[Anonymous]

[Swissdiver]

Interesting article summarising the hits we are taking…http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/blog/seat2B/2013/02/navigating-hotel-loyalty-perk-downgrades.html?page=all
Moral: Better be on the perks side rather than on the rewards’!

[VintageKrug]

With recent devaluations, the advice to “earn and burn” quickly is sage.

I have around a million hotel points across various programmes and just as I burned my avios last year, I will be aggressively burning my hotel points this year, locked in at the old pre-devaluation rates.

I honestly don’t see much value in hotel status, as I’d rather pay for the room I want (suite, view) than chance it and risk disappointment.

There is also much more variance in the perks offered, property to property when compared to airline status. Though I am an Intercontinental Ambassador (late of the Royal Ambassador programme) I shall not be renewing with then this year (though will remain Platinum with them).

I’m seeing better value at Marriott/Ritz-Carltons at present.

[PatJordan]

Not only are the programmes devalued, but customer service levels seem to have plummeted too.

I have held Hilton Hhonors Gold for most of the past 10 years. Up to recently, a query (email or telephone call) was met with a prompt, courteous and helpful response).

Last week an issue arose, and when a succession of emails failed to deal with the essence of my query, I telephoned “guest assistance”. The freephone number given to me didn’t work, so i paid for a 30 minute international call. That too was unhelpful so I asked to speak to a more senior person. I was transferred to …..a voicemail. My message remains unanswered after several days!

There is a important message here: the more hotel chains devalue their programmes by offering easy or free access the more the service to loyal customers is diluted.

I often wonder if companies monitor fora such as this….most likely not.

Am I questioning the wisdom of my loyalty to a particular chain? Loyalty is a two way street, and the sooner hotel chains return to this simple (but so important) tenet the better for all.

[VintageKrug]

“There is no such thing as loyalty”.

There, you heard it here first, so no rushing to misquote “Woman’s Own”.

[Swissdiver]

VK: I used to be Royal Ambassador for many years (initially as a Six Continents Club Ambassador) before being demoted to Ambassador. Do you mean the Royal Ambassador level doesn’t exist any more?

[SimonRowberry]

I totally agree.

I’ve commented before on the erosion of the value of HHonors. Seince writing, Hilton have devalued the product yet again. I am a Diamond Member and agree with Swissdiver that the perks are the only benefit (although being eroded) as point redemptions are increased regularly. Hilton now used yield management, rather than a flat rate per property.

The possible exception is Starwood. I’m Gold with them and they seem to have extended rather than contracted benefits in recent years.

Regards, Simon

[Rockhopper]

I would have to agree as well. One of the main problems as I see it is how easy it is to obtain status through credit card promotions.

Amongst others I am a Hilton Diamond earnt through stays and base points. If I lived in the US any number of credit cards could confer the same status with a relatively modest spend and never having to spend a night in a Hilton hotel.

While the hotel company may gain good revenue through these sales channels it completely dilutes the benefits for me as a loyal guest as well as making redemptions more expensive and less available. Most hotel programmes are fast becoming a joke.

[SimonRowberry]

Rockhopper,

You are bang on the money. I have made similar complaints on here re Hilton. Status matches also devalue the product and tier.

Simon

[uggboylovestravel]

One of the programs we like is LHW, it’s simple, we pay a fee, get the perks instantly and know they mean quality, no disappointment so far this year in our travels and there’s no points / status collecting involved. Access membership earns after 5 stays / in at least 2 different hotels / a free night anywhere in the LHW network.

[MarcusUK]

Many of us on different threads have said the same over a period of a few years.

The benefits when you stay are where your perks go now. Upgrades, gifts in the room, some invites around the hotel, discounts, the good rooms, requests being met, lounge access and premium floors.

I still keep predominentely my Accor Platinum as my main choice, a good contemporary group with all stars of hotel worldwide.
However the points are pretty worthless, but do go over to my KLM FB account and add the odd few Thousand here and there. But the focus for me, is the room and the benefits actually when i stay.

I always get a very special welcome at Sofitel’s and M Galleries, but like most, as a frequent guest at a hotel, it is more about building up the relationship with staff there, which can give you equally many perks your status on the card would.

[VintageKrug]

I had Accor Platinum for many years (may even still have it..!) and found the reward scheme pitiful, and the benefits on arrival only marginal (which I was surprised at, as I’ve always been impressed with the Sofitels I’ve stayed at).

[MarcusUK]

On a trip through The Far East, and mixing Sofitels, with Novotel (new at BKK airport).

Upgrades always done when i arrive, with wine, and fruits or chocolates ready. Room requests met, appears some of the best rooms allocated.
Club benefits / access at Sofitel are always given wherever i go.

It is important though, to book through Accor themsleves if you have the Le Club Accor Gold or Platinum card, and the system alerts staff wherever you travel.

I find that the benefits of any hotel card are for your actual stay itself now, not on points any longer, and never on free nights. I convert points to miles always.

In this regard, the Accor groups is the most consistent, at every level of hotel in their group worldwide.

[MartynSinclair]

Starwood Platinum + Ambassador (just had this reinstated) is great value and IMHO beats the majority of other hotel programmes and is well worth having.

The benefits I recieve go well beyond the published benefits and are gained through speaking to GM’s, Loyalty Programme Managers as well as Flyer Talk moderators for the programme.

The Starwood secret is the guest profile they keep, which can only be updated if you build the relationships with the personel involved.

I agree that the Accor Platinum card is basically worthless….

My advice to anyone using hotels regulaly is you will not benefit from the loyalty programme unless you create the “relationship” with the programme and managers…………..

Starwood are not perfect, but they do listen. I value the benefit more than my FFB Gold cards….

[Papillion53]

MS – I always had my favourites! Reservations and the front desk have theirs too, but usually any goodwill upgrades etc come from the Front Desk manager or GM. – You would have no idea what sort of comments are in your guest profile! ;-)!!!

At one hotel we had a few airline crew contracts and we would regularly take the over-nighting cabin crew and flight deck out – we would have supper first in the hotel and then go ten pin bowling or to the golf range. (Bearing in mind the bottle to throttle rule!) We would also invite some of our other regulars and believe me, it always went down well. I worked on the basis that most business guests are there because they have to be, not through choice and it was in our business interests to ensure good relationships with our guests to keep their business. After all, people get fed up staying in the same place, week after week, and rival hotels are always after the your good contracts!

Simple things like a bottle of champagne given on check-out to wet a new born’s head when the over-nighting pilot (new grand-dad!) got home, or ensuring plenty of decaf coffee sachets in a regular’s bedroom, or dropping a guest off at his office which wasn’t really on the way the airport shuttle took, but saved this guest the hassle of a taxi every morning – and the best of all – being invited to have a drink with me!!! LOL! 😉

Of course, these were the days before the points loyalty systems as we know today, but I do believe they are still valid and create great goodwill with the guest.

I have fond memories of trying to take a group of bookers (all girls) to AMS on a familiarisation visit with KLM and it being aborted due to weather. The group migrated to several drinking establishments in town but I think one swot went back to the office!

Long story short, the next day one of said drinkers, eh I mean bookers phoned me frantically asking me to go round to her office immediately. Oh lordy, what have I done now! Rushed round to be dragged into her office and she then proceeded to show me what a tipsy afternoon trawling the downtown bars can lead to – a 10″ high tattoo of Winnie the Pooh with a bunch of balloons in full Technicolor on her thigh! When I had stopped laughing, which did take some time, I eventually managed to ask – why??? And you can’t possibly blame me for this!! This girl was no spring chicken btw!

Probably just as well we didn’t get to AMS!!!

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