Starwood Hotels Offer Loyalty perks Via Online Auction
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is giving online auction sites like eBay a run for its money. The hotel chain’s Starwood Preferred Guest program is letting loyalty club members use their Starpoints for bid on exclusive experiences.
Under the Moments by Starwood Preferred Guest initiative, members can use their points for top experiences—everything from insider access to red carpet movie premieres and private dinners with renowned chefs to golf with Professional Golf Association Tour pros and access to closed rehearsals with music artists.
The program started yesterday after a three-month pilot test.
Members can bid on a variety of programs and experiences at SPG.com/Moments. The site will feature five new auctions each month, including entertainment, sports, arts and culture and food offerings.
Top experiences now offered on the site include an invitation to see Gwen Stefani rehearse before attending her concert with front row VIP seats or tickets to see an Oscar De Lay Hoya boxing match in Las Vegas.
“Moments by Starwood Preferred Guest give our members access to once-in-a-lifetime events that go beyond just offering tickets to a concert or sporting event,” said Robin Korman, vice president of Loyalty Marketing for Starwood, in a statement. “We want to make an emotional connection with our members that extends outside of our hotel doors by providing them with rich experiences that go beyond the world of upgrades and free flights. Moments is designed to play to people’s passions with amazing events that are available only to our members.”
Starwood is spreading the word about the program via online banners and direct mail pieces to hundreds of thousands of its loyalty program members, the company said.
Starwood’s Moments program will introduce a cash and points option on the site to let members use money and Starpoints for auction events, the company said.
