After expressing interest from a general public notice in the official Marriott Bonvoy Insiders group, I received a confirmed invitation to the Marriott Bonvoy 5th Anniversary Party at Marriott Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.
The invite-only event occurred on February 22nd, 2024 and was held at the Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ. The hotel is next to Marriott International Headquarters – the properties share a courtyard between the buildings, named after former CEO Arne M. Sorenson. MaureenTravels and I attended this event, along with a couple hundred Marriott staff and a small number of other invited Marriott Bonvoy Members.
Main ballroom presentation stage featuring the ‘Celebrating Five Years 2019–2024’ stage installation and live attendee polling screens.
Reception & The Floor 57 Brand Prototypes
The evening began with a reception with open bar and plenty of finger foods and snacks. We then took a tour of Floor 57 – which is the dedicated floor in the hotel that has live design prototypes of rooms across the Marriott brand spectrum. While we’ve stayed at many of the brands, it was fun to see rooms from brands like Moxy and AC that we have not stayed at before, as well as what some of the new rooms look like for new and newly remodeled Courtyards, Delta Hotels, Sheratons, and more.
Marriott corporate leadership, Bonvoy team members, and invited loyalty guests networking during the evening reception.
Following the Floor 57 tour, we spent an hour+ networking with Marriott staff from all spectrums of operations – the Corporate Team, the Bonvoy Team, Reservations, and more. We had the pleasure of having an excellent, slightly lengthy conversation with Peter Volpe, who has oversight for the breakfast program/benefits as well as functions of the M Club. I’m hoping we’ll start seeing Bubly Sparkling Water in more M Club/Lounge fridges in the not-too-distant future!
Interactive Member Activations & Taylor Swift Eras Tour
We also enjoyed meeting other Marriott Bonvoy Members – we met quite a few while taking in the Floor 57 tour, checking out the Taylor Swift Friendship Bracelet booth, the fresh flowers that were being put into custom bouquets, chatting at the beverage or food stations, sharing a table while eating, or just general conversation while walking around the room.
Marriott Bonvoy’s interactive Taylor Swift ‘The Eras Tour’ friendship bracelet crafting station set against the panoramic HQ glass windows.
The Flower Market station offering guests personalized fresh floral arrangements to take home.
Bespoke floral centerpieces featuring orchids, calla lilies, and garden roses along the activity tables.
Executive Remarks & Exclusive Member Attendance
The night didn’t include a lot of “emceed” conversation, but what I was very surprised about was the small number of Marriott Bonvoy members in attendance. During the brief “emcee” conversation a “raise your hand” question came up – raise your hand if you’re from Corporate, part of the Bonvoy Team, part of the Social Media Team, part of the reservations team.
Marriott corporate leadership addressing the room from the Bouclé stage.
When Bonvoy Members were asked to raise their hands, it was a very small group – likely no more than 20% of the room. This solidified for me just how exclusive attending this event was for Bonvoy members.
Evening host introducing the keynote presentation.
Keynote & Fireside Chat: Kristen Kish (Top Chef)
Following executive remarks, there was a ~30 minute Q&A and fireside chat with Kristen Kish – host of Top Chef and other culinary television productions. It was a fun, candid, and entertaining way to cap off a great night of hospitality discussions.
Presentation screen announcing ‘Kristen Kish: Host of Top Chef — Marriott Bonvoy Begins With You’.
Kristen Kish in conversation on stage discussing culinary travel, hospitality standards, and creative inspiration.
Commemorative SWAG & CEO Tony Capuano Letter
At the end of the night, there were exclusive SWAG giveaways that included a commemorative Bonvoy 5th Anniversary canvas tote (“The World Awaits est. 2019”), a laser-etched Bonvoy Yeti tumbler, a personalized letter from Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano, and custom fresh bouquets.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques wall showcasing the commemorative canvas tote collection and drinkware.
The full commemorative gift suite: personalized Eugene Salvatore tote bag, Marriott Bonvoy Yeti insulated tumbler, and official corporate letter.
Official milestone letter from Anthony G. Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International.
Overall, a really fun night that we’re very fortunate to have been invited to.
Cheers Bonvoy, here’s to another great 5 years!
