Good food has the ability to help start conversations between strangers. Let alone between friends and loved ones. And as much as food brings people together, it also makes for a lucrative business.
Marriott International, a global lodging company with more than 6,500 properties across 127 countries and territories, launched the new Club Marriott, an F&B loyalty program, in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The new Club Marriott merges the previous program of the same name, together with the company’s other F&B loyalty programs, namely Eat Drink & More and Star Privilege.
Previously launched in the Pacific region comprising six key locations in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia and Samoa, this paid membership program rewards and recognizes guests with distinctive experiences and benefits.
In Indonesia, membership can be purchased at Westin Jakarta, Le Meridien Jakarta, JW Marriott Hotel Medan, Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers and Four Points by Sheraton Makassar. These hotels are named key participating hotels, while there are 21 participating hotels in total in Indonesia, across 10 brands in 10 cities.
Membership price ranges from Rp 1.55 million (US$110) for Four Points by Sheraton Makassar to Rp 3.88 million for the Westin Jakarta.
Membership purchased at the Westin Jakarta, for example, entitles a guest to card benefits that include 30 percent discount off food and beverage for up to 20 guests in all participating restaurants in The Westin Jakarta. Discounts of up to 20 percent off F&B are also given for dining at key participating hotels in Indonesia, and any other participating food and beverage outlets of Marriott International Hotels in Asia Pacific.
For accommodation, the membership card could be presented in exchange of 20 percent off the Best Available Rate on any room category at The Westin Jakarta, and up to 20 percent off Best Available Rate in participating hotels across the Asia Pacific.
The launch of the new Club Marriott is attended by Marriott International food and beverage operations vice president Petr Raba (left), Westin Jakarta general manager
Arun Kumar (center) and area director of operations for Indonesia Marie Browne at The Westin Jakarta on July 31.
(JP/Handout)
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Myclubmarriott.com hasn’t included any “Member Offers” from The Westin Jakarta and other key participating hotels in Indonesia as of the writing of this article. But as an example, W Koh Samui in Thailand listed “The Ultimate Island Paradise” at myclubmarriott.com’s “Member Offers”. This offer includes 25 percent off Best Available Rate from THB 20,000 ++ (US$601) per night for a minimum of two nights stay, and complimentary pool villa upgrade from Jungle Oasis to Tropical Oasis.
Albeit the current unavailability of “Member Offers” from Indonesia’s participating hotels at the Club Marriott, the “teaser” of the program at its launch in The Westin Jakarta delighted guests.
The launch party of new Club Marriott features an array of food and beverages from four Marriott International properties in Jakarta namely The Westin Jakarta, Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, Le Meridien Jakarta and The Hermitage Jakarta. (JP/Handout)
The teaser, in the form of a launch party, offered an array of food and beverages from four Marriott International properties in Jakarta, namely The Westin itself, Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, Le Meridien Jakarta and The Hermitage Jakarta.
Executive chefs of the hotels and their team were in attendance to supervise or cook live in the food stations, serving a variety of food from Nikkei style entrees to molecular desserts, namely the “reversed fried banana” prepared using liquid nitrogen.
A chocolate bar featuring products from Indonesia’s Pipiltin Cocoa, magnum-style ice cream cart and Le Meridien Jakarta’s croque monsieur rendang were among the most talked-about menu that evening.
With its many benefits and offers, Club Marriott has gained more than 200,000 memberships. This number, reportedly still growing, combines memberships from different loyalty programs now merged into one.
