Complete Guide to the Marriott STARS & Marriott Luminous

Enriching experiences and sophisticated spaces are created to inspire fresh perspectives and ignite innovative thinking. Hotels and resorts around the world offer guest rooms for both work and relaxation, with lobbies that provide a perfect setting to connect and unwind.

Begin your journey of inspiration with these seamless accommodations. Marriott Hotels offers a variety of accommodations for both leisure and business purposes, including stunning beachfront views in Wailea and iconic city stays in Rome and Paris.

Clements Travel is one of the few travel agencies that have been selected by Marriott to be able to offer Marriott STARS and Luminous benefits. These exclusive benefits can include upgrades that are subject to availability at check-in, complimentary breakfast, dining credits, late check-out plus more.

Contact one of our Marriott STARS and Luminous eligible travel advisors to make your next booking.

*Members of the Bonovy loyalty program earn points & status when booking with us.

List of benefits That Our Clients Get With Marriott STARS and Luminous

The Complete List of all Marriott STARS perks are:

• Complimentary daily breakfast for up to two guests per room
• A $100USD property credit, once per stay
• Complimentary Room upgrades, subject to availability at check-in
• Complimentary WiFi
• A personalized welcome amenity and note from hotel management

The Complete List of All Marriott Luminous perks are:

• Complimentary daily breakfast for up to two guests per room
• A $100USD property credit once per stay (only at select hotels)
• Complimentary Room upgrade, subject to availability upon check-in
• Complimentary basic Wi-Fi
• A personalized welcome amenity and note from hotel management
• Early check-in, subject to availability
• Late checkout, subject to availability

As you can see from the above the benefits are essentially the same for each Marriott program except with STARS you will get the $ 100.00 USD credit. 

Let’s use a real-life example to make sense of this benefit program. The below table will compare reserving with Marriott directly, Expedia, and a Marriott STARS agency (this will give you an idea of how the Marriott Luminous program works as well).

Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman – 4th of April for One Night, Garden-View Guestroom

What hotels are part of Marriott STARS?

The following brands, full under the Marriott STARS umbrella:

• Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts
• EDITION Hotels
• The Luxury Collection Hotels
• The Ritz Carlton
• Ritz Carlton Reserve
• St Regis

To see a full list of Marriott STARS hotels, then click here.

What hotels are part of Marriott Luminous?

Medium-tier / mid-range brands are part of the Luminous program, they are:

• Autograph Collection
• JW Marriott Hotel
• Le Méridien
• Marriott Hotel and Resorts
• Renaissance Hotels
• Tribute Portfolio Hotel
• W Hotels
• Westin Hotels

To see a full list of Marriott Luminous hotels, then click here.

Clements Travel can help with more savings when booking Marriott Hotels and Resorts

In addition to the above ex at select properties

• 4th night free (most common)
• or
• 3rd/4th/5th night free
• Additional perks –  such as dining credits or one-time hotel credits
• Enhanced Amenity
• Complimentary upgrades
• Suite upgrades

Can I Still Get Benefits if My Chosen Hotel is Not Part of Marriott STARS or Marriott Luminous?

There is one more way to get benefits with a Marriott Hotels & Resorts booking.

A lot of the luxury brands mentioned above are members of the Virtuoso travel network, which means that you can get the following benefits at no extra cost:

• Preferred rates and availability
• Room upgrades (if available)
• Breakfast daily for two
• Dining, resort, or hotel credits
• Early check-in and late checkout (if available)
• Exclusive amenities and experiences

Virtuoso rates are the same as the best available rates that you see on the Marriott website.

Contact us here at Clements Travel and let us know the Marriott property that you are interested in. In turn, we will let you know what benefits are available.

Furthermore…

On the small chance that your favorite Marriott hotel or resort is not on any program then don’t worry. We have a very close relationship with Marriott and will always work with the hotel to get you a well-appointed room and an upgrade wherever possible.

Introducing the Marriott Guardian Angel

A Guardian Angel is a staff member who is on-site at every Marriott property that offers STARS and Luminous benefits. It is their job to do the following:

• Receive all Marriott reservations that are part of the Stars or Luminous programs
• Apply all benefits such as mentioned above
• Action any special requests such as connecting rooms etc.
• Allocating either an upgrade but should that not be available then the best room in the category booked.

Essentially the guardian angels make sure that you have the best stay possible.

Does Clements Travel Charge a Fee for making hotel bookings?

We do not charge our clients any sort of fee for making hotel bookings and do not take any payments from you. We simply make the reservation with benefits and you will pay the hotel directly, usually when you arrive.

This means that you can use your Marriott branded credit card (or any other credit card for that matter) to pay for bookings.

Are Bonvoy loyalty points earned with the Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous rates?

You can still earn Bonvoy loyalty points, elite credits, and status while taking advantage of Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous benefits.

Can you still get Marriott STARS & Luminous perks in conjunction with Bonvoy benefits?

A lot of our clients who are  Marriott Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador members often ask how their elite benefits align with booking Marriott STARS and Luminous rates. The answer can vary depending on the situation, with elite members potentially finding value in some cases but not in others.

• Hotels that offer a $100 resort credit or $100 hotel credit can be beneficial for anyone.
• Bonvoy elite members do not receive a complimentary daily breakfast at EDITION and Ritz-Carlton properties, whereas booking a STARS rate would include this benefit.
• When booking a Marriott Luminous rate, you may receive restaurant breakfast instead of breakfast through executive lounge access at certain properties.
• Upgrade priority – although it is not guaranteed, there is a possibility that a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum member who books a STARS rate may receive an upgrade before a Marriott Platinum member who is not on a STARS rate. However, it should not be assumed that this will result in an upgrade to the best available standard suite, followed by an additional upgrade based on STARS perks.

Are Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous benefits available to all hotel rate types?

Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous benefits are applied to the “Best Available Rate” (standard rate) or “Flexible Rate”.

Benefits are not available on a discount rate such as prepaid rates, corporate rates, promotional rates plus senior and government rates. You may find it more cost-effective to book a Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous rate due to the savings with the hotel credits and complimentary breakfasts.

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Is there a minimum night stay for Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous bookings?

The good news is that there is no minimum stay required. Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous benefits are available for a stay of just one night.

I Have Already Made A Marriott reservation and Want To Add Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous benefits

This could very well be possible, simply email us a copy of your booking and we will see what we can do.

How to Make a Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous Reservation

Clements Travel is a Marriott Stars Travel Agent and a Marriott Luminous Travel Agent. We would be more than happy to help you with your next Marriott booking.

For a no-obligation free quote or if you have a question about the program then do get in touch.