How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

[sudoer]

Property: Peppers Palm Cove
Status: Accor+ Explorer Platinum
Room booked: 1 Bedroom Resort (base category)
Room upgraded/type: Sign outside room read 'Penthouse Suite' but can't see this room category online
Rate: $354pn - ALL Accor+ Explorer - 15% OFF FLEXIBLE RATE (but burned the max allowed number of ALL points given the coughpy earn rate at Peppers)
Early check in/late out: Room ready an hour early, and check out extended by 2 hours on request
Free internet: Yes
Free breakfast: Yes, buffet
Welcome drink: Yes, via app. Valid for anything on the pool bar menu (and possibly other venues)
Welcome amenity: Welcome card, fruit, cookies, Prosecco
Recommend: Absolutely, great for families, will be back

The rooms here are oversized and mostly suites, but this still felt like an incredible upgrade on a high floor with ocean views. The welcome gift was a generous fruit platter, bottle of De Bortoli Prosecco ($15 at Dan's) and bag of cookies from Kuranda. The property emailed a few days before the stay to ask whether there was an occasion. I mentioned it was my daughters 2nd birthday and she loves fruit, they nailed it.



The pool in the middle of the complex was very large with two sandy beaches, a swim-up pool bar, and plenty of sun lounges. Drink vouchers permitted any item on the menu including frozen coughtails and the bar staff only asked us to redeem one voucher per order of two drinks !! The drinks were well made, but the bar was quite busy and at times service took a while. There were also a couple of rowdy groups but the pool was big enough to avoid them and not be bothered.



Breakfast was a modest buffet in a covered outdoor area with water views. Barista coffee proactively offered for Plat and it was decent. The hot buffet had the usual western selection. The open kitchen was cooking up a batch of sugar dusted donuts which were piping hot and delicious. There was a reasonable selection of fruits, salads and juices too.



We had a terrific weekend stay and really enjoyed Palm Cove. It was our first time staying overnight but I'm sure we'll be back.

 

[k_sheep]

Property: Novotel Panama City
Status: Accor+ Explorer Platinum
Room booked: Base
Room upgraded/type: Superior suite
Rate: $108 USD per night for 3 nights (ended up being $500.02 AUD with taxes etc)
Early check in/late out: Room not ready at midday but we just went out to visit the canal anyway. Late check out offered but not needed
Free internet: Yes
Free breakfast: Yes, buffet. One morning we left early and they arranged a takeaway box - included either turkey sandwich or chicken wrap. Plus juice box, yoghurt drink, museli bar, big slab of banana bread and an apple.
Welcome drink: Yes, via app. We had several reminders (oral and written!) to encourage us to claim them! Beer, wine, softies.
Welcome amenity: Welcome card and cake
Recommend: Yes

Very little written on the interwebs about this one. We'd stayed at the noisy and tout-y casco vieja one night then retreated back to the city. Handy location - very close to Via Argentina metro station (metro trips cost 35c, buses 25c). Lots of street food around but a quick walk to proper quality restaurants and breweries.