Marriott employees receive hotel discounts as a primary benefit of employment, helping attract and retain talent. This program allows associates to experience the company’s portfolio of over 30 brands and thousands of properties worldwide at reduced costs. The discount structure is tiered, offering the deepest savings to the employee, while providing discounts to friends and family. This benefit encourages employees to travel and gain firsthand experience with the products they represent.
The Primary Employee Travel Rate
The deepest discount is reserved for active employees and their immediate family members, known internally as the Explore Rate (MMP). This rate typically ranges from 50% to 75% off the standard room rate at participating hotels. Pricing can vary, sometimes manifesting as a fixed low nightly rate or a large percentage reduction from the public price.
Eligibility extends to full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary associates from their first day of employment. Immediate family members, including spouses, domestic partners, parents, in-laws, siblings, and children, are also eligible. Associates can book up to two rooms per night for personal leisure travel, while immediate family members are limited to one room per night. This rate is strictly for vacation purposes and cannot be used for business travel.
Friends and Family Discount Tiers
Marriott extends a secondary tier of accommodation savings through the Explore Friends Rate (MMF), available to a broader group of authorized friends and extended family members. This rate provides a reduction from public rates, usually ranging from 20% to 50% off the standard rate.
Employees must authorize these bookings by obtaining an official Explore Rate Authorization Form from the company’s internal portal. This form must be provided to the guest and presented at check-in to validate the discounted stay. The MMF rate is more flexible than the primary employee rate, as policy does not limit the number of nights or rooms that can be booked.
Essential Rules for Using Marriott Discounts
Using discounted rates requires adherence to specific logistical and behavioral guidelines. The rates are always subject to hotel occupancy and availability, meaning hotels limit the number of discounted rooms available per night.
Many properties restrict the primary employee rate (MMP) to a small number of rooms. If a hotel reaches a high occupancy threshold, such as 85%, the employee rate may default to the friends and family rate (MMF) or disappear entirely.
Advance booking is necessary, and all discounted reservations must be made online, as phone reservations are not accepted. Upon check-in, guests must present a photo ID along with the official, printed Explore Rate Authorization Form to validate eligibility. This form has an expiration date and is mandatory for the hotel to honor the reduced rate. Inappropriate behavior or unauthorized sharing of discount forms can result in disciplinary action, including the loss of all discount privileges.
Non-Room Discounts and Associated Employee Perks
Marriott employees receive a range of financial benefits beyond accommodation discounts. Associates are granted a 20% discount on food and beverage purchases at most hotel restaurants and dining outlets, applying to both in-restaurant dining and in-room service.
Additional services within the hotel properties are also discounted. Associates typically receive a 20% discount on spa treatments and a 30% reduction on retail purchases at Marriott-operated stores.
Employees who achieve 25 years of service are granted membership in the Quarter Century Club, which entitles them to complimentary hotel rooms annually. Using these discounted rates also allows employees to participate in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, where they can earn points and receive credit toward elite status.