About.com Readers Name Marriott Rewards Best Loyalty Program

BETHESDA, Md., March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The results are in, and About.com's readers have selected Marriott Rewards Top Hotel Loyalty Program. Now in its fourth year, the About.com Readers' Choice Awards honor the best products, features and services across more than a dozen categories, ranging from technology to hobbies to parenting and more, as selected by its readers.

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To view the Marriott Rewards award and all award winners, please visit http://awards.about.com.

"This win and the others we have received that were decided by our members are especially meaningful to us.  Marriott Rewards is all about rewarding the loyalty of our guests and every decision that is made in regard to the program is made by asking ourselves how we can improve the travel experience for our members," said Ed French, senior vice president, Marriott Rewards.

"This year's Readers' Choice Awards program had a record number of nominations submitted across more than a dozen categories and featured hundreds of finalists," said Margot Weiss, managing editor, About.com. "We are thankful to all our readers for their participation and congratulate Marriott Rewards on their success."

In the past two years, Marriott Rewards has added No Blackout Dates, three new brands for a total of 11 brands where members can earn and redeem points, free high-speed internet access globally for Gold and Platinum elite members and elite rollover nights.

Marriott Rewards won the 2010 Frequent Travel Award and 2009 Freddie Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program" and has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Executive Travel and BusinessWeek magazines.

Marriott Rewards has no blackout dates and members can earn and redeem points at 3,500 Marriott International hotels around the world.  Members can also redeem points for frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals and more.  

For information about Marriott Rewards, guests can call 1-800-450-4442 or log onto MarriottRewards.com.

About Marriott International

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

About The About Group

The About Group comprises the Web sites About.com, ConsumerSearch.com, and CalorieCount.com. About.com is a valuable resource for content that helps users solve the large and small needs of everyday life. ConsumerSearch.com analyzes expert and user-generated consumer product reviews and recommends the best products to purchase based on the findings. CalorieCount.com is an online resource that helps users solve the everyday challenges of losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle.

The About Group is part of The New York Times Company, a leading media company with 2010 revenues of $2.4 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.