How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

[Flyfrequently]

Property : Pullman Melbourne on The Park

Status : Accor Explorer Platinum

Room rate : $ 287 plus $45 for self parking ( Valet is $70)

Room booked : Superior king

Upgrade : Yes, to corner suite

Check in/check out : Yes. Arrived 12md offered and accepted 12md checkout and use of the EL for as long as we wished after checkout, though didn't use.

Free internet : Yes

Free Breakfast : Yes, Lounge or Restaurant- chose the restaurant as EL does not have hot dishes.

Welcome amenity : Rock Candy and Creme Brulee Peanuts by Random Harvest


Welcome drinks: Yes, x 2 in the App, able to use in the restaurant


Recommend : Yes, our 4th time here this year and 1st as Platinum. For us, great location


And excellent Customer service, especially James in the Lounge.




Also I was able to book the EL meeting room which saved us a tram trip into the city.

 

[elanshin]

Property: Pullman Brisbane King George Square
Status: All+ Explorer Platinum
Room booked: Deluxe Room
Rate: $254.15 Flexible pay at Hotel
Room upgraded/type: Yes to Premium Corner room
Free internet: Yes
Free breakfast: Yes
Early check in/late out: didn’t ask, wasn’t offered but didnt quite need
Welcome drink: yes on app used for ice coffees
Welcome gift: Fruit Bowl
Recommend: For the right price.

In and out trip so I didnt have time to check out much else. Checked in by a trainee so she didn't really offer things nor mention too many things besides where the restaurant and pool is located (usually the check in person mentions upgrades - even if they're not upgrades). The corner room itself is actually very large - but also very empty. A bit awkward with the layou with where the TV was placed, but if you're after a lot of floor space, this had a solid amount of it.

Breakfast was average foodwise but underwhelming service wise. Lots of tables that weren't cleaned up at the restaurant.

Hotel was also fairly busy with it sharing with Mercure. When I first looked Sofitel was the same price and if both of them are the same or similar price, I'd go to Sofitel instead. It was only because sofitel jumped to $50 a night more than Pullman that I thought I'd give this a go.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Property : Mercure Doncaster Melbourne

2 separate bookings. At the last minute, needed to add in the day earlier (Monday)

Status : Accor Explorer Platinum

Room rate : 1st booking RHR $124 plus $25 for self parking (Tuesday)
2nd booking non refundable $170 plus $25 for parking (Monday)

Room booked : 1st - Standard Queen (Tuesday)
Upgrade : Yes, to corner suite


( and the bath I still can't use due to leg skin graft 2/52 ago)

Room booked : 2nd - Standard King (Monday)
Upgrade : High floor - and an apology to not have suite for the 2 nights due to occupancy.
Suite was ready by 9am next morning.

Check in/check out : Yes. Arrived 12md offered and accepted 12md checkout.
Free internet : Yes

Free Breakfast : Yes in restaurant.
Eggs Benedict is extra and only for a la carte but Chef made poached eggs with hollandaise on the side - nice touch!


Welcome amenity : 1st booking (Tuesday) no amenity as expected

2nd booking (Monday) - Chocolatier chocs, a bottle of Legacy white and a card


Welcome drinks: 1st booking - Yes x 2 in the App, able to use in the restaurant

2nd booking - No, as expected.

Recommend : Yes.
For us it suits for multiple suburban appointments. Saves us heading up and back from our home 80 kms away.
Also gives us the opportunity to catch up with city mates and our grandchildren ( oh, and shop)

Staff very good, nice recognition of Platinum with sms asking if we want anything. Comfortable beds and hotel clean.
Apart from the bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash, no other toiletries in the bathroom, needed to ask at Reception as I forgot my shower cap.

Dined in the restaurant on 2nd night - 30% discount applied no issue.
Guests are mostly conferences, folk staying for weddings up in Yarra Valley, and Asian bus tours.
Manager said we are in the small minority of returning guests, having stayed 4 times this year. We have already booked for mid December.

 

[jase05]

Property: Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund
Status: Explorer Diamond
Room booked: Banyan Retreat Room
Room upgraded/type: Upgraded eventually to Romantic Oasis with Relaxation Pool
Rate: Member rate, $610pn for 3 nights but used 32,000 Accor reward points
Free internet: Yes, seemed pretty decent
Free Breakfast: Yes, decent buffet selection and menu but average service
Early check in/late out: Offered both but not required
Welcome drink: No, refused to honour benefit
Welcome gift / amenity: Eventually some small cakes and fruit
Recommend: I’m on the fence with this, good hotel ruined by poor staff.

