[sparkyflier]

I have been a member of the Accor loyalty programme for a number of years, more recently branded as ALL. After somewhat underwhelming stays at their Sofitel and Pullman hotels in the Gulf and Europe a few years ago, I was not too concerned about dropping from Gold status to Silver. In my opinion they never quite matched the IHG equivalent branded hotels.

But in 2021 I had some pleasant stays and they also had a scheme to entice people to stay more with them, which I thought I had registered for. The offer was an ascending one, first 2 night stay x points, second more points etc.

So I stayed at Accor branded hotels on at least 3 EU cities to achieve the offer. From past experience with other groups I know these points in addition to stay/spend points are added after the offer cycle.

So last week I saw they had not and then called (the Accor website does not give any contact telephone customer service number or at least very, very difficult to find) a reservation number and was given the number of the right department. Thankfully I spoke with a human pretty quickly.

We discussed the issue and she said she would investigate it and email me back. She seemed a pleasant person. I thought all was fine and I would get the points. Until she did email and said she could not add them as there was no record of me having registered for the offer. I was very disappointed and appealed and explained it was very clear I had tried to achieve the offer, and had done so – perhaps my phone or laptop went offline at the precise time I clicked on it.

Still there is no progress and I feel that Accor are being pedantic and bureaucratic to not add those points.

But am I being unreasonable to expect them to show goodwill and add the points anyway?

Meanwhile on Friday I called IHG (where I am platinum) and they were excellent, helpful and apologized profusely for incorrectly not adding the right points from a previous stay.

Now that I am Gold with Accor I was thinking of (at a time of less travel) focusing any stays with the groups most likely to be in the right locations for planned or potential stays in the next months (IHG, NH and Accor) and aim to get Platinum status, but now am very inclined to avoid them altogether. It is not even a vast amount of points, but feel it is very mean spirited and pedantic.

I have already cancelled one booking and was thinking to book a Sofitel for an upcoming trip but have switched it to an NH Collection.

Does anyone else feel Accor are being unreasonable? And does anyone have a similar experience with a hotel loyalty club and how the issue was solved? Or is there a group which you find the phone customer services staff are always formidable?

I look forward to your thoughts and experiences.

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sergeyontheroad, PatJordan, Kopite, Jacob, Tom Otley

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1196511]And does anyone have a similar experience with a hotel loyalty club and how the issue was solved? Or is there a group which you find the phone customer services staff are always formidable?[/quote]

@Sparkyflier – not the same but similar issues. I find the executive lounges very beneficial for work and benefit from complimentary drink and food offerings, especially when I am seeing several people per day.

The 2 main hotels I am currently using, at the moment have not fully opened their lounges. GM’s confirmed this is not only down to covid restrictions, but also staffing levels and budgets. I take the view that loyalty works both ways – and I have no issue with certain benefits not being available during these difficult times. I am just happy both hotels have survived the current situation. In the case of one hotel the rates are so ridiculously low at the moment, I am happy for my bill to be increased by paying for benefits that otherwise would have be thrown in.

In your situation of registering for benefits like double points, do Accor send an email to confirm registration?

I have been in your situation with Bonvoy.. in October / November 21. I let the issue go. But there again, Bonvoy and the hotels I use within the group always look after me.

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PatJordan, Kopite, sparkyflier

[GBAIR72]

I have tried them all. I feel IHG has the best programme, although the Hilton is better if you travel a lot. (Those business trips are gone) I found with IHG credit card I could keep status with less hotel stays.

[ASK1945]

[postquote quote=1196540]

Before I retired I was Platinum Elite status with IHG. However, once I did retire and business travel disappeared, I rapidly dropped down to Gold status. Like you, I have been able to retain this by using my IHG Mastercard when Amex was not available.

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PatJordan, sparkyflier, Tom Otley

[Kopite]

I have varying degrees of status with most of the global hotel brands and frankly the Accor program is the worst to keep track of and manage.

