How much is Accor status worth?

[MG1]

My apologies if this has already been addressed - please merge if so.

I'm currently Accor Platinum with a chance of going up to Accor Diamond (for the first time) this year, depending on how things pan out.

I have an upcoming domestic trip and am debating whether or not to pay a much higher rate to almost shore up Diamond status. Without giving away exact details; currently, I have unaligned accommodation booked through QANTAS Hotels for ~$1.1k (5-night stay @ ~$230/night). This stay isn't near where I'll be each day: I'll need to catch a bus for 25-30 minutes in the morning, then return by bus each night (quite late (some nights could be post-midnight); buses come every half-hour roughly). The accommodation could possibly be self-service (I don't believe there's an housekeeping but don't quote me on that) and earn me 10-11k QANTAS points (I purchased during a promotion + I'm a PC member).

An alternative Accor option (Sebel, so top tier) exists basically on the doorstep of where I'll be each day but costs double the amount (as the only room remaining is a suite (excess for just one person), this would come to ~$450/night). This expensive stay will earn me over 3.1k Status Points (which, obviously, goes a great way to getting me to Diamond). Other benefits include the welcome drink, daily housekeeping, lifts, 24-hour reception to assist if I have any queries, having a clean toilet that I can use at any time (instead of needing to line up for public toilets that literally thousands of others are using), having the option to rest, not needing to wait for a bus, and breakfast.

There is also a third option, which is $200-300 cheaper which still involves staying at the Sebel, in a cheaper room, but needing to change rooms partway due to lack of availability.

So, am I crazy for considering this?
Do others think that 3.1k ALL Status Points (plus the other benefits of not needing to wait, breakfast, hopefully getting me to Diamond) is worth the extra ~$1.1k (and maybe only earning 500 QF points (due to the QF-ALL partnership) instead of 10-11k)?

I have to make my decision by next week when the free cancellation period ends.
I'd be interested to hear what others think of this situation. (I understand that this is a very first-world "problem"/"concern".)

 

[esseeeayeenn]

The biggest benefit of Diamond status is being able to give Gold status to a friend.
The value of the breakfast benefit depends on where you usually stay. The benefit is only every day in the Asia Pacific region. In the rest of the world it’s only offered on weekends.
If you usually stay in hotels with a lounge, you can have breakfast there free every day as a Platinum member anyway. Although this benefit is also limited to some regions; hotels in Europe, for example, do not have lounges. Not even flagship brands such as Sofitel.
The reward point earn rate is about 14% better (50 rather than 44 points per 10€ at premium properties for example). This actually has a quantifiable monetary value when you redeem the points.
It’s not huge though. 1000 points saves 20€ on reservations. So at 6 points difference per 10€ you’d have to spend 1,667€ to earn an extra 1000 points to save 20€ more.
Apart from that I don’t think there is much difference.
Unless you count intangibles which are difficult to verify.
I sometimes stay in a local hotel for convenience and they have told me that for short stays I can book the most basic room and they will upgrade me to the best available, including their top suite. But I’m not sure if they would do that for a Platinum member as well. I progressed too quickly on long service leave in Europe to test that out!
As to whether you should pay more to earn Diamond status, it sounds like there are other reasons to change your accomodation. If you don’t, you could consider ALL Signature as a way to earn more status points.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm in a similar position to you @MG1 , so thanks to @esseeeayeenn for the summary. I am def going to make Diamond though, rather than have to strive for it.

I would add that there seems to be a jump from how Plats are treated, at least in Australia, compared to Diamonds - sort of like Plat/P1 in QFF. Where as Plats may get an upgrade, it may just be to a higher floor and otherwise a recognition is a bit hit-or-miss (so upgrade to highest available never in my experience!)#, but Diamond really seems to get their attention and status genuinely recognised and rewarded.

#Asia - much better Plat recognition.

