When we travel for business or pleasure, we all hope to have an amazing hotel experience. We want to stay in a hotel that meets all our needs, has astounding rooms, beds, restaurants and fitness centers on the premises, luxury resorts, and all of the best amenities that you could ever possibly want or imagine.
Think about the last time you went on a business trip or vacation. Did you like your room? Or did you feel that it was lacking something that you couldn’t quite put your finger on? Maybe you stayed in a budget motel and you got what you paid for. If you stayed in the Marriott or one of its sister companies, you would have had an experience that you certainly loved, and you would have known that Marriott is synonymous with an incredible hotel experience.
Still not convinced that Marriott International isn’t the global lodging company to meet your needs? We’ll take a look at a brief overview of their business and briefly discuss their Marriott rewards, their brands, their corporate values, and much more.
A Brief Corporate Overview of Marriott International Hotels
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Marriott first came into existence in 1927, although they didn’t begin opening hotels in the United States until 39 years later. This company is one of the most recognizable brains in the world, and they developed a company culture that is truly exciting for employees because they really like to put their people first. Not only do they put their employees first, they also put their customers first and create a fantastic experience for everyone spending time in their hotels, resorts, and luxury suites.
At this point in time, the Marriott has grown tremendously in nearly 100 years, and they are truly an international organization. As one of the top global lodging companies in the world, the Marriott and its sister companies consist of more than 6000 properties located in 122 different territories and countries all around the globe. As one of the biggest hotel chains, this company has made more than $17 billion in revenue during fiscal year 2016, and they are only getting bigger and more profitable as time goes by.
Why does the Marriott make so much money? They make great money because they provide excellent services to all of their customers. Their lodgings and accommodations are truly some of the best that money can buy, and their excellent staff works hard to provide a satisfying experience for each and every one of their guests. They really go above and beyond to make sure their guests are treated fairly, they want everybody happy with their experience staying in one of their hotels, and they will do everything in their power to provide an atmosphere that you’ll soon never forget.
Being in the hotel business for more than 90 years teaches a company a thing or two about hospitality and accommodations. They know exactly how to treat their customers, they work hard to make sure everyone is 100% satisfied, and they want to make sure you have the time of your life whenever you spend one night or a dozen in any one of their hotel rooms all around the globe.
Marriott Reservations
How do you make a reservation at a Marriott Hotel?
Easy. You can book rooms at www.Marriott.com.
You can also sign up for Bonvoy during the process and start earning HUGE rewards towards free stays. The Bonvoy program is the best hotel loyalty program by a country mile!
Marriott Core Values
At the Marriott, they strive to continue to grow, change, and adapt to the changing times. They work hard to always pursue excellence and continue to embrace change. As an organization, it is their mission to always act with integrity so that they continue to put people first and ahead of corporate interests. By continuing to serve the rest of the world this way, this international company has really made a name for itself throughout history and many people are proud to work for such a successful organization.
They also believe strongly in innovation. Believe it or not, the original company was not a Marriott hotel. It was started by J. Willard Marriott and his wife Alice in 1927. The first business was a nine seat A&W root beer stand. But as you know, the company continues to grow and innovate and change, and now they are the incredible business that we know today and one of the largest global lodging companies around the world.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Marriott will continue to be a major success in this business. From first opening an A&W root beer stand, to adding food to their offerings, to opening Hot Shoppes in 1928, to eventually becoming a public company in 1953, to moving into the hotel business in 1957, this innovative organization will continue to adapt and thrive in this competitive global business world.
Marriott Brand Rewards and Member Benefits
Marriott Rewards offers a wide range of benefits to their members. You can become a regular rewards member, a Silver Elite, Gold Elite, or Platinum Elite member. And each level has its own specific set of rewards and exciting opportunities for those who continuously stay in Marriott resorts, hotels, and business suites.
The program is now called “Bonvoy.” You can read about Bonvoy Rewards on this page. (I break down all of my hacks to increase your status and take advantage of the program’s offerings.)
The major benefits for basic rewards members include:
- you can choose between frequent flyer miles or Marriott rewards points
- Elite night credit that you earn by staying in their hotels
- certain eligible stays provide even more bonus points
- you’ll earn rewards points by attending meetings and events in Marriott hotels
- when you book direct as a rewards member, you’ll receive their cheapest rates
- you will not experience any blackout dates
- when you book directly through the Marriott, they will make sure you have in-room Internet access at all times
Silver Elite members receive all the same bonuses and benefits as regular rewards members. But Gold and Platinum Elite members receive even more benefits. Some of the additional benefits for Gold Elite members include:
- you’re in-room Internet access is enhanced to work even faster and this is a complementary part of the membership
- you are guaranteed to get your specific requested room type
- they provide complementary room upgrades to Gold Elite members
- you are guaranteed the ability to get a 4 PM late checkout as long as the specific resort or convention hotel provides this service
- you gain complementary access to their lounge and breakfast area for two
Platinum Elite members even received two additional benefits that regular, silver, and gold members do not. The additional rewards include the following:
- guaranteed room availability 48 hours in advance
- upon arrival, you’ll receive a gift of either air miles, a food and beverage amenity, or additional bonus points
As you can see, the Marriott really goes out of their way to create an excellent experience for their rewards members. They want you staying loyal to their hotel and they are willing to provide lots of great benefits and amenities to make you happy and satisfied with your membership. So if you travel a lot, it may be worth it to join one of the Marriott rewards programs to take advantage of the excellent accommodations and additional bonuses that you’ll receive.
Which Hotel Chains Fall under the Marriott International Brand?
You may not realize this at first, but the Marriott International brand owns a wide range of hotel chains for you to choose from. There are many more options than just the hotels that have the Marriott name and logo on the marquee. Some of the other Marriott international hotel choices to consider include:
- The Ritz-Carlton
- Marriott Executive Apartments
- Residence Inn Marriott
- Bvlgari
- Delta Hotels
- Courtyard
- Edition
- JW Marriott
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Gaylord Hotels
- Moxy Hotels
- AC Hotels
- Fairfield Inn & Suites
- Springhill Suites
- W Hotels
- Westin Hotels & Resorts
- Tribute Portfolio
- Regis
- The Luxury Collection
- Aloft Hotels
- Element
- Sheraton
- Le Meridien
- Design Hotels
- Four Points
- Town Place Suites
- Protea Hotels
- and Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Here are a few of my experiences at Marriott properties as well as various pages that have more on the brand.
- Marriott and Starwood – What This Means
- Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale Review
- Why You Should Avoid the St. Thomas Ritz Carlton
- Marriott Stellaris Casino in Aruba
Clearly, there are many different hotel accommodation options as part of the Marriott and Starwood hotels families. So don’t feel like you absolutely have to stay in a Marriott or Starwood, because your options are definitely much greater than you may have originally thought.
Make sure to read about my favorite Marriott properties, including the Saint Hotel in Key West, the Ritz Carlton on Seven Mile Beach Grand Cayman, and the Los Suenos Marriott resort & marina.
So look at the various hotel choices that we’ve shared with you today, and consider staying in any one of these amazing resorts and hotel suites wherever you plan to travel in the near future. You will not be disappointed with your choice, and you will have an excellent stay in an amazing resort hotel and suite.
Conclusion
As of now, you should have learned a lot more about Marriott International and how this company got its beginnings. It truly is a company that cares about people, and not only its guests but also its employees. So if you’re looking for an excellent global lodging company to take care of all of your hotel accommodation needs, we highly recommend visiting Marriott and Starwood hotels in the near future.
