Since 1999, frequent travellers from around the world have recognised Starwood Preferred Guest as the hospitality industry’s top-rated loyalty programme and now the programme that introduced no black-out dates has done it again. Recently Starwood Preferred Guest was once again voted Programme of the Year in both America and internationally during the 17th Annual Freddie Awards, one of the most prestigious honours in the travel industry. On the heels of celebrating its sixth anniversary, Starwood Preferred Guest also took top honours for Best Elite Level, Best Award, Best Redemption and Best Customer Service.
Known as the frequent travellers answer to the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Awards, the Freddie Awards recognise the best loyalty programmes in the world. The awards are voted on by frequent travellers via Insideflyer magazine and an internet survey, giving those who travel most the opportunity to voice their opinions on favourite airlines, hotels and credit card loyalty programmes. The Freddie Awards have grown in stature and importance over the past 17 years and are regarded as the most prestigious consumer-generated travel awards in the industry.
“We are honoured to receive this award on the heels of Starwood Preferred Guest’s sixth anniversary,” said Starwood senior vice president, customer marketing Jim Berra. “We have taken top honours at the Freddie’s since we launched the programme and we are thrilled that we continue to strike a chord with frequent travellers. When we first introduced Starwood Preferred Guest our goal was to offer our members benefits that would truly change the world of travel loyalty programmes and set a benchmark in the way the travel industry does business and it is this philosophy that has made Starwood Preferred Guest the number one hotel loyalty programme six years in a row.”
Starwood Preferred Guest made headlines when it was launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no black-out dates and no capacity controls, meaning members can redeem free nights anytime, anywhere. Starwood Preferred Guest members also cited the programme’s hassle-free award redemption, outstanding customer service, dedicated member website and innovative promotions and benefits for elite members. The programme boasts an unrivalled portfolio of award-winning hotels and resorts that includes some of the world’s most celebrated hotel brands: St Regis, The Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels and Four Points by Sheraton.
Starwood Preferred Guest also offers members the ability to redeem awards at more resorts, more luxury properties, more European hotels and more golf properties than any other hotel programme, which has proven to be a big draw for the world’s most frequent travellers, and a significant competitive advantage.
Starwood Preferred Guest opens the door to some of the world’s best hotels. Key business destinations around the globe are covered, and leisure opportunities are endless, with more than 125 world-class resorts and over 2,700 holes of golf worldwide. Over 50 Starwood properties were listed on the recently announced Conde Nast Traveller 2005 Gold List.