Most programs Hilton, Bonvoy, IHG give you free rooms for ‘X’ number of points so once you have points accumulated and status it’s easy to book a room for “free” and you know the cost in points.

Accor have this crazy system where “X” points gives you a €40 credit against a room booking. That just doesn’t work for me.

If I book a hotel room in Saigon in VND (Dong) how do Accor calculate a €40 discount ?

Their frequent guest program is just not easy to use on redemption and often stays and points are missed and you ha e to chase them up. I recently spent 12 nights in a Novotel in London but it took me a month to get my points credited manually as their system just failed again. I’m Accor Gold but honestly it’s my last resort and they only got 12 nights out of me recently because I got an
exceptional low room rate.

Move to Hilton if I was you. Free breakfast once you hit “Gold” !

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PatJordan, cwoodward, Johnnyg, sparkyflier

[Anthony]

Personally I found ACCOR the least likable or user friendly programme for various reasons. Happier with Hilton overall, less so with IHG. In Rank order then, 1. Hilton, 2 IHG, 3. Accor.

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PatJordan, Johnnyg, sparkyflier

[alwaysinclub]

I am ALL Diamond and have no better luck than anyone else. It took me several emails and 10 days to get hold of 28,000 ALl points for a cancelled, refundable booking.
Personally I quite like the system of 40 euros discount against a room and the benefits of upgrades (never failed to get one) but I find their customer service poor and lounge access hit and miss. I find getting decent rooms redeeming IHG points difficult and Bonvoy redemption rates are extremely high. For example I completed 71 nights last year with Bonvoy and only got 76,000 points (room rates were low obviously). Recognition of status was good though.
I think it’s a tough time for hotels so all I hope for is people’s livelihoods to be protected and if that means giving up a few perks along the way, so be it.

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[LuganoPirate]

I was an Accor shareholder and used to receive Platinum status as a benefit. However they then downgraded shareholder status to Gold so am now Gold, even though I sold the shares some time ago. Seems they update the list every 3 years or so. However, I agree the loyalty programme is quite useless. Even as Platinum I never received a room upgrade and my only benefit was a free beer or soft drink!! I’ve given up on them completely.

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TimothyTanks, PatJordan, cwoodward

[Swissdiver]

Gold status with Accor: I almost always get an upgrade, although admittedly I have sometimes to ask for it. As I get a late checkout when needed. And room availability is guaranteed in most of the cases. So, yes, I like them. In addition, they have that Business Plus card: EUR 170 per year that give up to 20% discount on room prices.

Platinum Elite with IHG, that for some reason I manage to keep. Same treatment. The problem is the lack of properties in Europe in the higher segment.

So for me, the former is better.

Now when it comes to the retroactivity of an offer, I guess the goodwill would come on a case by case basis. There is furthermore probably also a cultural element. Accor has a lot of French clients, for obvious reasons. And the latter will more often try to get a promotion, even if they did not register. So I would expect customer service to be more defensive, compared to other brands.

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PatJordan

[IanFromHKG]

[quote quote=1196511]Does anyone else feel Accor are being unreasonable? And does anyone have a similar experience with a hotel loyalty club and how the issue was solved?[/quote]

I had a similar issue signing up with a very attractive offer by AmEx in HKG. I had omitted one vital step but met all the other requirements. I had many calls with AmEx pleading for leniency and got *almost* everything I would have had under the offer (and importantly for me, I got the things I was really aiming for, which was Priority Pass cards for my Offspring). However, it did take quite a bit of perseverance, politeness and persuasion, over multiple calls as things were escalated, moved around inside AmEx to different personnel and departments. However, I did persevere and, as I said, got the things I really wanted. I would suggest you keep trying, but at all times be polite. One trick we have learnt over the years is to use the question “How can you help me?”. Five very powerful little words that encourage the listener to think of solutions.

Good luck!

