10 Lesser-Known Hotel Programs That Provide Exclusive Benefits to Travel Agencies

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. Through preferential hotel programs from some of the world’s most prestigious chains—such as Accor, Marriott, Hyatt, Four Seasons, and Hilton—dedicated to travel agencies, certain accredited agents are able to offer significant privileges to their clients, such as complimentary breakfast, upgrades, hotel credits sometimes exceeding $100, as well as early arrivals and late checkouts. 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.

Not all hotels within 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 indeed operated the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express since 1982. It was only later that Belmond diversified to include paradisiacal beach resorts such as Maroma on the Riviera Maya, Villa San Michele in the foothills of Florence, the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, as well as iconic hotels located near UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as Hotel das Cataratas in Iguassu National Park in Brazil.

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 properties located around the world. From the French Riviera, with the sumptuous Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, to Mauritius, with the little paradise that is the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, and the Maldives, where the Four Seasons Private Island Voavah at Baa Atoll sits—as its name suggests—on a private island, each Four Seasons property promises an unparalleled experience.

Only Hilton’s three most luxurious brands participate in Hilton Impresario:

• Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
• LXR Hotels & Resorts
• Conrad Hotels & Resorts

Not all Hyatt group brands participate in the Hyatt Privé program. Among the twenty or so brands in the group, only about ten offer additional benefits to clients booking through an affiliated travel agency, such as 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, each Mandarin Oriental hotel offers exclusive benefits to those who have booked through the Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, guaranteeing a luxurious and personalized experience, regardless of the room type 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 Marriott 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. Currently, the group has only 36 hotels around the globe, but 24 new properties are expected to open over the next five years. All the group’s establishments are part of Rosewood Elite.

Luxury Circle rates are exclusively available at Shangri-La and Kerry properties, thus excluding Traders and Hotel Jen hotels.

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.