’re investing in your well-being.

And luxury today isn’t about being served every second. It’s about continuity, wellness, and ease. Three nights is chaos: unpack, check in, eat out, check out. Thirty nights is calm: cook real meals, keep your fitness routine, bring your dog, settle into a rhythm that feels like home. A Napa sabbatical rental, a Sonoma wine country month-to-month furnished home, or a luxury extended stay in our next destinations gives you that rare gift of living well wherever you are. It’s not a lease, not a hotel, it’s something better.

Remote work has made this lifestyle possible. You can spend a month in wine country without putting your career on pause, splitting your days between Zoom calls and vineyard sunsets. Think Napa long-stay work retreats, Sonoma live-and-work rentals, or California luxury remote work homes with Wi-Fi as reliable as the Cabernet is bold. And think beyond California, because Sonoma and Napa are just the beginning. The Joes is growing into new destinations, each chosen for the same openness and community that drew us here in the first place.

In the end, 30 nights > 3 nights because the real luxury isn’t the home itself, it’s what happens around it. The connections, the routines, the feeling of being known. I’ve lived this, I believe in it, and it’s why we built The Joes. From wine country to wherever your journey takes you next, our homes are designed to help you live, work, and belong – for as long as you choose.

Ready to trade weekends for something richer? Explore our curated collection of extended stays in Sonoma, Napa, and beyond, luxury monthly midterm rentals, not hotels, not leases, just better.

And remember, if you need me, I’ll be at “my” table, probably with a glass of wine, a stack of cookbooks, and at least one new friend I’ve made along the way. You better say hi.