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Marriott and Starwood Are Giving Coachella's Safari Tents a Makeover

March 18, 2017
3 min read
coachella
Marriott and Starwood Are Giving Coachella's Safari Tents a Makeover
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Music may be the main event at California’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, but that doesn’t mean you should sacrifice comfort. And Marriott and Starwood understand that. When the festival returns this April for its 18th annual event, the iconic hotel brands will be the first to launch a takeover of eight of Coachella’s onsite safari tents, giving them a first-class makeover.

Though each tent will be one-of-a-kind — each one will showcase the diversity of Marriott and Starwood’s lifestyle brands, including AC Hotels by Marriott, Moxy, Renaissance Hotels, Autograph Collection Hotels, Aloft, Westin, Le Méridien and Tribute Portfolio — they’ll all feature many of the same amenities you’d find in a full-service hotel, including private restrooms and showers, a concierge and air conditioning.

The glamping experience is being made available to all Starwood Preferred Guest, Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton Rewards members during the second weekend of the festival (April 20–23, 2017) — but only via auction through the Marriott Rewards’ Experiences Marketplace and SPG Moments websites. The bidding for each of the four SPG brand-themed tents (Aloft, Westin, Le Méridien and Tribute Portfolio) begins at 7,500 Starpoints, while bidding for the four Marriott brand-themed tents starts at 22,500 Marriott Rewards points. Note that you can only participate in each auction until 11:00am ET on April 6.

A rendering of the tent inspired by Marriott's Autograph Collection. Image courtesy of Marriott International.

In addition to a true home-away-from home at Indio’s Empire Polo Club, where the festival is held, guests will have access to special viewing areas (an important fact when you consider that Lady Gaga, Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar are among this year’s headliners); private parking adjacent to the campsite; daily breakfast and late-night snacks; and golf cart transportation to and from the stages. Even if you’re not able to snag one of these Shikar-style safari tents, Marriott will have its own sponsor tent at the event, where it'll be giving away trips to Bali and Portugal.

“Marriott’s partnership with Coachella further demonstrates our commitment to music,” Jennifer Utz Ilecki, Marriott’s vice president of buzz marketing and global partnerships, said in a statement. “We’re excited about bringing yet another ‘industry first’ to our loyal members, festival attendees and those who share our love of music.”

Next up: mining your closet for the wildest boho-chic outfits you can throw together.

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Featured image by Daniel Zetterstrom

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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
  • Annual Fee

    $325
  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.