Travel Better – How To Use Your Hotel Points For More Than Free Rooms

The Superbowl. Machu Picchu. The Oscars. F1 races. Concert events by the world’s largest superstars. Non-public cooking courses with superstar cooks. VIP entry to the world’s greatest meals festivals.

What all of those “Bucket Listing” experiences have in frequent is that they’ve all been loved by vacationers free of charge, through the use of their resort factors – and in lots of circumstances, they’re unbelievable bargains.

Right here’s a real-life instance: Think about seeing superstars like Elton John or Billy Joel from a VIP suite in Madison Sq. Backyard, with complimentary meals and open bar with a visitor of your selection. Now think about that the whole particular night time for the 2 of you prices much less factors than it could take to get a single free night time at many accommodations. Which might you reasonably expertise? Besides you aren’t imagining it, it’s actual, and it’ll hold taking place.

In truth, you may doubtlessly cowl certainly one of these VIP live performance (or NBA or NHL video games) experiences simply with the restricted time enroll bonuses provided resort branded bank cards – with out spending a single night time in a resort.

Marriott is the most important resort firm on the planet, and its frequent visitor loyalty program, Bonvoy, is believed to be the most important of its type with properly north of 140 million members. But many of those members do not know that these awards, typically a a lot better means to make use of factors than for stays, even exist. I’ve a pal who’s a longtime street warrior enterprise traveler, lifetime Million-miler on United and so forth, who has been incomes Marriott factors for many years and spending them on resort stays. I requested him and he had no concept what Bonvoy Moments was. After I advised him, he instantly checked out attending the Miami Grand Prix.

“We created Bonvoy Moments round 2018, however with the pandemic it’s nonetheless among the best stored secrets and techniques in this system,” Mandy Gill, Vice President of World Manufacturers & Advertising and marketing for Marriott Worldwide advised me throughout the current NCAA “March Insanity” Males’s Closing 4 in New Orleans. Constructed round particular experiences, Bonvoy Moments is a small and lesser recognized however highly effective a part of Marriott’s loyalty program for frequent visitors. The Closing 4 was dwelling proof, as I used to be surrounded by a handful of savvy clients who had used their Bonvoy factors to attend some of the fascinating “Bucket Listing” sporting occasions on the planet. The bundle included not solely premium tickets with hospitality suite to the final three video games of the match, however resort rooms in New Orleans the whole time, personal hospitality on the resort for breakfast and cocktails, items, and particular VIP experiences like a Caesars Superdome tour and personal coach’s breakfast with one of many winningest coaches within the NCAA.

The largest once-in-a-lifetime kind packages just like the Closing 4 are sometimes auctioned, and the profitable bids for the biggies often prime one million factors, which equates to a free luxurious journey to Hawaii or such – free lodging, that’s. However the extra typical Moments are straight up presents of a sure variety of factors, which might be as little as 5,000 – lower than an evening at one of many decrease finish properties within the Marriott portfolio often runs.

“We did these ‘digital’’ one on one Zoom conversations with basketball legend Grant Hill (who received two Nationwide Championships at Duke, an Olympic Gold Medal and performed 19 seasons within the NBA earlier than changing into co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks) and we bought them for 5000 factors, and basketball followers liked it. Our Gen Z clients might need simply began with us and don’t have tons of factors, however they’ll go to live shows on the Moxy in downtown Nye York utilizing only a few factors and luxuriate in it, and we’re constructing lifetime clients. On the excessive finish we now have Ritz-Carlton Yachts and villas and the Superbowl,” defined Gill. “Bonvoy dad and mom have used factors to take their youngsters to see Justin Bieber and Harry Stiles after which they’re heroes to their households. There’s actually one thing for everybody. The bottom line is to have a really large number of redemption ranges, some straight for factors, some auctions. The platform is simply getting greater and greater, we’ve has 90 expertise packages within the first quarter of 202 already. However it’s nonetheless certainly one of our best-kept secrets and techniques and we’ve had members inform us they don’t inform their buddies in regards to the public sale till it’s over, in order that they don’t should bid towards them.”

One of many New Orleans public sale winners was a frequent traveler named Charles. He advised me he had used his Bonvoy factors to attend the Closing 4 just a few occasions earlier than, and likewise the Nation Music Awards in Nashville as a VIP. As a result of he’s a Duke fan, this 12 months he additionally used factors to attend the Duke vs. Virginia recreation at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, a small facility the place tickets for non-students are notoriously arduous to get, and the NCAA regional finals in San Francisco.

As a result of it has partnerships with the NCAA, NFL, particular person NHL and soccer groups together with Manchester United, skilled tennis and particular person venues together with Madison Sq. Backyard, the O2 enviornment in London and Los Angeles’ Crypto.com enviornment, the place the Lakers, Clippers, Kings and Sparks play, sports activities has lengthy been the most important a part of the Moments program, a lot so {that a} buzzword across the Marriott portfolio is that “there’s a resort model for each fan.” However the increasing platform has more and more targeted on two different areas rising quick in reputation, live shows and culinary occasions, in addition to spectacles such because the Oscars, a Bucket Listing night time for entrainment lovers. “Particular occasions such because the Oscars and Nation Music Awards have been suspended throughout COVID, and earlier than the pandemic the Oscars rivalled the Superbowl, and we hope to get again to 100%. We additionally hope so as to add Coachella as an possibility for 2023.”

