Marriott donates $10 million in free hotel stays to healthcare professionals

Marriott is dedicating some $10 million worth of free hotel rooms to healthcare professionals serving areas most impacted by coronavirus cases. The new initiative, called Rooms for Responders, will launch in hard-hit cities such as New York City, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C. and Newark.

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Rooms for Responders was largely initiated by Marriott's Bonvoy loyalty team in partnership with American Express and JPMorgan Chase. The team worked with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Nurses Association to make sure thousands of emergency doctors and nurses have free accommodations in participating hotels near their hospitals.

Marriott separately teamed up with a number of local franchisees to launch the Community Caregiver Program, which is available in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. The Community Caregiver Program offers significantly discounted rates for first responders and healthcare professionals who want to stay near the hospitals where they are working. The rate is available on Marriott.com at nearly 2,500 hotels.

"With both initiatives, our goal is simple: We want to support the frontline heroes who are selflessly supporting us," Marriott announced in an email that went out to Bonvoy members Wednesday afternoon.

The email also listed a number of favorable policy changes for Bonvoy members, including a generous cancellation or change policy for all reservations, including restrictive pre-paid bookings.

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Related: Marriott Bonvoy extends elite status membership through February 2022

And for Marriott Bonvoy elites, there's cause for celebration: The hotel chain extended elite status membership through February 2022, and has paused points expiration through February 2021.

Feeling charitable? Bonvoy members can use Marriott Bonvoy's Giving Platform to donate their Marriott Bonvoy points to relief organizations that are active in COVID-19 responses around the world. These organizations include the American Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UNICEF and World Central Kitchen, amongst others.

Other hotels have also stepped up with similar programs. Hilton and American Express are donating another million hotel room nights across the U.S.

Doctors, nurses, EMTs, paramedics and other frontline medical staff who need a place to sleep, recharge or isolate from their families through the end of May will get free hotel rooms.

Related: Our favorite ways travel companies are giving back during coronavirus

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