Accor Plus Membership Discussion

[33kft]

$160 doesn't seem like terrible value to me. I've never gotten $400 out of a stay plus night (the mythical maximum value per Accor+ brochureware) but $200 ish is easily done. So it follows to my logic that $240 is a reasonable estimate of the value of the stay plus night and therefore, $160 seems reasonable for the rest, if you are able to make good use of the other benefits.

By my calc the 80 EUR off is a bit closer to 140 AUD so that's even better value.

 

[Daver6]

In terms of whether the base Accor+ membership makes sense really depends on how often you stay at Accor hotels in Asia Pacific. If you redeem those 4,000 points you get roughly $160 AUD in savings. So for Accor+ to make sense you must get $160 AUD in savings every year. For me this year, I've stayed 43 nights at Accor properties the region. In my case, since I tend to take advantage of the red hot room rates, I make the $400 I spend on the full fat version of Accor+ back very easily. For instance, I'm staying at the Novotel Darwin CBD for 4 nights in September. I booked that as a Red Hot Room for $598 all in. If I were to book that room using the publicly available rate for the same dates it comes to $970 all in. So just that stay alone gets me close to what I spent on Accor+, and the version I had comes with a free night (which will be used at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour).

With that being said you need to look at your past bookings to make sense of the value there. One other benefit of the Accor+ is the 20 bonus status nights which could be useful depending on where you are on the Accor status ladder. At a minimum that'll get you Accor+Silver which gets you welcome drinks and a few other perks, but if you're staying around that 40 night a year mark, it can make a real difference between having Accor+Gold and Accor+Platinum status, the latter of which gives you free breakfast every day in APAC, lounge access, better welcome gifts (from my experience), room upgrades, early and late checkout (YMMV).

-RooFlyer88

You can also make that $160 very quickly just by using the dining benefit. Finally, even if not booking a red hot room rate, you'll still save 10% off the regular room rate.

 

[dairyfloss]

In terms of whether the base Accor+ membership makes sense really depends on how often you stay at Accor hotels in Asia Pacific. If you redeem those 4,000 points you get roughly $160 AUD in savings. So for Accor+ to make sense you must get $160 AUD in savings every year. For me this year, I've stayed 43 nights at Accor properties the region. In my case, since I tend to take advantage of the red hot room rates, I make the $400 I spend on the full fat version of Accor+ back very easily. For instance, I'm staying at the Novotel Darwin CBD for 4 nights in September. I booked that as a Red Hot Room for $598 all in. If I were to book that room using the publicly available rate for the same dates it comes to $970 all in. So just that stay alone gets me close to what I spent on Accor+, and the version I had comes with a free night (which will be used at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour).

With that being said you need to look at your past bookings to make sense of the value there. One other benefit of the Accor+ is the 20 bonus status nights which could be useful depending on where you are on the Accor status ladder. At a minimum that'll get you Accor+Silver which gets you welcome drinks and a few other perks, but if you're staying around that 40 night a year mark, it can make a real difference between having Accor+Gold and Accor+Platinum status, the latter of which gives you free breakfast every day in APAC, lounge access, better welcome gifts (from my experience), room upgrades, early and late checkout (YMMV).

-RooFlyer88

Thanks - I was only looking at whether there’s any known disadvantages for going with Accor+ Traveller vs Accor+ Explorer, other than the missing free night. It seems I’m fine. The free night I’m not sure I’d even use, as I tend only to book suites and in 5 star properties, and I don’t think it helps me in that scenario. It’s just the dining discounts I’m interested in.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[jase05]

I've never gotten $400 out of a stay plus night (the mythical maximum value per Accor+ brochureware) but $200 ish is easily done.

Used my stay plus at Sofitel Queenstown this year and rate was $740 for the night so nice score

 

[Daver6]

Thanks - I was only looking at whether there’s any known disadvantages for going with Accor+ Traveller vs Accor+ Explorer, other than the missing free night. It seems I’m fine. The free night I’m not sure I’d even use, as I tend only to book suites and in 5 star properties, and I don’t think it helps me in that scenario. It’s just the dining discounts I’m interested in.

Cheers,
Matt.

You can usually use your free night for a suite by paying the difference.. Ie, free night is the base room and then it will show a reduce rate for a high class of room.

 

[dairyfloss]

You can usually use your free night for a suite by paying the difference.. Ie, free night is the base room and then it will show a reduce rate for a high class of room.

I guess that does help - so long as the gap between the base room and a suite for a night was greater than the difference I'd be paying in the annual membership fee, or points equivalent. Would generally be the case in higher-end properties.

 

[dairyfloss]

You can also make that $160 very quickly just by using the dining benefit. Finally, even if not booking a red hot room rate, you'll still save 10% off the regular room rate.

Is the 10% off regular room rate a deeper discout for A+ than other / ALL members? I thought ALL members (ALL Gold currently; soon to be Platinum) already get 10% off for members rates, but maybe I'm wrong there...?

EDIT: Just checked and found it's 5% off, for me, currently... so an additional 5% for A+, I think

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Used my stay plus at Sofitel Queenstown this year and rate was $740 for the night so nice score

Nice one indeed. And that's the key point about the free night award, use it somewhere nice like a Sofitel or alternatively use it for a booking where there is no way you would otherwise get a cheap hotel (i.e. last minute booking at high demand location). Last year I used my award at the Novotel Sydney International Airport for a last minute booking, I saved ~$200 but am sure I could've got better value elsewhere.

