[Shanwick1249]

Danwolf

I have not read the small print (I know, always read the small print) but I am looking at the AClub mailing that accompanies the Gold card, and it reads:

“With your AClub Gold status you will earn 75% bonus points on each of your stays and benefit from exclusive advantage! To enjoy your advantages all you have to do is show your card every time you visit one of our hotels or partner establishments.”

The ‘show your card’ bit is in bold and there’s no small print, no asterix, no hint that you have to do more than just showing your card or that your card will actually be bugg@r all use to you.

Is this dishonest? It’s misleading and certainly not an accurate reflection of what happens to AClub ‘guests’ or anyone who suffers the whims of Accor.

I just don’t think they are living up to their side of the bargain.

[LuganoPirate]

I’m with you n this one Shanwick. I too have Plat and never once received an upgrade or 4pm late check out. Just once they begrudgingly gave it to me but wanted me out by 1pm when I wanted to stay (Novotel Geneve) till 2.30 as I had a 3pm train.

[Binman62]

From July this will get worse as Amex platinum card holders get platinum a club for free……..

[FlyingChinaman]

I must have been very lucky with my first attempt to use the Platinum card in Bangkok last week as I got my room upgrade, late check-out at 4 p.m. and points credited to my account as soon as I got back to Hong Kong!!

Hope it is not first time luck as I plan on using the benefits that come with the status.

[Danwolf]

@ Shanwick1249: Going to have to disagree:

“7.4.3 Restrictions based on type of sale
Rooms for which reservations are made via an agent or third party, such as a travel agent, Tour Operator, or Internet distribution channel, are not eligible for points credit or any other advantages related to the Program, except for those reservations made in the context of a corporate account.”

Section 8 goes on to state points are one of the advantages, so if you don’t book as per the rules, you don’t get points (Add: or upgrade benefits, etc). Shangri la’s Golden Circle is similar.

Like any programme, reading the small print can avoid that oh so buggered feeling later on, just like the small print on a credit card application, loan, conditions of travel for air fare, etc. In this case, you can either save money by booking with a third party, or book ‘direct’ and earn points, etc (I am aware some corporations require booking to via a travel agent, etc).

[ZKSmith]

A Club has recently been renamed Le Club Accor. I am a Platinum member and have been for a few years. I will concede it isn’t an especially great programme, but since the majority of my hotel stays are in Western Europe it is ideal for me, and I have had very few poor experiences with Accor hotels.
It’s not a great programme to sign up to unless you are going to stay regularly, or are only going to spend big bucks in Pullmans or Sofitels; otherwise the rate at which you obtain points is very low and not really worth it. The fact that you cannot then spend points on discounted rates is annoying, and that you must spend points in 40EUR increments can be a pain on shorter stays. Using a 40EUR voucher on longer stays can be convenient though, covering costs of dinner and internet.
I would offer a word of caution: not all Accor hotels accept or allow you to collect points (some Independent hotels, and a few Novotels – though this fact usually well advertised). Another warning is that not all Accor hotels allow you to add extras such as restaurant or bar spendings to your room tab, meaning you are then unable to pay for these using points. Worth checking first if you plan to use a voucher during a stay.
With regards to premium status, I have always received upgrades and the option of late check-out; and have always their guarantee of rooms available 3 days before check-in has been upheld (these benefits only apply to their more luxury hotels).
What I would advice against is using this programme if you plan to convert points in to airmiles or car hire vouchers or any of the other ‘benefits’ they offer – you need to spend huge amounts of money to obtain any noticeable number of airmiles, it offers very poor value.
With regards to not receiving points, this has only happened to me twice. I eventually gave up trying to obtain them as their customer support was not helpful. I have however never experienced any discount rates that did not allow points to be collected.

[Shanwick1249]

Danwolf

OK – there it is in black and white, and Accor wins the battle and loses the war.

If I have to descend to Section 7.4.3 buried in the T&Cs to find out that my loyalty and my loyalty card will not be honoured by the people who asked me, who begged me to take it, then I feel fairly justified in saying that Accor’s treatment of its customers is misleading and unfair.

Why should it matter that the money did not come out of my own pocket? After all, airlines don’t make this distinction. When I stay at Accor hotels that have been booked by organisations other than my own, the booking is still being made on my directions and that is the loyalty that should be rewarded.

Look at the distain that Accor has attracted in these postings – is its policy working? Is it boosting the brand or making Accor look like cheap rip-off artists?

The point of a loyalty card is to encourage repeat business and it shouldn’t matter who signs for it – the hotel still gets the money and that should be all they care about. Fleecing guests out of a few (fairly worthless) points should not be part of the strategy, no matter what Clause 7 Section 4 Subsection 3 says.

[Danwolf]

@ Shanwick1249 – Just had a quick glance at HHonors, Marriot rewards and Golden Circle, which seem to have the same conditions as Accor with respect to the who pays aspect, so without going to any of the other T&C’s for other chains, this looks like a common theme within the Hotel Industry, not just Accor specifically.

Whether this is ‘customer friendly’ or not is another matter.

Don’t get me wrong, I totally appreciate where you are coming from in terms of: Money is money, why does it matter how I pay and who pays for it?

However, when you play a game, say football, tennis or whatever, before you play you would want to know the rules that govern the game. Now I’m not siding with the hotel per say, but at no point did the Hotel chain hide this from you. It is your responsibility, not there’s, to read and understand the T&C’s…to avoid disappointment.

“If you don’t like the rules don’t play the game.”

ADD: Does anybody know any programs that DO allow you to acrrue points/rewards/etc in this manner?

[Author]

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