Accor’s Ennismore Reveals No-points, Paid Membership Called ‘Dis-loyalty’

Lifestyle hospitality brand Ennismore has launched a loyalty program with no need to earn points, no tiers to climb, and no need to wait for the rewards — at a typical fee of $216 (£144) a year.

Launching July 27 with a monthly subscription fee of $18, members can start using their benefits – as much as 50% off stays at newly launched hotels – as soon as they sign up through the new online platform.

Ennismore is calling the concept “Dis-loyalty,” meant to encourage exploration of new venues and experiences and get away from complex loyalty programs, according to Martina Luger, the company’s chief brand officer.

Members qualify for discounts across the 75 participating Ennismore hotels, restaurants, and bars, at its 10 participating brands, including 25hours Hotels, Mama Shelter, The Hoxton, Mondrian, and SLS.

Dis-loyalty’s five core benefits include:  

• 50% off new hotel openings: This benefit applies to a stay within the first three months after a hotel opens.
• 20% off the first stay at any hotel: Guests who have stayed at participating brands before still qualify, as the membership starts from scratch as a new Dis-loyalty member. 
• 10% off return visits.
• 10% off food and beverage purchases: This discount is applicable whether the customer is staying at the hotel or a local just dropping by for a meal or a drink. The offer is flexible, available any time of day and for up to six people. 
• Free daily tea or coffee.

A key differentiator for the program is the lack of blackout dates, added Luger, as discount benefits can be used any day of the year.

The program does exclude some of Ennismore’s brands that don’t align with its focus on hotels, and food and beverage discounts, like their co-working brand, Working From. Ennismore, which joined forces with Accor in 2020, has become known for offering co-working across its portfolio. Founder and co-CEO Sharan Pasricha shared the importance of diversification of revenue beyond hotel rooms at Skift’s Global Forum in 2022.

Another concept, Dis-loyalty Drops, is expected to launch at the end of September and will feature limited edition offers and experiences, said Luger.

Shifting the focus towards an easy-to-understand, immediate reward system reflects Ennismore’s brand culture, said Luger. Incentivizing first-time stays and new experiences with immediately available discounts, much like the removal of designated check-in and checkout times at its Hoxton brand challenged the conventional guest experience, she added. 

Participating hotels are active in some 50 destinations, including London, Dubai, Miami, Paris, and Seoul. Ennismore also has 15 openings planned for the next 12 months, with the 50% discount benefit applicable at hotels including The Hoxton, Vienna; SO/ Uptown Dubai; Hyde Ibiza; SO/ Maldives; 25hours Jakarta; SLS Barcelona, and Mondrian Gold Coast, Australia. 

Sean O’Neill, senior hospitality editor, adds background and analysis:

• Ennismore’s new loyalty program that lacks a tier-based model may signal a broader upheaval in hotel loyalty. 
• Until about a year ago, most hotel companies had let their programs grow stale.
• Recently some hotel companies began testing how to move away from a simplistic points-based model. 
• Marriott recently began letting guests redeem points for rare experiences, not just hotel stays. The tweak reflected a shift in mindset that loyalty should be about how you make customers feel — to quote a Marriott exec that my colleague Selene Brophy interviewed last month.
• IHG revamped its program last year. It began letting frequent guests pick which rewards would be most meaningful for them, like lounge access or suite upgrades. 
• Accor’s program in the past year began offering redemptions for concerts and sports tournaments, not just hotel stays.
• Hoteliers should innovate faster, however. Loyalty programs from credit cards, coffee chains, e-commerce sites, and online game platforms are often more innovative. 

Ennismore Founder Sharan Pasricha at Skift Global Forum 2022