Leading Hotels of the World Relaunches Its Pay-to-Play Loyalty Program
Photo Credit: The Okura Prestige, Bangkok, is a member of the Leading Hotels of The World. Leading Hotels of The World
Skift Take
Leading Hotels of the World's $175 annual fee to join its loyalty program may be off-putting to some frugal frequent travelers. But the Leaders Club, ostensibly, is not for the frugal frequent traveler.
Boutique hotel operator Leading Hotels of the World just overhauled its loyalty program to work on a more modern, points-based system — and along the way, it increased its annual fee from $150 to $175.
The new system, which Skift Senior Hospitality Editor Deanna Ting covered in depth last week, allows Leaders Club members to earn one point per dollar spent in the program. In return, members can spend points on free hotel rooms and enjoy typical perks like day-of upgrades and free Wi-Fi. Those who spend $5,000 with the program each year earn Sterling status, which effectively yields extra points and upgrades.
That system and its rewards, of course, sound like every other hotel loyalty program on the planet — albeit with an annual fee. But the fee is intentional. Leading Hotels sees its program as more of a