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sparkyflier

[sparkyflier]

Thanks IanFromHKG. As an update, I did try again with Accor and spoke with another of their customer service individuals. She was pleasant enough and listened to me, and promised to investigate this and revert. Except after over 2 weeks she has not. I have send an email chasing this but no reply yet.

As has been said by replies above, including Martyn Sinclair, loyalty goes two ways. And I am loyal to hotels which have been good to me, one reason being is I want the staff who have been kind to me to be secure in their jobs.

I remain very disappointed that Accor cannot show any good will and “reasonableness”. Other groups can so why cannot they? As mentioned the value of the points is not great, and they have already lost that amount through cancelled stays, but now in addition to being pedantic and mean spirited, they are now just not interested in bothering to reply.

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Jacob

[Mister SB]

I gave up on them last year after years of being a Platinum – I had made my decision pre-pandemic anyway. I’ve “defected” to Hilton and could not be happier I have to say! Yes they’re closing their lounges, but I can cope with that. Upgrades, recognition etc have all been spot on!

[SimonS1]

Gave up on these years ago. Since then I have found there is something refreshing about not being locked in to chasing points, miles etc.

[MarcusGB]

I have to agree with much of what has been stated already in the negative context.
As a Platinum, and Shareholder, but earned through stays not connected to shares, they fail on many counts.

50% of stays i have to chase the points which should be there within 48 hrs IF, it is an Accor Brand and linked, owned hotel!
Those many ones like in Australia that are Franchised out, like the owner of the new Sofitel on Darling Harbour, seemed to do what they wanted.
I even had my account details breached when THEY sent an email to Accor, and i started getting emails and texts asking me to pay for a booking at a hotel, i stayed at 4 years before! There was NO other place that would have held that record of a 2 night stay, and recovered that private account detail than from within my accor system Account. They denied it, and i even had their Lawyer write to me as i accused them of a Data Breach.

If you email them, you do not get responses or they throw the issues back to you, wanting uploads of accounts paid. THEY should do this, its for booking made through their website, in my account, stayed and verified, and a Matter between The Hotel, and Accor not me!
They often ask for copies of yr bill to be sent on paper by mail to Paris!!!

During Covid they stated everyone would be keeping their status, but like Flying Blue with KLM/AF, they still deducted any excess points i had which exceeded the need for the next years renewal. So pretty pointless to stay with them, keep loyal and support them, when they do not reflect the same, and remove your earned points ifyou stayed one night or 100 nights, spent 10,000 Euros, or 100.
They do not even return what you have earned.

Now they plan like KLM / AF in NOT issuing cards, which ARE needed when you check in to many Worldwide hotels, especially again franchised, and many in Asia Associated hotels, even under their brands. Yet they insist on seeing yr plastic card, and wont accept a printed off or digital version!
Most Hotels are not even connected to the Accor system! They process them overnight by logging in.

I have always got a room upgrade though, and some of their new Brands they purchased are wonderful, especially Raffles, whilst others like Fairmont don’t care about status and you gain very few benefits.
Lounges or perks are beneficial and accommodate you well, but like most guests, it counts more in building a rapport, and them reflecting your loyalty than prompted by the Accor system.

I have NEVER gained the points for any promotional periods i registered for! I was asked the “Promotion code” which of course on the public site we are not shown this.
It is simply rude and belligerent.

All this mess has built up since they became a holding Company with Chinese and UAE Investors, Selling off of Property like all the hotels in Sydney alongside Darling Harbour. They also gain much by including varied hotels owned, in a classification like Ibis, and using their booking platform.
They are very cash Rich through this method, but Customer Relations and Loyalty poor! And they haven’t paid dividends decently for years.

But they are one of the largest in The World now, and have swallowed up many hotel brands, (Swissotel, Movenpick, Raffles, and apartment bookings, so we have to work with what we can, and insist we get the benefits with Managers when we arrive at Hotels, and push.
It seems we get nowhere otherwise loyal or not!

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Jacob, sparkyflier

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