 

[sudoer]

maybe only earning 500 QF points (due to the QF-ALL partnership)

The earn rate is 3 QFF per $1 spent at Accor, before taxes, so on a $450 x 5 night stay you should earn a bit over 6000 QFF.

How far towards Diamond are you already, and how sure are you that other future stays will be going ahead?

I'm not sure Diamond is worth striving for unless you will be staying at the Fairmont brand regularly in your Diamond membership year (as it'll get you lounges) or will be travelling a lot to EU/US and could use the weekend breakfast benefit.

The biggest benefit of Diamond status is being able to give Gold status to a friend.

Not sure it is the biggest benefit - anyone can "buy" Gold cost neutral through ALL Signature.

 

[aikman]

Objectively speaking you will probably not get your $1.1k back from future status benefits.

I think this decision is all about the subjective desire for Diamond status and only you can answer how badly you want it and how much you are willing to pay for it.

 

[sudoer]

Objectively speaking you will probably not get your $1.1k back from future status benefits.

This is an interesting point to consider and might depend largely on the quality of property OP usually stays at.

If they usually stay at Mercure and lower, agree it's not worth it.

If they usually stay at luxury brands like Sofitel, Fairmont, Swissotel etc, particularly in Asia, then they may easily get the $1.1k back in upgrade value.

The additional spend will probably also net them an extra SNU (one per 4000 status points) which is worth a couple of hundred at least.

 

[jase05]

If they usually stay at luxury brands like Sofitel, Fairmont, Swissotel etc, particularly in Asia, then they may easily get the $1.1k back in upgrade value.

Yep, Fairmont and Raffles especially make it worth it for us as the upgrades are usually fantastic and the service and treatment tends to be top notch with some extra benefits often thrown in. Asia and the ME tend to offer the best in that regards. Raffles can be a bit strange as they are the only brand that has openly told us that “genuine” Diamonds get another level higher of upgrades and treatment but don’t know how that works in reality

 

[sudoer]

“genuine” Diamonds

As opposed to ALL Signature Diamonds?

 

[jase05]

As opposed to ALL Signature Diamonds?

Yes. 3 different Raffles properties have said that Signature Diamonds get the same upgrades as a Platinum only. I must admit in all 3 cases the upgrades we received was miles above our expectations but 2 of those properties we have stayed at multiple times and I know that also has a bearing on upgrades and service.

 

[Daver6]

@MG1 if you're not already utilising Accor Signature, that might be a better way to get the status points you need. Have you considered that?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Not sure it is the biggest benefit - anyone can "buy" Gold cost neutral through ALL Signature.

Some of us have more than one friend.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

My apologies if this has already been addressed - please merge if so.

I'm currently Accor Platinum with a chance of going up to Accor Diamond (for the first time) this year, depending on how things pan out.

I have an upcoming domestic trip and am debating whether or not to pay a much higher rate to almost shore up Diamond status. Without giving away exact details; currently, I have unaligned accommodation booked through QANTAS Hotels for ~$1.1k (5-night stay @ ~$230/night). This stay isn't near where I'll be each day: I'll need to catch a bus for 25-30 minutes in the morning, then return by bus each night (quite late (some nights could be post-midnight); buses come every half-hour roughly). The accommodation could possibly be self-service (I don't believe there's an housekeeping but don't quote me on that) and earn me 10-11k QANTAS points (I purchased during a promotion + I'm a PC member).

An alternative Accor option (Sebel, so top tier) exists basically on the doorstep of where I'll be each day but costs double the amount (as the only room remaining is a suite (excess for just one person), this would come to ~$450/night). This expensive stay will earn me over 3.1k Status Points (which, obviously, goes a great way to getting me to Diamond). Other benefits include the welcome drink, daily housekeeping, lifts, 24-hour reception to assist if I have any queries, having a clean toilet that I can use at any time (instead of needing to line up for public toilets that literally thousands of others are using), having the option to rest, not needing to wait for a bus, and breakfast.

