How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

[aikman]

Property: Movenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali
Status: Accor Plus Silver
Room booked: Classic Garden View
Room upgraded/type: Classic Pool View
Rate: Stay Plus
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: Requested and granted 2pm check out
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: No

The beach is within walking distance but why swim there when the interconnected pool network in the centre of the resort is huge. I would not hesitate to return.

 

[aikman]

Property: Novotel Bali Nusa Dua
Status: Accor Plus Silver
Room booked: Deluxe Garden View
Room upgraded/type: No
Rate: Accor Plus Saver
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: Requested and granted 2pm check out
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: Bowl of fruit

The room is a little dated but it is big. The pool was decent and the beach club can be reached by shuttle bus or a 10 minute walk. Was a little disappointed at not getting a room upgrade but as it turned out I couldn't stay in my room due to a noise issue. They ended up moving me to a pool view room. So they could have upgraded me to begin with if they had wanted to.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I would like to hear if others have visited the Sofitel AKL. I did last week, and it is the only hotel where I returned my room key and (at that point) made other arrangements.

 

[dairyfloss]

I would like to hear if others have visited the Sofitel AKL. I did last week, and it is the only hotel where I returned my room key and (at that point) made other arrangements.

Is that the one at Viaduct Harbour? If so, then yes, a couple of times, but before covid. I very much liked it; tiny rooms aside.

 

[Daver6]

I would like to hear if others have visited the Sofitel AKL. I did last week, and it is the only hotel where I returned my room key and (at that point) made other arrangements.

Care to share what happened?

 

[Flyfrequently]

Nope. Used QF on this trip.

Ahh ok thanks @aikman , my nephew was FO. One proud Auntie here (but not proud enough to go on the 321!)

 

[Sprucegoose]

Care to share what happened?

Sure,

Arrived - no greeting? No one manning the driveway.
There were no signs of reception - apparently, it was two doors down the left.
The room booked was $450, and a standard room overlooking KPMG - welcome drink voucher but no UG as I had booked a 'disability room' - this could have been queried as I checked in; however, it could be my own goal.
The room offered was small and didn't work - you need to stand to watch TV.
I explained I stay in Sofitels where I can, and this was not a Sofitel. I advised if they couldn't find me another more suitable room, I would cancel my checkout and head down to the QT. The response was they were trying to find the manager. As I had not heard from them, I made a booking at the QT - 300m down the road and proceeded to return the keys. They asked me to wait and consider a suite UG. I relented.
We were UG to a suite (as someone apparently had not checked in - staff initially claimed the hotel was virtually full, which was not evident from my observations).

The room was not really a suite in the usual parlance; it was no larger than, say, 35m2 (a standard room) than other rooms and did not have full suite amenities.

The whole deal was a con, an unappealing location and poor value. I queried a few staff, and they were clearly not happy with the management or their working arrangements. I now better understand the ownership structure of the hotel, and things make more sense to me; however, this is one hotel the Sofitel dont want their good name on from my observations as it currently operates.

The AKL management needs to up their game and represent their hotel as it is done well in many other cities.

 

[sudoer]

The room booked was $450, and a standard room overlooking KPMG

Ouch. I stayed here in June 2022 and was in a similar stand-to-watch-TV 'Superior' room facing KPMG, but for $215pn with breakfast & lounge benefits extended to the 2nd room in the booking, I wasn't complaining. I did have a weird experience pushing for late checkout but overall the stay was fine.

Unlike your experience the door was attended for our entire stay and we were escorted around to reception on arrival. Agree this is in a strange location and very difficult to find without guidance.

 

[aikman]

Property: Mercure Bali Nusa Dua
Status: Accor Plus Silver
Room booked: Superior Garden View
Room upgraded/type: No upgrade given
Rate: Accor Plus Saver
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: Not needed
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: Plate of fruit

The room was small and depressing although to be fair it was less than half the price of the Novotel around the corner. There is a small above-ground pool and somewhat surprisingly they give you access to a beach club even if it is around 2km away accessible by an hourly shuttle bus.

 

[aikman]

Property: Novotel Suites Yogyakarta Malioboro
Status: Accor Plus Silver
Room booked: Superior Studio
Room upgraded/type: Deluxe Studio
Rate: Accor Plus Flexible
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: Requested 2pm, was given until 1pm
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: No

Modern, comfortable and spacious room. Very central tourist location. Helpful, friendly staff. Breakfast had good variety.

 

[aikman]

Property: Ibis Styles Yogyakarta
Status: Accor Plus Silver
Room booked: Superior Room
Room upgraded/type: only one room type but no evidence I was given a better room
Rate: Accor Plus Saver
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: not needed
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: a plate of stale bakery items

Huge downgrade in quality from the Novotel up the road. No hand/face towels. Fridge did not work which I later realised was unplugged. What annoyed me the most was that the front desk staff member that checked me in took it upon herself to choose AUD as my payment currency on her eftpos terminal. It was too late by the time I realised what she had done.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Property: Ibis Styles Yogyakarta
Status: Accor Plus Silver
Room booked: Superior Room
Room upgraded/type: only one room type but no evidence I was given a better room
Rate: Accor Plus Saver
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: not needed
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: a plate of stale bakery items

Huge downgrade in quality from the Novotel up the road. No hand/face towels. Fridge did not work which I later realised was unplugged. What annoyed me the most was that the front desk staff member that checked me in took it upon herself to choose AUD as my payment currency on her eftpos terminal. It was too late by the time I realised what she had done.