Basically, it’s simpler to accrue and use factors with Bonvoy than every other resort program, just because Marriott is the most important resort firm on the planet, with almost 7,000 properties throughout greater than 30 manufacturers spanning each model and value level – therefore “a model for each fan.” These embrace a number of the world’s prime tier luxurious manufacturers (Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and Luxurious Assortment), “common” luxurious stalwarts (Westin, JW Marriott, Le Meridien, Tribute, Renaissance), hipper manufacturers (W Inns, Moxy and Version), center of the street giants (Sheraton and naturally, Marriott), uniquely impartial accommodations that don’t match chain molds and skew upscale (Autograph Assortment), many decrease priced, airport and frequent enterprise traveler staples (Courtyard, AC, Aloft, Fairfield, 4 Factors and Springhill Suites), in addition to a number of prolonged keep leaders (Aspect, Residence Inns and Townplace Suites). Extra accommodations in additional locations means extra choices for each type of traveler.

And identical to the airline packages, incomes factors has gone means past simply stays, with a number of co-branded bank cards (generally that includes 60-100,000 level enrollment bonuses), partnerships with eating places, and most notably, a unique one with Uber that allows you to hyperlink your Bonvoy account and earn factors for rides and Uber Eats. The Factors Man, sage of all issues loyalty, famous that “Marriott Bonvoy additionally presents loads of different perks that followers of this system love… make the most of your factors by reserving experiences starting from tickets to the Tremendous Bowl or Billy Joel in a collection at Madison Sq. Backyard to non-public information excursions or VIP entry to cultural occasions like Miami Artwork Week and the World Expo in Dubai.” Readers of ThePointsGuy.com website, who are usually hardcore frequent vacationers, simply voted it the Best Hotel Loyalty Program.

“Because the pandemic, so many individuals wish to get again to leisure journey,” mentioned Gill. “We wish to have the most effective loyalty program within the resort enterprise, and we at all times ask ourselves, ‘How are you going to achieve extra factors and use these factors in a better, extra enjoyable means?’ For the Moments program, we push for issues you may not get your self, and we do that globally.” That may imply the F1 race in Sydney, soccer in the UK, live shows in Dubai or cooking courses with a star chef throughout one of many many premier meals and wine festivals around the globe. Some current examples of one-off experiences redeemed embrace a tennis clinic with Andy Roddick, having a customized marriage ceremony robe designed by bridal designer Justin Alexander, and a personal eating expertise with Chef Daniel Boulud at his new restaurant, Le Pavillon.

However there’s additionally a second notable model extension, Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities. It is a compilation of native excursions and experiences, equivalent to strolling excursions, biking excursions, cooking courses, sightseeing cruises and personal guides. It’s much like tour reserving engines Viator or TripAdvisor, besides excursions and actions are vetted by Marriott, and vacationers earn a bonus 5 Bonvoy factors per greenback spent. “We’re very choosy in regards to the excursions and actions we provide, and it helps you to plan and do all the pieces on one platform,” mentioned Gill.

As she defined, “Folks select the vacation spot first, then a resort. They may say they wish to go to New Orleans, after which relying on their model and funds, they decide the Ritz-Carlton, the JW, the W, Westin, the Saint (Autograph Assortment), Sheraton, no matter. So usually, we attempt to concentrate on the vacation spot and the native experiences that assist them get essentially the most out of it. The resort is simply a part of that, inside the vacation spot it’s in regards to the experiences.”

Each platforms mesh with one of many largest developments within the journey trade over the previous decade, termed “Experiential Journey,” which has been epitomized by the transfer away from laying on the seaside and the elevated curiosity in deeper dives into historical past, tradition, delicacies, studying one thing or doing a particular exercise on trip. That is additionally recognized within the journey trade as “making reminiscences,” and the most effective reminiscences come from what you do, not the place you keep.

That is why Marriott has constructed Bonvoy Moments, a platform that goes means past the standard factors free of charge nights redemption, and infrequently presents vacationers a greater worth. For instance, a pair of tickets to see the Clippers play on the Crypto.com enviornment in LA from the Bonvoy Luxurious Suite with meals and drinks for 2 might be had for simply 30,000 factors. The identical preparations for a Knicks recreation at Madison Sq. Backyard (MSG) might be 50,000. On the current – and very fashionable – Elton John farewell tour, you may go to Moments and with none bidding, purchase a pair of tickets in Marriott’s MSG VIP suite, together with free meals and alcohol for 2, for 75,000 factors. Billy Joel at MSG or Blondie at O2, each with VIP suites? 75,000 factors.

To place these offers in perspective, all of those are for 2 individuals and fewer factors than you’d typically must redeem a single night time at a Ritz-Carlton. I lately stayed on the St. Regis Bahia Beach resort in Puerto Rico and liked it, so out of curiosity I punched up a 2-night non-holiday weekend keep this month (April) on the resort within the lowest room class. The worth? 237,500 factors. That’s greater than three VIP live shows and doesn’t embrace something however the room.

Or as Gill put it so eloquently, “To See Elton John for 2 individuals in a collection with free meals and booze and all the pieces for 75,00 factors is simply insane. A few of these are nice offers. We all know there are members who journey quite a bit for enterprise however what about everybody else? We would like them to nonetheless be capable to have experiences, so we now have issues in any respect ranges, and we’re including extra on a regular basis. It may cost a little you 25,000 factors to get a free room at a Fairfield Inn, however you may have gotten in on our Moments NFL Draft bundle for simply 8,000.”

There are excessive Bucket Listing VIP packages to the Superbowl and Kentucky Derby at one finish and really attainable but nonetheless distinctive and particular experiences on the different, one thing for each stage of Bonvoy members – however first they should know that this system exists. So I’m telling them.