There is also a third option, which is $200-300 cheaper which still involves staying at the Sebel, in a cheaper room, but needing to change rooms partway due to lack of availability.

So, am I crazy for considering this?
Do others think that 3.1k ALL Status Points (plus the other benefits of not needing to wait, breakfast, hopefully getting me to Diamond) is worth the extra ~$1.1k (and maybe only earning 500 QF points (due to the QF-ALL partnership) instead of 10-11k)?

I have to make my decision by next week when the free cancellation period ends.
I'd be interested to hear what others think of this situation. (I understand that this is a very first-world "problem"/"concern".)

I forgot one benefit - the Dining and Spa benefit of 100 euros.
So there is about $163 back from your $1,100.

 

[Aeryn]

How much do you value your time? If you are going to be saving 30min commute each way plus the bus fare, that needs to be factored too,along with the Diamond benefits.

Sounds like the Sebel location is ideal, i wouldnt have a problem changing rooms mid-stay if i could save more. I agree suits generally offer little extra benefit over a queen/king room if travelling alone.

 

[RooFlyer]

@MG1 - is not the Brisbane Sebel is it ( no need to answer )? I’d avoid that one - construction noise amongst other issues.

Yes. 3 different Raffles properties have said that Signature Diamonds get the same upgrades as a Platinum only.

Ah. Good to know, thanks. I was planning to stay there in Singapore once I got to Diamond. Might stick with the Fairmont.

 

[History]

Imo, is there a specific perk or benefit you want from Diamond? In what ways do you think it will upgrade your travel experience? Loyalty programs can introduce all the tiers in the world - but for myself, I'm happy with my Accor plus Gold (each to their own and all that).

And, to add some perspective - the Accor calendar resets at the start of each year. It is the 20th May. Are there any compelling reasons why to aim for diamond now? Or could a future domestic or international trip this year reach that, anyway?

 

[MG1]

The biggest benefit of Diamond status is being able to give Gold status to a friend.
The value of the breakfast benefit depends on where you usually stay. The benefit is only every day in the Asia Pacific region. In the rest of the world it’s only offered on weekends.
If you usually stay in hotels with a lounge, you can have breakfast there free every day as a Platinum member anyway. Although this benefit is also limited to some regions; hotels in Europe, for example, do not have lounges. Not even flagship brands such as Sofitel.
The reward point earn rate is about 14% better (50 rather than 44 points per 10€ at premium properties for example). This actually has a quantifiable monetary value when you redeem the points.
It’s not huge though. 1000 points saves 20€ on reservations. So at 6 points difference per 10€ you’d have to spend 1,667€ to earn an extra 1000 points to save 20€ more.
Apart from that I don’t think there is much difference.
Unless you count intangibles which are difficult to verify.
I sometimes stay in a local hotel for convenience and they have told me that for short stays I can book the most basic room and they will upgrade me to the best available, including their top suite. But I’m not sure if they would do that for a Platinum member as well. I progressed too quickly on long service leave in Europe to test that out!
As to whether you should pay more to earn Diamond status, it sounds like there are other reasons to change your accomodation. If you don’t, you could consider ALL Signature as a way to earn more status points.

Thank you for your response: @esseeeayeenn.

I try to stay in top-tier Accor properties where possible, to maximise my Status Point/$ earn. So, this can include Novotel, Mercure, Movenpick, Sebel, Sofitel, Mondrian, Tribe, and more.

I had forgotten about the increased Reward Points earn rate - thanks for the reminder.

The upgrade you mention from the most basic room to the top room definitely sounds appealing (I understand that this isn't guaranteed).

I should've mentioned that I am currently active with an ALL Signature subscription.

 

[MG1]

I would add that there seems to be a jump from how Plats are treated, at least in Australia, compared to Diamonds - sort of like Plat/P1 in QFF. Where as Plats may get an upgrade, it may just be to a higher floor and otherwise a recognition is a bit hit-or-miss (so upgrade to highest available never in my experience!)#, but Diamond really seems to get their attention and status genuinely recognised and rewarded.

