How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

[goldenhorn]

Property: Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit
Status: Explorer+ Platinum
Room booked: Base room
Room upgraded/type: Upgraded to Magnifique Room
Room Rate: A$721 for 3 nights (originally booked at over A$1,000, dropped several times via RateDrop.net)
Early check in/late out: Arrived late on the first night, late check-out of 1pm offered, didn’t need anything later
Free internet: Yes
Welcome drink: Yes, used at Maison Mizuki restaurant for top shelf coughtails (amazing!)
Welcome amenity: A selection of patisserie cakes and some fruit

Notes: A lovely check-in experience at around 10:30pm despite the late arrival. Upgraded from cheapest base room to Magnifique Room on level 16. Loved the room - it was huge with a nice view of the pool and the bathroom was spacious too.

Breakfast was spectacular, held on level 2 in Bella Sera, and one of the best buffets I’ve had at an Accor property. Our routine each morning was to start with a coffee in the lounge before heading down to breakfast in Bella Sera. We also had lunch there twice, a two course Italian set lunch for around $20 per person, amazing value and genuinely delicious. 10% discount for the set lunch or 30% if you order à la carte.

The lounge itself was a great experience overall, afternoon tea was plentiful with a good mix of savoury dishes and sweets, and the 5-7pm coughtail hour had plenty of good quality coughtail options, a nice sparkling Cava and delicious canapés.

It does get quite busy from 6pm onwards, but the lounge is huge and wraps around the whole building, so it’s easy enough to find a quieter spot. Staff were delightful throughout and couldn’t do enough to help you (especially to drink more!).

The one downside was noisy children in the lounge, at breakfast and at afternoon tea on multiple occasions, kids running around, meltdowns, shouting and screaming, with parents not really intervening. Made for a pretty unpleasant experience at times and honestly I think executive lounges should be off limits to children.

The highlight of the stay was dinner at Maison Mizuki. Got 30% off with Accor Plus and also had a USD $100 dining discount from booking through a HERA agent, so the meal was essentially free. Overall a fantastic stay, would definitely come back and highly recommend.

 

[RooFlyer]

Agree the Porter House is good.

25h in Paris, opposite the Gare du Nord, is one of my favourite places to stay in Paris.

Excellent. Planning on staying there next year before catching the Eurostar. Hope it keeps up!

There is far too much English spoken there for my liking!

There we differ - but with me, its for the well being of the locals, not to have to listen to my execrable French

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit

Reported previously to be in the red light district. Yes/no/issue?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

No, Pullman Hyde Park is a bit of a dump IMO and not good at all.
Added to that the recent dramas on another thread means it’s now on my banned list

Yep - avoid this property.

 

[Daver6]

Property: Swissotel Singapore
Status: Explorer+ Platinum
Room booked: SIGNATURE SUITE, 1 King, 2 balconies, city view
Room upgraded/type: No
Room Rate: Can't recall but used a stay plus night for a 3 night stay all up
Early check in/late out: Early no required. Requested 4pm late checkout and granted 3pm.
Free internet: Yes
Welcome drink: Yes, used at the pool bar for an Aperol Spritz
Welcome amenity: Some fruit and a piece of cake

A well reviewed hotel that I've stayed in a couple of times before. So a returning guest plus status. One odd thing is I didn't get a pre-arrival email. When we arrived in the lobby it seems that it took a little finding for our reservation. Part way through we were offered to go to the lounge to check-in but given we had made a start we finished it. I did ask about an upgrade but was told to discuss it in the lounge. There were still crest and whatever the level above that in suites available. At the lounge was told we could pay $450++ SGD per night to upgrade to a crest suite. That annoyed me. What happened to space available upgrades?! Was told our upgrade was to a high floor (level 61). That's not an upgrade especially since it's not a for sale room category (whereas base rooms, higher floor is a category).

The signature suite is not a suite. A junior suite at best but we knew that when booking. Room layout isn't bad and while no view across to the CBD you still have some good views out of the one balcony. Shower is a shub.

Lounge is huge. At times busy but always found a table. Booze is free pour including tap beer. Food in the evening is substantial and easily dinner. There's a live cooking station. Food rotated each night. There's also a dedicated kids/family section.

Pool area seems small given it's shared with the Fairmont but never an issue finding a sun lounge. Gym in the Fairmont is very good for a hotel gym.

Had breakfast at Clove one morning instead of the lounge. Waited in line for 5 minutes. Quite busy. Standard Asian hotel breakfast.

All up, location is convenient. You can use the welcome drink at Skai restaurant (not Skai lounge) as well as the lobby bar at the Fairmont and a couple of other places. Stay was good, just annoyed by the charge to upgrade the room which should be complimentary. Also, if you have any sort of mobility issues, you have no chance of getting in and out of the shub. Having said that, it's probably the best shub I've used.

