Hotel Companies Create Exclusive Experiences for Loyalty Members

With summer in full swing, hotels are rolling out special promotions and incentives to entice vacationers to their properties, catering specifically to guests who are members of their loyalty programs. Beyond bonus amenities and free room nights, several hotel companies have recently announced exclusive experiences and partnerships to reward loyal guests in more unique and personalized ways. Below are five hotel companies that have recently announced exclusive experiences for loyalty members.

1Leading Hotels Creates ‘Insider Experiences’ for Leaders Club Members

Leading Hotels Leaders Club

Leaders Club, the recently redesigned loyalty program for The Leading Hotels of the World, recently introduced ‘Insider Experiences.’ These exclusive offers allow guests to explore a destination through the eyes of a local at Leading Hotels’ portfolio of over 400 independent, luxury hotels.

Curated specifically for Leaders Club members by the collection’s hoteliers, each experience was created to inspire a unique perspective on its respective locale. For instance, guests at The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia can take a private tour of the Barnes Foundation and dine at the ‘Chefs Table’ with an eight-course tasting menu at Lacroix, while guests of UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico can take a dip in the Cenote Azul on a Mayan Village and Tankah Cenote tour for two.

“Leaders Club ‘Insider Experiences’ provide our inventive hoteliers the opportunity to do what they do best—create memorable, bespoke offerings for their guests,” said Phil Koserowski, vice president of digital product development and marketing for The Leading Hotels of the World. “Our hoteliers are experts in their destinations and take great pride in showcasing their home to guests. Whether it is a member’s first or fifth time to a destination, the ‘Insider Experiences’ ensure uncommon and memorable travels.”

2Hilton Honors and Live Nation Introduce ‘Lawn Days’ Lineup

White River Amphitheater (Credit: Hilton Honors)
White River Amphitheater (Credit: Hilton Honors)

Hilton Honors and Live Nation have teamed up for a second year to bring Lawn Days to amphitheaters across the country, with 30 percent more concerts in 2019. Loyalty members can unlock a pair of lawn seats for 10,000 points to see performances by Brad Paisley, Blink-182 & Lil Wayne, The Who, and Mary J. Blige & Nas, among others. Tickets are available at nearly 30 Live Nation venues nationwide, and the full lineup is listed on the Hilton Honors Experiences Platform.

“Hilton Honors members have always loved that they can redeem their points for everything from hotel stays to exclusive experiences,” said Mark Weinstein, senior vice president and global head of customer engagement, loyalty, and partnerships at Hilton. “Based on last year’s overwhelming response, we know that Lawn Days is a member favorite, so we worked with Live Nation to really amp up the program this year. We have added more venues and even more access to an unprecedented number of this summer’s most popular concerts and events. And at just 10,000 points for a pair of tickets, our members often earn enough points for free tickets after just one stay.”

3World of Hyatt Collaborates With Lindblad Expeditions

World of Hyatt collaborates with Lindblad Expeditions.
World of Hyatt collaborates with Lindblad Expeditions.

Hyatt and Lindblad Expeditions, a global provider of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, have formed a new loyalty collaboration. Expected to launch later this year, the partnership will give members the opportunity to immerse themselves in some of the world’s wonders in hard-to-reach locations, all while earning and redeeming World of Hyatt points.

“Our members tell us they want to return from a trip having experienced something new. They see traveling as a way to experience other people, places, and cultures and desire authentic, expansive, and real-world experiences,” said Amy Weinberg, senior vice president, World of Hyatt. “Through this new relationship with Lindblad Expeditions, World of Hyatt members will soon be able to enjoy even more personalized adventures and distinct, educational experiences that satisfy their desire to experience something new while enhancing their wellbeing and providing opportunities to discover rare parts of the planet—all while being specially rewarded with World of Hyatt loyalty benefits.”

With more than 300 expedition trips per year, Lindblad Expeditions’ ships are built to hold between 28 and 148 guests and scaled to explore destinations including Arctic Svalbard, Antarctica, Alaska, Galapagos, Baja California, Costa Rica, Panama, the Amazon, Mediterranean, New Zealand, Africa, British Isles, and more.

When World of Hyatt members book the expeditions through Hyatt, they will earn five base points per dollar of eligible spend, not including incidentals; receive standard elite tier bonus points on eligible spend; redeem points to use for complimentary expeditions; be rewarded with a $250 on-board credit to use during their expedition on spa services, alcoholic beverages, specific excursions or classes, souvenirs or supplies, and more; receive elite tier qualifying night credits for eligible nights on a Lindblad expedition; and be able to purchase specially curated Lindblad Expedition experiences and bid on limited-time expeditions through FIND using World of Hyatt points.

4Marriott Bonvoy Launches Summer Travel Point Promotion

Dr. Steven Boyes at Marriott TED Fellows Salon in Cape Town, courtesy of Marriott Hotels.
Dr. Steven Boyes at Marriott TED Fellows Salon in Cape Town. Earlier this year, Marriott announced an expanded partnership with TED, with experiences available through Marriott Bonvoy Moments. (Courtesy of Marriott Hotels).

Marriott International’s travel program, Marriott Bonvoy, recently launched its second global promotion of 2019: “Endless Earning.” By registering for the promotion, members will be rewarded with 1,500 bonus points on stays of two nights or more across all 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy properties. Registered members will earn on eligible stays between July 2 and September 16, 2019. Not only can points be redeemed for free nights and flights, but also on exclusive experiences through Marriott Bonvoy Moments.

Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities and Marriott Bonvoy Moments, the company’s expanding travel experiences marketplace, offers more than 120,000 experiences in 1,000 destinations—from must-see attraction tickets and tours for purchase with credit cards by all guests, to more than 8,000 unique experiences only available to members using points. In 2018, more than 25,000 travelers booked nearly 35,000 experiences across all thing’s sports, music, entertainment, food, and more.

5Red Roof’s Rebranded RediRewards Program Goes Beyond Free Nights

Amusement park

Red Roof recently rebranded its Redicard loyalty program as RediRewards, adding benefits like excursions, entertainment, theme parks, theatre tickets, homemade meal programs, and more.

“RediRewards is a truly comprehensive loyalty platform across the entire Red Roof portfolio that offers our guests unprecedented opportunities to use their accrued points on other things they want and need, beyond free nights,” says Marina MacDonald, chief marketing officer, Red Roof. “We are reaching members at almost every touchpoint of their busy lives, rewarding them with things they love to do as well as with practical services that make their lives easier.”

RediReward’s RediAccess, available via a partnership with LifeMart, is at the center of the expanded program, providing members with thousands of discount offers, many exclusive, across consumer categories. LifeMart provides thousands of loyalty programs to associations and employer groups nationwide with special deals on premium products and services offered to their members and employees. RediRewards members can use their card for discounts at restaurants and amusement parks, for air travel and car rentals, and even for childcare and other lifestyle needs.

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