When I first joined a loyalty program, everyone cared about points and status benefits. However, over the past few years, there has been a shift in how some travelers think about hotel loyalty programs. Traditional perks—like free nights, room upgrades, and points-based discounts—are still valued and appreciated, but more guests are craving experiential rewards that offer something beyond savings.
For example, these experiential rewards could include things like exclusive events, personalised adventures, or VIP access that go beyond traditional perks.
And for good reason. Which would you remember more – the room upgrade or a day at Wimbledon? Or if you are a foodie which will you talk about more – the hotels breakfast buffet, or dinner with a Michelin award recipient?
Stay Rewarded
Tapping into this trend last year Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) launched two series of experiences – the Ascott Privilege Signatures and Ascott Local Signatures programs. In line with ASRs tagline of ‘Stay Rewarded’, these ‘by invitation’ events give members the chance to attend highly sought after experiences. For example, these experiences might include attending major sporting events, lifestyle events, culinary adventures and more.
In the case of the Ascott Privilege Signatures program, ASR are offering members the opportunity to attend world-class events. Think events such as Wimbledon or the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
On the other hand, the Ascott Local Signatures program seeks to engage and reward members at a more local level. This events are designed to allow members to immerse themselves in events reflecting the local culture. For example, these could include bespoke culinary journeys or evenings immersed in fine arts.
As these programs have now been running for a year or so, I thought it was worth taking a look at how they are going.
Ascott Privilege Signatures
The Ascott Privilege Signatures is designed to offer Platinum members of ASR the opportunity to attend global events. These top tier events count include sporting events, or gastronomy and lifestyle events.
Past Events
- London
- An event at The Wimbledon Finals would be a good way to kick off a new experiences offering. And that’s just what Ascott did, holding the inaugural Privilege Signatures at the Wimbledon finals in London. Not only did they enjoy the finals, they had a prime city-centre stay at The Cavendish London. and were treated to an afternoon of fine dining at Le Gavroche with renowned chef Michel Roux Jr.
- Singapore
- For the second Ascott Privilege Signatures event, ASR members attended the exhilarating Singapore Night Race. While having a bird’s eye view of the action, a selection of gourmet food and beverages was available in the Ascott Privilege Signatures Lounge. Members could also take a ride on the nearby Singapore Flyer.
Ascott Local Signatures
By contrast, Ascott Local Signatures is a program that seeks to engage and reward members at a more local level. While they are still by invitation events, they are open to both Platinum and Gold members of ASR.
Past Events
To give you an idea of the types of events that the Ascott Local Signatures program offers, some of the past events include:
- Penang, Malaysia
- Penang is something of a foodie paradise, so the Local Signatures event offered members a culinary experience and exploration. While staying at their base at lyf Georgetown Penang, members took off an gastronomic adventure. During the event they were able to enjoy culinary delights across three other Ascott properties.In addition, they joined MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2024 Young Chef Award recipient Chef Johnson Wong on a local food trail. And let’s not forget the coffee- they were able to take time out to enjoy a local coffee.
- Bangkok, Thailand
- If Penang is a foodie paradise, Bangkok is a culinary adventure. As such, it makes sense that ASR would offer members a culinary-focused Local Signatures event. The venue for this event was the Sol & Luna rooftop restaurant and bar at the newly opened Somerset Sukhumvit 71 Bangkok. Members were able to enjoy an exquisite five-course dinner and wine pairing. To complement the evening, there was a live violin recital.
- Singapore
- ASR members in Singapore attended an interactive dining experience at The Robertson House by The Crest Collection. At this event, each course was accompanied by a unique dance performance that drew inspiration from corporate life.
- Paris, France
- France is not just the home of gastronomy, it also has a rich cultural heritage. Tapping into the French culture, ASR members spent the evening immersed in the fine arts. During the evening, they were treated to a private concert by award-winning violinist Pilar Winter Hill at the elegant La Clef Louvre Paris by The Crest Collection.
Coming Up
There’s still more to come. Ascott says they have a pipeline of events including sports, entertainment, gourmet, arts as well as lifestyle themes for its loyalty members. Some of the confirmed events are:
- The French Open, Roland Garros Paris in May, and
- The Championships, Wimbledon in June.
Final Words
Ascott Star Rewards is not just a loyalty program. With Ascott Privilege Signatures and Ascott Local Signatures it can become a VIP Pass that gives you bragging rights. VIP event invitations, behind-the-scenes access to local attractions, or members-only hotel experiences make loyalty feel like a privilege rather than just a perk.