Room and views from the room


View from lounge and the pool

 

[ellen10]

I Have stayed in most of the Accor hotels in Sydney over the last few years. Here is my experiences:

- Sofitel Darling harbour, my favourite. But I always make sure I book a darling harbour view on a higher floor. I like the champagne bar, nice service and your free drink will get you a nice glass of champagne. I also like the restaurant and vast breakfast offers.
- One of my previous favourites was the Novotel Darling harbour, they always gave you good upgrades and the Ternary Restaurant is nice for dinner, breakfast is not as good as the Sofitel DH. Unfortunately with the new huge Darling harbour tower building happening in front obscures the good views.
- Novotel Darling Square (previously the Rockford), nice staff, smaller hotel, rooms comfortable, good location, breakfast is good. last time we were there we got Barista coffee included prices quite good also.
- Swissotel, great location for public transport, and right in the city, mixed stays, some good, some just ok. Breakfast a bit poor in my opinion.
- Hotel Morris, good location nice fresh rooms, not overly large. Checkin is different and can take time if there are a few ahead of you. Nice bar and food was quite previously good, but has changed and some poor reviews.
- Sofitel Wentworth, probably have stayed here the most. Great location, very close to the harbour and circular quay. They have changed the restaurants and are very much Vietnamese/ French called Delta Rue. Excellent service and great food. Breakfast is a good selection as well. Haven't visited the club lounge for a while, but has very good reviews. They have also done up the outside garden lounge and bar and is a very nice relaxing experience.
- Ibis Darling harbour, basic room, but clean and good location, better harbour views.
- I last stayed in the Pullman about 10 years ago, and I thought it was dated back then.

I haven't stayed in the other hotels in a while.

 

[Happy Dude]

Those night pics @Daver6! Singapore be doing just fine!!

 

[aaronm]

Property: Ibis Melbourne Central
Status: Explorer+ Platinum
Room booked: Superior Queen
Room upgraded/type: No - unless I needed more than one bed, Superior Queen was already the top room type.
Room Rate: A$63 + 2000 points for one night
Early check in/late out: Not required
Free internet: Yes
Welcome drink: Yes, used at Pretty Boy with dinner
Welcome amenity: De Bortoli Legacy Shiraz Cabernet, Koko Black koala chocolate, and a pair of Jolly Soles socks. Quite the haul, though sometimes these value hotels seem to outperform their more expensive peers when it comes to the welcome amenity.

Notes: Given the location this is a busy property. Check-in is shared with the co-located Novotel and was heaving when I arrived, however I was pleased to find that the self-service kiosks can now handle reservations booked using points (this didn't used to be the case, instead they would try to charge the full dollar amount). While I still prefer to check in with a real person, in this case I was happy to trade off the time saved by using the kiosk.

The room was modern and well-appointed. While the superior queen is one of their bigger rooms and the layout makes good use of available space, it was still compact. Basin and mirror were in the main bedroom with shower and toilet tucked away behind a sliding door. No issues for a solo stay but I wouldn't book this hotel if my partner was joining. Bed reasonably comfortable, AC could have been better (couldn't set it any lower than 20C and seemed to struggle to hit that). An impressive number of easily accessible powerpoints (ten!) - no need to reach behind a nightstand to plug in your phone here!

I don't typically dine at hotel restaurants when I'm travelling alone, but given Pretty Boy's good reputation I decided to treat myself. I was not disappointed and enjoyed a delicious spinach and ricotta ravioli with chicken. No issues redeeming the drink vouchers (basic spirits were offered in addition to the usual house wine/beer) and the Explorer+ dining discount was honoured.

The breakfast was better than I'd normally expect from an Ibis - a benefit of sharing the restaurant with the Novotel next door. I was offered a barista coffee and eggs or omelette cooked to order. Mostly standard hotel breakfast fare but staff were doing well to keep the buffet fresh. I noticed a breakfast smoothie station as well.

A pleasant stay overall and good value. I wouldn't recommend Ibis Melbourne Central for an extended holiday but certainly good enough for 1-2 nights (especially if travelling alone). I'd be interested to try the Novotel there at some point, though usually the pricing seems roughly equivalent to the Movenpick or Pullman which would both almost certainly be better alternatives.

 

[RooFlyer]

@Daver6 - for an Asian Accor, who usually look after status pretty well, the non-upgrade must have been rather annoying. Did you consider e-mailing a manager-type and asking directly - you DID have an upgrade category available, so WHY wasn't it offered per Accor's status 'rules'?

 

[jase05]

@Daver6 - for an Asian Accor, who usually look after status pretty well, the non-upgrade must have been rather annoying. Did you consider e-mailing a manager-type and asking directly - you DID have an upgrade category available, so WHY wasn't it offered per Accor's status 'rules'?

Agreed it’s pretty poor.
I have seen some comments on FB groups and blogs that some Accor properties are a bit poor in offering upgrades if Stay Plus is used. I wonder if this played a part?

 

[Daver6]

@Daver6 - for an Asian Accor, who usually look after status pretty well, the non-upgrade must have been rather annoying. Did you consider e-mailing a manager-type and asking directly - you DID have an upgrade category available, so WHY wasn't it offered per Accor's status 'rules'?

