I received an email from a PR firm about a new community from Marriott for Marriott Reward’s members called Marriott Rewards Insiders.

Interesting features of the Marriott Rewards Insiders community include the following:

• Registered members can use the site to check out information, post their own questions and add their two-cents with responses.
• Member profiles can be customized with avatars, stated travel preferences and info about their hometown—with as little or as much info as they like.
• Members can sign up for alerts on new posts about topics that interest them. They can be emailed or posted in the member’s profile.
• Topics range from Marriott’s Rewards use to international nightlife.
• Members can contact Marriott and get a direct response to their comments and questions.

I had to laugh. Not because I think that this is a bad community or that I am against communities… far from it. When I am not working on the Amateur Traveler I am the EVP of Engineering and Operations for a company called LiveWorld that builds and runs online communities and social networks for companies. Some of our clients include travel companies. At least one of our clients is a major hotel chain. Figured it out yet? Yes, they were pitching the site to me but my team built and operates the site. It is indeed a small world.

My wife and I often stay in the Monterey Marriott for our wedding anniversary so I was a member of their rewards program before they were a customer. We used to stay at a different place every year but Marriott spoiled my wife.

If you are a Marriott Rewards member check out their new community. If you stay at a Marriott property (which includes Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, Conference Centers, TownePlace Suites, SpringHill Suites, Marriott Vacation Club) and are not a Marriott Rewards member… why not?