In November 2022, Marriott announced that it’ll launch Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy as its latest brand concept. While the first property has yet to open, once the brand launches, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will add fully serviced apartments to the available types of accommodations in Canada and the United States under the Marriott umbrella.
We now know some more details about what members can expect from participation in the Marriott Bonvoy program, in advance of the launch in December 2023.
Mariott’s New Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Brand Concept
When Marriott initially announced details of the new brand concept, its intention was to design and build Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy from the ground up. Developers were invited to learn more about the Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy brand and submit proposals.
Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will aim to tap into the upper-upscale and luxury markets, and will be distinctly different from Marriott’s current extended-stay brands, such as Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites. The biggest difference is that Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will not offer traditional hotel services, such as food and beverage outlets, meeting spaces, and retail stores.
Rather, guests will be offered daily housekeeping services, as well as the following guaranteed amenities:
- Separate living room and bedroom
- Full kitchen
- In-unit washer and dryer
As for the brand’s positioning in the upscale and luxury segments, I’d imagine we can expect Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy to follow a design-forward approach, similar to the Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio brands.
Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will first launch in US and Canada. Notably, Marriott Executive Apartments is a similar concept that already exists in 16 countries, but not in North America.
Earn and Redeem Points for Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy Stays
In terms of Marriott Bonvoy elite benefits at these new apartments, Marriott has revealed what members can expect from their stays.
First off, all properties will participate in Marriott Bonvoy, and all guests will enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi.
Members will earn 5 points per US dollar spent at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, which is lower than the rate of 10 points per US dollar spent at full-service brands.
On the other hand, you’ll earn one elite qualifying night per night stayed, which is an improvement to the trend of crediting one elite night per two nights stayed at new brands under the Marriott umbrella.
For the Elite Welcome Gift, Gold members will be given 500 points, while Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite members will be given 1,000 points.
Platinum Elite and above members will enjoy guaranteed 2pm late check-out, and may request check-out as late as 4pm. Gold members are eligible to request 2pm late check-out, although it’s not guaranteed.
Lounge access and breakfast aren’t included at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, which is to be expected at buildings without food and beverage outlets. The rooms will also feature full kitchens, so the idea is that you have everything needed to cater for yourself.
You’ll also be able to redeem points for stays at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy; however, since no properties are loaded in the search engine, we don’t know what the pricing will look like.
Given that more spacious accommodations with full kitchens and in-unit laundry are driven by the blending of work and leisure travel, it’s likely that Marriott is seeing larger groups travelling together in the context of post-pandemic remote work. Therefore, booking Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy could be an excellent opportunity to rack up elite nights and split the accommodation cost between friends, family, or even co-workers.
What’s more, the in-unit washer and dryer is a great inclusion, and could very well be enough reason to book a stay at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy even for one night just to do all your laundry. Indeed, it’s not uncommon to see laundry services begin at $10 per shirt, and go up from there.
Conclusion
Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy is one of Marriott’s newest hotel brand concepts, and the first properties are slated to open in the near future.
Design-forward boutique apartments with daily housekeeping and in-unit laundry will be popular for families and groups of friends travelling together, especially if they desire a more luxurious option than what Marriott’s existing long-term stay brands have to offer.
As a fully integrated brand of Marriott Bonvoy, we’re able to accrue elite qualifying nights, earn and redeem points for stays, and secure late check-out with Platinum and higher status.