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I would be less than happy with payment processed in AUD rather than IDR too @aikman
Had this happen with private transfer from San Sebastian to Biarritz, cost extra AUD 30

 

[knagelli]

Property: Novotel Oasis Cairns resort
Status: Accor Plus Gold
Room booked: Standard Room 2 Double Bed
Room upgraded/type: No
Rate: Stay Plus
Free internet: Yes
Early check in/late out: Not Requested
Welcome drink: Voucher
Welcome gift: White wine with a welcome note

Room was comfortable and the stay was good as it was for an overnight stay making use of the expiring stay plus night. The reception desk staff were lovely.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

What annoyed me the most was that the front desk staff member that checked me in took it upon herself to choose AUD as my payment currency on her eftpos terminal. It was too late by the time I realised what she had done.

What I normally do in those instances is say I can't pay in the foreign currency you selected (i.e. AUD, CAD, etc.) as I'll be charged a foreign exchange fee by my credit card. Can you please select the local currency so I can pay fee free?

-RooFlyer88

 

[knagelli]

What annoyed me the most was that the front desk staff member that checked me in took it upon herself to choose AUD as my payment currency on her eftpos terminal. It was too late by the time I realised what she had done.

Do you have an option to dispute the charge with your credit card provider as this is clearly uncalled for and they should have asked you before processing the charge.

What did the hotel management have to say about this ? Just trying to know what could be the hotel's responses for such occurrences in future.

 

[aikman]

Do you have an option to dispute the charge with your credit card provider as this is clearly uncalled for and they should have asked you before processing the charge.

What did the hotel management have to say about this ? Just trying to know what could be the hotel's responses for such occurrences in future.

I only lost around $10 so I didn't bother complaining. I'll just remember for next time.

I looked at the EFTPOS receipt later that day and saw that at the bottom there was a tick box which says "I acknowledge that I was given a choice of paying with local currency or my card's home currency".

The staff member may have pressed a button herself to make that acknowledgement for me. She may have thought she was doing me a favour and saving me time. Who knows?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The staff member may have pressed a button herself to make that acknowledgement for me. She may have thought she was doing me a favour and saving me time. Who knows?

Automatic currency conversion is never doing anyone a favour. Credit cards don't care if you are billed in Euros or dollars, yen or Francs, it'll simply convert it automatically for you at the official rate + a couple of percentage points for the convenience of doing so. By contrast when a merchant does the conversion for you, the rate is typically much more than just a 2 or 3% premium on top of the official rate (sometimes it can be in the double digits percent). Also, the credit card I use when travelling does not charge any foreign transaction fees meaning I just pay whatever the official rate between the two currencies are. I'm unsure if there are credit cards here in Australia that offer such a perk (I'm guessing not given the hostility towards credit cards in this country) but something to consider if it is available.

-RooFlyer88

 

[knagelli]

I'm unsure if there are credit cards here in Australia that offer such a perk (I'm guessing not given the hostility towards credit cards in this country) but something to consider if it is available.

Yes , there are few AU cards that provide this and the one I use is Coles MC Platinum card ( forex transactions don't attract any conversion fees or misc charges).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Yes , there are few AU cards that provide this and the one I use is Coles MC Platinum card ( forex transactions don't attract any conversion fees or misc charges).

Nice to know.

I suppose the other downside to accepting the ForEx from the merchant is you won't avail yourself of the bonus points for foreign spend found on some credit cards since it will be billed in your "home" currency.

-RooFlyer88

 

[Lynda2475]

I'm unsure if there are credit cards here in Australia that offer such a perk (I'm guessing not

You guess wrong. There are both plentiful debit cards and several credit cards issued by Australian banks that have no foreign transaction fees.

given the hostility towards credit cards in this country) but something to consider if it is available.

LOL what hostility? I operate cashless and have never encountered any pushback or issue using credit cards to buy goods or services in Australia.

We have legislation that prevent merchants from passing on more than actual fee, and the big retailers (Coles, Woolworths etc) do not pass on any fees.

Buying a ticket from Qantas online for example the Amex fee is the same as the Mastercard debit fee, but you get the benefit of points, bonus points, purchase protection and free travel insurance.

I suppose the other downside to accepting the ForEx from the merchant is you won't avail yourself of the bonus points for foreign spend found on some credit cards since it will be billed in your "home" currency.

Not necessarily, some of the banks look at the destination of the spend not the currency.

But it is always poor value to allow overseas merchants to charge you in AUD.