That's good to know, @RooFlyer. Thank you.

The earn rate is 3 QFF per $1 spent at Accor, before taxes, so on a $450 x 5 night stay you should earn a bit over 6000 QFF.

How far towards Diamond are you already, and how sure are you that other future stays will be going ahead?

I'm not sure Diamond is worth striving for unless you will be staying at the Fairmont brand regularly in your Diamond membership year (as it'll get you lounges) or will be travelling a lot to EU/US and could use the weekend breakfast benefit.


Not sure it is the biggest benefit - anyone can "buy" Gold cost neutral through ALL Signature.

@sudoer; you're right about the points earn (I got them around the wrong way (ALL stays = 3x QF points, where QF flights = 0.25x ALL points)).
The free weekend breakfast could definitely come in to use - I do a lot of travel to different regions around the world (I have enjoyed the free daily breakfast in Asia this year being Platinum).

@MG1 if you're not already utilising Accor Signature, that might be a better way to get the status points you need. Have you considered that?

@Daver6 - I forgot to mention that I have a current ALL Signature subscription.

I forgot one benefit - the Dining and Spa benefit of 100 euros.
So there is about $163 back from your $1,100.

@esseeeayeenn - thanks for the information. If I make it, I'll definitely try to use this.

How much do you value your time? If you are going to be saving 30min commute each way plus the bus fare, that needs to be factored too,along with the Diamond benefits.

Sounds like the Sebel location is ideal, i wouldnt have a problem changing rooms mid-stay if i could save more. I agree suits generally offer little extra benefit over a queen/king room if travelling alone.

@Aeryn - this is definitely a factor that I'm trying to quantify. The bus fares themselves likely won't be too expensive but it's more the time component. If it's late, let's say 12:30AM; if I just miss the bus, I could be waiting 30 minutes for the next one, then with a 20-minute ride, possibly needing to cross a busy road, being tired in an unfamiliar area on top of that - that's an extra hour of waiting. Compare that to literally just walking to the hotel room at my convenience with no external waiting (apart from the short walk itself) to be considered. On top of this, if I need to use a toilet, I could literally just walk to my hotel to use it, rather than use a public one. Likewise, if I feel tired during the day, I can go back to my room for a rest without needing to factor in travel time (apart from the walk itself x2).

The location of the Sebel is definitely ideal for my purpose of this trip. If I do go ahead with it, I could consider the room change to save a couple of hundred dollars. Do I need the suite: no. Will the King/Queen/Twin suit my needs: yes. Does the convenience of having one room for the duration of my stay (and not needing to re-pack/unpack partway through) worth the extra amount: I'm still working that out. The hotel is near capacity for this trip so options are definitely limited.

I would love to have used some SNUs for this trip but that wasn't possible.

@MG1 - is not the Brisbane Sebel is it ( no need to answer )? I’d avoid that one - construction noise amongst other issues.



Ah. Good to know, thanks. I was planning to stay there in Singapore once I got to Diamond. Might stick with the Fairmont.

Good to know @RooFlyer. No, not that one.

Imo, is there a specific perk or benefit you want from Diamond? In what ways do you think it will upgrade your travel experience? Loyalty programs can introduce all the tiers in the world - but for myself, I'm happy with my Accor plus Gold (each to their own and all that).

And, to add some perspective - the Accor calendar resets at the start of each year. It is the 20th May. Are there any compelling reasons why to aim for diamond now? Or could a future domestic or international trip this year reach that, anyway?

@History - it's more that I'll be in a situation this year where I can be within touching distance of getting Diamond where that hasn't been the case in previous years. If I'm going to be that close, I might as well try to get there. I'm factoring in this stay with other potential stays that I should have later in the year. This trip will go a good way to getting me to Diamond but won't be the trip that gets me there (which is unfortunate as I'm planning a European trip for later this year and the weekend breakfast would've been beneficial).