This was our third visit to this property and we love it for the views and that it is a nice hotel in not a bad location but the staff were truly terrible and definitely the low light of hospitality we received this trip and probably in a long time.
We had booked the lowest room category the “BT Retreat” as on previous visits we have received decent upgrades. Room set us back just on $610 per night but we had already retained Diamond a while back and had a heap of points to burn so dropped 32,000 reward points which saved us about $1000.
We arrived at the property late afternoon and the check in staff were a sign of things to come. Firstly everything seemed to go smooth although no mention of our status or a room upgrade but when I asked him if breakfast was still in the same restaurant he replied that we had booked a room without breakfast. I then said we are Diamond status and it’s a status benefit to which he rudely replied “You used points to book room so no benefits” We conversed a little more and I asked to see the Manager. Manager comes over and says we have no record of status on your booking and she did confirm that we had breakfast as a benefit and apologised. She then said that because of our status she would move us into a better room and that it would take about an hour to set up and that we should head up to the rooftop bar for a drink or 2. I asked about using welcome drinks up there and she replied we don’t honour that benefit and although I do reply that we have received them in the past I really didn’t feel like getting into and argument.
We did receive an excellent upgrade to a Romantic Oasis with relaxation pool which has superb views and was around $1000 per night. The “pool” is more of an extended bath but great to sit in with a beer and check out the views. Small plate of cakes and fruit as a welcome gift and free soft drinks from minibar refilled daily. Very spacious room room with very comfortable bed and nice bathroom so a tick in that regard. Tales is the rooftop bar with stunning views but it’s just a procession of people coming up taking photos and going back down, we found a quiet corner and enjoyed a few very good coughtails though.
Breakfast was in a decent sized restaurant and has a menu plus buffet but the staff were pretty ordinary again if I’m being honest. Despite only half a dozen there when we went it took 10 minutes to be seated and another 15 minutes before ordering. Our coffee and tea never came and I flagged down a staff member and they said “oh you help yourself to tea and coffee” Umm no actually I want a Barista coffee or pot not a Nespresso!
The food was pretty decent though especially the noodles. On the last night we ate dinner at the restaurant as we had a red eye departure from the hotel and again food was great but 1hr for a burger when only 5 of us in the joint, really.
We had organised a 5am taxi to take us to PVG when we checked in but after seeing how incompetent the staff were I checked with the concierge on the last night luckily and yep you guessed it they hadn’t booked it.
To top the incompetence off we go to check out and get a bill for $3400!
Not only had they not taken the reward points off the bill but they had charged me the price of the upgraded room. After about 15 minutes of disputing the bill with his broken English and my limited Mandarin another staff member came and fixed up the bill to the correct amount. We are home now and points still haven’t credited but not too fussed over that.
The hotel is a nice property and although a bit out of the way to rest of the Bund there is a Raffles City shopping centre about 150m away which has plenty of restaurants and also the metro station is inside there. So 4 visits now to this property with 3 excellent stays and one pretty ordinary one so not sure if next trip we go back to the Fairmont again instead.

 

[jase05]

Property:Hotel des Arts Saigon
Status: Explorer Diamond
Room booked: Deluxe, 1 King
Room upgraded/type: Yes, Sky Executive Grand Deluxe, 1 King
Rate: Member rate, $225
Free internet: Yes, worked well
Free Breakfast: Yes, restaurant or EL. We chose the EL and enjoyed it
Early check in/late out: Offered 3pm checkout plus extras
Welcome drink: Yes, 2x drinks at any bar plus a gift of 1,500,000VND ($85)
Welcome gift / amenity: Very nice handmade chocolates plus nibbles. Some lovely postcards. Free mini bar and complimentary 1 way airport transfer
Recommend: Absolutely yes, superb in every way

Sely only a 1 night stay as we had a flight home the following evening. SGN was a debacle on arrival so great to have the complimentary airport transfer. Driver was waiting and quickly escorted us to the vehicle on off into the chaotic traffic. Staff were absolutely amazing at this property and it’s a real beautiful hotel. Check in was at the EL and we were given a room upgrade to the second highest room category and the manager apologised that the top category was completely booked out. We only had a 1 night stay and booked only a week advance so not upset at the outcome. The rooms are small but cosy and decor is quite nice. Bed was super comfortable and great shower but not a huge amount of space around the bed. Welcome gift of some very nice chocolates and nibbles plus a few assorted nice postcards. Small minibar with free soft drinks and juice. We had arrived after dinner and had missed Happy hour at the EL and the manager apologised and said that as we had missed happy hour she would give us a 1,500,000VND F&B credit which was absolutely amazing and well and truly over and above great service. We were offered a 3pm checkout which was appreciated as we had n evening departure and would head off to the airport around 5pm. We were then told that when we check out to leave the luggage with her and she would give us another swipe card so we could still use the EL and enjoy afternoon tea and snacks whilst we waited.
Several restaurants on site and breakfast is one and looked a really good spread but was fairly busy so we opted for the EL instead which had a small but decent menu plus a smallish buffet with some fantastic pastries and fruit. Staff constantly refilled tea and coffee and offering more food and the EL is quite a nice spot to relax. A fantastic rooftop bar and pool but weather came in poor and was raining heavily so didn’t get to enjoy time up there. We used our F&B credits plus welcome drinks at the lounge downstairs nd the food was great. Would struggle to find better staff, they absolutely made the stay a joy and it’s a really nice hotel IMO. Will definitely stay here again