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19 Luxury Hotel Loyalty Programs You've Never Heard Of

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19 Luxury Hotel Loyalty Programs You've Never Heard Of

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Old Oct 3, 2016, 4:23 pm
  #1  
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19 Luxury Hotel Loyalty Programs You've Never Heard Of

These programs are for their top producing travel agents. To get the benefits, you need to book via an agency in the program. The below list was provided to me by Jack Ezon, president of Ovation Vacations, which generates over $250 million in sales to luxury hotels and suppliers. However, ask your agent what programs they are part of one of the programs, or Google the name of the program and “travel agent” and you will find participating agencies pop up. The hotel groups don’t publish lists of agents who are part of their programs.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/douggoll.../#202232335c25
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Old Oct 3, 2016, 7:51 pm
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Hmm.... I knew them nearly all. Provides MO Fanclub really a confirmed upgrade?
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 1:06 am
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Few, if any, of these programs would be unknown to regulars on this forum and certainly a goodly percentage of the Virtuoso agents active here are members of the relevant ones as well. Four Seasons Preferred Partners? RC Stars? These are not deep, dark secrets.

And I doubt if a booking through any of them would keep you from being walked (as the article seems to suggest) if the hotel wanted to do that. Fortunately, the better the hotel, the less likely this is to happen.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 2:15 am
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I get, for most of these, way better benefits with Centurion FHR. And I think Platinum is as good as the benefits listed. Don't millions of people have an Platinum Amex?
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 3:10 am
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Is anyone in possession of a Four Seasons Elite Card?
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 5:00 am
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Originally Posted by stimpy
I get, for most of these, way better benefits with Centurion FHR. And I think Platinum is as good as the benefits listed. Don't millions of people have an Platinum Amex?
Agree with Centurion but not Platinum.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 5:34 am
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Originally Posted by scented
Is anyone in possession of a Four Seasons Elite Card?
I have never even heard of one. I do know a Ritz-Carlton Cobalt Card holder. While I would love to have such a card, I don't think she even cares about it as CEO of a multi billion dollar company.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 7:11 am
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Originally Posted by stimpy
I get, for most of these, way better benefits with Centurion FHR. And I think Platinum is as good as the benefits listed. Don't millions of people have an Platinum Amex?
I somewhat agree, but I think certain individual TAs are able to negotiate certain things like upgrades and welcome amenities. They also provide more of a personal touch. So while you can get most of the same deals through FHR, there are still some holes here and there.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 7:19 am
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Originally Posted by United747
I somewhat agree, but I think certain individual TAs are able to negotiate certain things like upgrades and welcome amenities. They also provide more of a personal touch. So while you can get most of the same deals through FHR, there are still some holes here and there.
True, the TA is a human who can work hard for you. But as Centurion you can get assigned your "own" dedicated TA. IME they do a very good job. I think even for PTS if you draw from a pool they do a good job too. Or at least some of them.
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Old Oct 4, 2016, 7:27 am
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Originally Posted by stimpy
True, the TA is a human who can work hard for you. But as Centurion you can get assigned your "own" dedicated TA. IME they do a very good job. I think even for PTS if you draw from a pool they do a good job too. Or at least some of them.
I'm only a lowly plat so don't have experience with CTS! But I have gotten some good PTS agents who really went to bat for me in getting certain requests honored.
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 1:43 am
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Anyone ever heard about Peninsula "Pen Key"? There are around 300 members now. Each memeber will receive a special key card. This card allows you to open any Peninsula hotel room if you know the room number in advance. Which means you don't have to pass by the desk anymore.

Four Seasons Elite Card is something new, however there is not much written benefits. You may receive invitation from corporate or hotel GM.
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Old Oct 5, 2016, 6:21 am
  #12  
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Originally Posted by RichardInSF
Few, if any, of these programs would be unknown to regulars on this forum and certainly a goodly percentage of the Virtuoso agents active here are members of the relevant ones as well. Four Seasons Preferred Partners? RC Stars? These are not deep, dark secrets.

And I doubt if a booking through any of them would keep you from being walked (as the article seems to suggest) if the hotel wanted to do that. Fortunately, the better the hotel, the less likely this is to happen.
The only program on that list with a strict 'no walk' policy is Ritz-Carlton STARS.
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