It’s not just members of the loyalty programs of the world’s leading hotel groups who can benefit from advantages when staying in a hotel. On the contrary. Thanks to the preferential hotel programs of some of the world’s most prestigious chains – such as Accor, Marriott, Hyatt, Four Seasons and Hilton – Certain accredited travel agencies can offer their customers important privileges, such as free breakfast, upgrades, hotel credits that can sometimes exceed $100, as well as early arrivals and late departures. We’ll show you how to take advantage of these programs.
Hotel chains offering benefits to selected travel agencies include :
By booking a stay at some of the hotels in these chains through a partner travel agency, you’ll be able to enjoy a host of benefits. Although they are generally similar, they differ from hotel to hotel and chain to chain.
Occasionally, the programs also offer a third, fourth or fifth night free at certain participating hotels. Contact your travel agency to inquire about current offers.
Reservations via these hotel programs cannot be made directly by individuals; they must be booked through an accredited travel agency in Canada, the United States or Europe. Contact your local travel agency to check whether it is a member of the programs detailed in this article.
Not all hotels in the selected hotel groups participate in the travel agency programs. Certain exceptions apply.
Accor Step brings together only some of Accor’s most prestigious brands, such as Banyan Tree, Fairmont, Pullman, Sofitel, Raffles and Swissôtel. However, not all the brand’s hotels take part in Accor STEP. Some brands, such as Raffles and SO/, have relatively few participating establishments. On the other hand, many Fairmont, Pullman and Sofitel hotels do offer benefits through this program.
Belmond doesn’t just own hotels. The prestigious group has been operating the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express since 1982. It was only later that Belmond diversified to include paradise resorts such as Maroma on the Riviera Maya, Villa San Michele in the foothills of Florence, Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, as well as iconic hotels located near UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as Hotel das Cataratas in Brazil’s Iguassu National Park.
The Four Seasons Preferred Partner program includes all the chain’s hotels and resorts worldwide. This means that the exclusive benefits offered by this program, such as room upgrades, spa service credits and complimentary breakfasts, are available at every Four Seasons property, regardless of the type of room booked.
The chain has 130 locations around the world. From the Côte d’Azur, with the magnificent Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, to Mauritius, with the earthly paradise that is the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, to the Maldives, where the Four Seasons Private Island Voavah at Baa Atoll is – as its name suggests – set on a private island, each Four Seasons location promises an unparalleled experience.
Only Hilton’s three most luxurious brands participate in Hilton Impresario:
Not all Hyatt Group brands take part in the Hyatt Privé program. Of the group’s twenty-something brands, only ten offer additional benefits to customers booking through an affiliated travel agency. These include Alila, Andaz, Destination by Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Joie de Vivre (JDV) by Hyatt, Park Hyatt and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
The Mandarin Oriental Fan Club program covers all the chain’s establishments worldwide. Whether it’s room upgrades, hotel credits or complimentary breakfasts, every Mandarin Oriental hotel offers exclusive benefits to guests booked through the Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, guaranteeing a luxurious and personalized experience, regardless of the type of room booked.
The Marriott Luminous program is valid for Marriott’s luxury and premium brands, including :
The Marriott Stars program offers the same benefits as the Marriott Luminous program, except for early check-in and late check-out. Only a few of Marriott’s luxury brands participate in the program, including :
Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, a collection of luxury hotels and resorts, is expanding rapidly despite its modest global presence. At present, the group has just 36 hotels worldwide, but 24 new establishments are due to open over the next five years. All the group’s establishments are part of Rosewood Elite.
Luxury Circle rates are available exclusively at Shangri-La and Kerry properties, excluding Traders and Hotel Jen.
The Shangri-La group has around 100 hotels worldwide, including three Kerry hotels and 97 Shangri-La hotels. In Canada, there’s Shangri-La Vancouver and Shangri-La Toronto, while in Europe there are three destinations: Shangri-La Paris, Shangri-La Bosphorus in Istanbul and Shangri-La The Shard in London.
The hotel programs of some of the world’s leading hotel chains offer unrivalled experiences, with exclusive benefits at some of the world’s finest hotels. For a luxurious, personalized stay, contact your local travel agency today and find out how to make the most of these unique privileges.
There are many travel agencies with access to the programs mentioned in this article, located all over the world, including the USA, Canada and France. Some are available online, while others require in-person visits, some charge booking fees, while others do not.
Other loyalty programs offer benefits similar to those mentioned in this article. The global Virtuoso travel agency network, for example, also offers first-class privileges at Mandarin Oriental hotels but still requires booking through an accredited travel agency.
Meanwhile, the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program offers benefits at over 2,200 major chain establishments worldwide. Membership in this program offers significant exclusive benefits, including early check-in, late check-out, upgrades based on availability, breakfast included and hotel credit.
The best loyalty program depends on the hotels you like to stay in. Although the Marriott Bonvoy program is particularly interesting, it is only worthwhile if you stay at one of the group’s hotels frequently.
