Travelers Have Spoken: Marriott Rewards Wins Hotel Program of the Year

BETHESDA, Md., April 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott Rewards, the award-winning loyalty program of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), has been honored again as the Hotel Program of the Year–Americas by the Freddie Awards, the most prestigious member-generated award in the travel loyalty industry. After receiving the most votes, this year's win marks the ninth Freddie in a row for Marriott Rewards, which was also recently ranked #1 in J.D. Power's 2016 Hotel Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report. In addition to taking home the top award of Hotel Program of the Year, Marriott Rewards also won Best Redemption Ability—Americas and Best Customer Service—Americas, and was honored at a ceremony last evening in Las Vegas. The Freddie Awards recognizes excellence in frequent travel programs annually, and 3.7 million members cast ballots for this year's awards.

"We're honored that loyal travelers have once again chosen Marriott Rewards as the top hotel program for the ninth year running," said Thom Kozik, Vice President of Loyalty, Marriott International. "Making this even more meaningful is knowing that actual frequent travelers cast votes for Marriott Rewards over every other program. We are committed to evolving our program with new benefits and even more ways to earn and redeem points so our loyal guests can pursue their passions for travel and experiences."

Since its 2015 win, Marriott Rewards announced a series of new benefits and program enhancements designed to give members a more flexible, personalized travel experience and demonstrate that loyalty flows both ways. Most recently, Marriott Rewards announced a new experiences marketplace, giving members access to a collection of unique, curated experiences, as well as new benefits for Elite members, including an Elite concierge service and guaranteed late checkout until 4 pm. In March 2016, Marriott Rewards announced Member Rates, which is an exclusive rate guaranteeing the lowest price for members who book direct. These benefits followed the announcement of Points Sharing, Cash & Points, Points Advance, and Redemption Stay Credits. Other components of the loyalty program include:

• Marriott Mobile:  When members book their stays on Marriott channels, they can take full advantage of the Marriott Mobile app to check-in and check-out for their stay, receive an alert when their room is ready, and make service requests directly to the hotel before, during and after their visit. The company will be adding even more features to the app in the future, making it the perfect travel companion.
• Free Wi-Fi: In this always on and always connected world, Marriott Rewards members booking direct always receive free Wi-Fi throughout their stay.
• Access and Experiences: In addition, our members receive opportunities for access to exclusive events and experiences including the NFL Super Bowl and Universal Music Group concerts and digital music downloads.

About Marriott RewardsMarriott Rewards is Marriott International's award-winning loyalty program spanning 17 brands and over 4,200 properties worldwide. Marriott Rewards is free to join and has no blackout dates and members can earn and redeem points at Marriott International properties around the world and at Marriott Rewards exclusive luxury partner The Ritz-Carlton®.  Members can also redeem points for frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, merchandise and more. By making rewards accessible with a modern, easy approach, Marriott Rewards continues to be a leader in the industry. Marriott Rewards has won the Freddie Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program in the Americas" for the last nine years and is a two-time winner of the Frequent Travel Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program." The program was ranked #1 in J.D. Power's 2016 Hotel Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report. In addition, the program has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of U.S. News & World Report, About.com, Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Executive Travel and BusinessWeek magazines. To enroll and for more information about Marriott Rewards, guests can visit MarriottRewards.com.

About Marriott InternationalMarriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,400 properties in 87 countries and territories.  Marriott International reported revenues of more than $14 billion in fiscal year 2015. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, Bulgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and Moxy Hotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together comprise nearly 56 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.