Not only members of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program can benefit from advantages when staying at Marriott hotels. Thanks to the Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous programs available to selected travel agencies, some agents can offer their customers privileges such as complimentary breakfast and upgrades. Curious? We’ll explain how you can take advantage of these opportunities.
Marriott is not the only hotel chain that offers a hotel program dedicated to travel agencies. Several chains have their own exclusive programs, including Accor Step, Belmond Bellini Club, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Hilton Impresario, Hyatt Privé, Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, Rosewood Elite and Shangri-La Luxury Circle.
Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous are the two Marriott programs available to travel agencies, enabling them to offer special benefits to travellers who book through them. Jean-Maximilien has access to Marriott Stars & Luminous (contact him at this e-mail address if you wish to make a booking via Marriott Stars or Luminous).
The main differences between the two programs are the participating hotels and the benefits offered.
Marriott Stars enables travellers booking a Marriott hotel through an eligible travel agency to obtain the following benefits:
Interestingly, there is no minimum length of stay. Whether you stay at a hotel for a night or a week, the benefits remain the same.
Marriott Luminous, meanwhile, enables travellers booking a Marriott hotel through an eligible travel agency to obtain the following benefits:
Although at first glance the benefits offered by Marriott Luminous seem more attractive than those offered by Marriott Stars, particularly because of the possibility of arriving earlier and leaving later, this is not always the case. While Marriott Stars includes all hotels of participating brands, hotels of brands participating in Marriott Luminous can choose not to offer the hotel credit, or even not to participate in the program.
Only a few of Marriott‘s luxury brands participate in the Marriott Stars program. Including:
The Marriott Luminous program is valid for luxury and premium brands, including :
As mentioned, each Marriott Luminous brand hotel can decide whether to participate in the program. Meaning it’s possible that some hotels do not offer Marriott Luminous benefits, even if they are operated under one of the previous brands. Ask your travel agent for more information.
Individuals cannot book a stay through Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous; it must be booked through a participating travel agency.
Fortunately, travel agencies with access to the Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous programs are numerous and located worldwide, including in the USA, Canada, and France. Some are available online, others require in-person visits, some charge booking fees, while others do not.
Contact your local travel agency to find out whether it can offer you the benefits of the Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous programs.
Jean-Maximilien also has access to Marriott Stars & Luminous (contact him at this email address if you wish to make a booking to take advantage of Marriott Stars & Luminous).
Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous benefits cannot offer reduced rates. The rates in effect are the standard rates displayed on the Marriott website.
It’s not possible to book a stay with Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous using your points. To pay for your next stay at a Marriott hotel using your points, visit the Marriott website.
Note that if you are a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite or Titanium status holder, you will be entitled to benefits similar to those offered by Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous.
However, booking a Marriott Stars or Marriott Luminous rate at MGM hotels in Las Vegas may be worthwhile. Indeed, these hotels don’t really offer any interesting benefits for Elite members.
The quickest way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is with a Marriott partner credit card.
Marriott Bonvoy has chosen American Express to issue two credit cards:
Both credit cards earn Marriott Bonvoy points directly, and offer :
You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly with American Express Membership Rewards. 5 Membership Rewards points are equivalent to 6 Marriott Bonvoy points.
The Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous programs offer travellers even greater benefits than those available to Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members. Partner travel agencies can provide a wide range of privileges at some of the world’s most exclusive hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis. Regis in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New York, Paris and London.
These programs and similar initiatives in the hotel industry demonstrate the growing importance of travel agencies in optimizing luxury travel experiences. To take advantage of these exclusive programs, all you have to do is contact one of our partner agencies and find out more.
To book with Marriott Stars & Luminous, you need to go through a partner travel agency that has access to these programs. Only selected agencies can book a stay at a Marriott hotel using the advantages offered by Marriott Stars & Luminous.
Virtuoso offers a varied selection of benefits at a wide range of luxury hotels, while the Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous programs focus specifically on Marriott establishments. As each of these programs has its own advantages, we recommend that you consult a travel agent to determine which one best suits your needs.
Yes, Marriott Bonvoy benefits can be added to reservations made via Marriott Stars and Marriott Luminous. These bookings are considered qualifying in the same way as stays booked directly with Marriott, meaning they earn points and qualify for specific promotions.
Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott International’s loyalty program, enabling members to earn points when they stay at participating establishments and benefit from various advantages, such as upgrades, free nights and exclusive offers.
Marriott International was founded by J. Willard and Alice Sheets Marriott. Today, Anthony Capuano is CEO.
Marriott International is an American multinational hotel company that owns, manages and franchises a vast portfolio of hotels worldwide. It is one of the world’s largest hotel companies.
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