I did consider it but ultimately decided I was on holiday with MrsDaver6 for a few days and had better things to do with my time. Plus if they were to then offer a suite, could we be bothered packing and moving.

I did give the feedback via the form they email out a few days later. However, I might try find details of the GM and drop further feedback.

Agreed it’s pretty poor.
I have seen some comments on FB groups and blogs that some Accor properties are a bit poor in offering upgrades if Stay Plus is used. I wonder if this played a part?

They're better off just saying that and setting the expectation than flogging a ridiculous upgrade fee.

 

[markis10]

They're better off just saying that and setting the expectation than flogging a ridiculous upgrade fee.

Given SNA’s cannot be used on Stay Plus then I would not be expecting a free upgrade, especially as you have upgraded from a base room which is usually the only Stay Plus option.

 

[Daver6]

Given SNA’s cannot be used on Stay Plus then I would not be expecting a free upgrade, especially as you have upgraded from a base room which is usually the only Stay Plus option.

I'm not following. I paid for the room I received, not a base room. AFAIK there is no carve out saying no free upgrades if a stay plus night is used?

SNA you mean SNU? Not sure how that relates to my situation though?

 

[jase05]

AFAIK there is no carve out saying no free upgrades if a stay plus night is used?

Correct, definitely not a hard and fast rule but like anything upgrade its at the hotels discretion and I wonder if some are being a bit miserly

 

[markis10]

I'm not following. I paid for the room I received, not a base room. AFAIK there is no carve out saying no free upgrades if a stay plus night is used?

SNA you mean SNU? Not sure how that relates to my situation though?

You paid for a room that normally is not available as a stay plus, so you’re already getting an upgrade, albeit at a paid discount. And yes Suite Night Awards or SNUs, cannot be used when using Stay Plus, so why would a free upgrade apply. Crest suites are specialty suites and are exempt from the upgrade benefit for plats regardless.

 

[Daver6]

You paid for a room that normally is not available as a stay plus, so you’re already getting an upgrade, albeit at a paid discount. And yes Suite Night Awards or SNUs, cannot be used when using Stay Plus, so why would a free upgrade apply. Crest suites are specialty suites and are exempt from the upgrade benefit for plats regardless.

Why is the room I booked not available as a stay plus night? It clearly was and is if I booked it.

I'm not seeing the connection between not being able to use SNUs and stay plus combined have anything to do with delivering on platinum benefits? Is there something in the T&Cs that excludes it (I haven't looked)?

What's the definition of a speciality suite?

 

[RooFlyer]

High floor is def not necessarily an 'upgrade'. Depends on situation.

Last week, Movenpick Hobart I booked a lower floor room because I knew it would be quiet. Got 'upgraded' to a higher floor. No thanks - that has the aircon fans from the adjacent building right out the window. I went back to the original room (taking my chokkies amenity with me ).

Sure, hotels often give you the worst situated room in a true upgraded category, butat least it might be a harder decision to accept or not.

 

[markis10]

Why is the room I booked not available as a stay plus night? It clearly was and is if I booked it.

I'm not seeing the connection between not being able to use SNUs and stay plus combined have anything to do with delivering on platinum benefits? Is there something in the T&Cs that excludes it (I haven't looked)?

What's the definition of a speciality suite?

Stay plus is available to entry level rooms by design, the fact you got a suite is something that goes beyond the program rights.
A condition of SNUs is they cannot be used with certain rates, stay plus being one of them and indicative of the additional discount you may otherwise be getting, let alone getting a free upgrade as a plat. Specialty suites are defined by the hotel.

 

[jase05]

Stay plus is available to entry level rooms by design

I have noticed a recent trend where more properties are now allowing multiple rooom types to be chosen as Stay Plus and Suites are also included. The Swissotel is one such property which offers Junior Suites as Stay Plus

 

[esseeeayeenn]

25h in Paris, opposite the Gare du Nord, is one of my favourite places to stay in Paris.

Excellent. Planning on staying there next year before catching the Eurostar. Hope it keeps up!

It is definitely worth reserving a room with a balcony, especially in warmer months.
The rooms opening on Rue de Dunkerque / Place Napoleon III face the Gare du Nord.
The rooms opening on Boulevard Denain might be a little bit quieter.
I would recommend a brasserie called La Maison Blanche downstairs.
It serves good traditional French brasserie food at a good price, and the staff are very friendly.
The larger Terminus Nord to the left of the hotel entrance is classier but correspondingly expensive and I don't like the staff as much.

 

[Beer_budget]

I have noticed a recent trend where more properties are now allowing multiple rooom types to be chosen as Stay Plus and Suites are also included. The Swissotel is one such property which offers Junior Suites as Stay Plus

I believe this was part of the intent of moving to the BOGO model for these - if hotels can charge you the full flex rate for the second night they are more willing to allow room bookings above base, compared to when you might literally only book the free night.

To my knowledge there's no carve out on status upgrade entitlement for Stay Plus nights. If the room booked is a category you wouldn't be upgraded from anyway (some properties expressly do not upgrade to suites even if that is the next room category) then fair enough though.

Also not sure what SNUs have to do with it.