You can usually use your free night for a suite by paying the difference.. Ie, free night is the base room and then it will show a reduce rate for a high class of room.

This is correct, and often times the difference can be minor (i.e. tens maybe $100 depending on property). This would actually be a perfect question for the thread Check Accor Plus free night availability, since they could tell you whether you could use a free night on your desired date and what the price differential is for the suite.

Another option of course, is to book the base room and roll the dice that you receive an upgrade offer to the suite later on (usually those land a couple days before check-in). It is my understanding that Accor properties won't upgrade elites to suites unless of course you are using a suite night upgrade coupon (but those cannot be combined with the free night award as of yet) so the best you could get as an elite is an upgrade to the highest level non-suite room (i.e. Superior or Deluxe). With that being said, one hotel I stayed at last year, the ibis styles Hobart did do a complimentary upgrade to a suite, so YMMV.

One key thing to watch out with the free night award is that it cannot be used at every property on all dates. To give you an example, I was looking at using my free night award at the Sofitel Darling Harbour in September and on the dates I wanted it was showing up as unavailable to apply the free night award. However, when I looked at the first weekend in February that was perfectly fine. You'll know if you can apply the free night award since the price will say Free. If it doesn't say free then chances are it's unavailable.

-RooFlyer88

 

[jase05]

It is my understanding that Accor properties won't upgrade elites to suites unless of course you are using a suite night upgrade coupon (but those cannot be combined with the free night award as of yet) so the best you could get as an elite is an upgrade to the highest level non-suite room (i.e. Superior or Deluxe).

What gave you that understanding?
As a Diamond we often get upgraded to a suite and even has a Platinum I’ve received many upgrades to suites

 

[SYD]

What gave you that understanding?
As a Diamond we often get upgraded to a suite and even has a Platinum I’ve received many upgrades to suites

We received a “suite” upgrade in Jakarta just a few weeks ago as a mere Gold.

 

[sudoer]

Accor properties won't upgrade elites to suites

Search results for query: platinum suite

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[oz_mark]

Nice one indeed. And that's the key point about the free night award, use it somewhere nice like a Sofitel or alternatively use it for a booking where there is no way you would otherwise get a cheap hotel (i.e. last minute booking at high demand location). Last year I used my award at the Novotel Sydney International Airport for a last minute booking, I saved ~$200 but am sure I could've got better value elsewhere.

This is correct, and often times the difference can be minor (i.e. tens maybe $100 depending on property). This would actually be a perfect question for the thread Check Accor Plus free night availability, since they could tell you whether you could use a free night on your desired date and what the price differential is for the suite.

Another option of course, is to book the base room and roll the dice that you receive an upgrade offer to the suite later on (usually those land a couple days before check-in). It is my understanding that Accor properties won't upgrade elites to suites unless of course you are using a suite night upgrade coupon (but those cannot be combined with the free night award as of yet) so the best you could get as an elite is an upgrade to the highest level non-suite room (i.e. Superior or Deluxe). With that being said, one hotel I stayed at last year, the ibis styles Hobart did do a complimentary upgrade to a suite, so YMMV.

One key thing to watch out with the free night award is that it cannot be used at every property on all dates. To give you an example, I was looking at using my free night award at the Sofitel Darling Harbour in September and on the dates I wanted it was showing up as unavailable to apply the free night award. However, when I looked at the first weekend in February that was perfectly fine. You'll know if you can apply the free night award since the price will say Free. If it doesn't say free then chances are it's unavailable.

-RooFlyer88

As other have said, upgrades to suites are indeed possible.

One thing to remember with Stay Plus nights is that they are like Rewards in any other program. There are only so many of them. If you are trying to book a Sofitel, the further out you book the better. If you are trying for a months time, they have probably all gone.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Question - if I don’t mind about the free night (or at least in year one), is there any known disadvantage for opting into the Accor+ Traveller membership, vv the standard paid version?

Had this show up in the ALL app today, and seems like good value at 4,000 points / 80 euros?
View attachment 338833
Cheers,
Matt.

In addition to everything else that has been discussed, I think the 4000 ALL rewards points for Traveller is a joining special for this month only - ie not for those renewing or at a different time.

I think Traveller is normally A$249, Voyager is A$399 (or 12,000 ALL reward points I think)

 

[Zetta]

Hi All, a question about Red Rooms. The list I search for 'Australia' seems to be very small and last minute.

However, I did a normal hotel search with time and location say the Gold coast and found some not listed in the above. Are red rooms random? What is a good way for searching them, as the official search does not seem to return all possible results.

 

[oz_mark]

Hi All, a question about Red Rooms. The list I search for 'Australia' seems to be very small and last minute.

However, I did a normal hotel search with time and location say the Gold coast and found some not listed in the above. Are red rooms random? What is a good way for searching them, as the official search does not seem to return all possible results.

Not really random, but for some reason they aren't all listed on the AccorPlus site.

 

[Zetta]

So are there easlier ways to locate them?

Not really random, but for some reason they aren't all listed on the AccorPlus site.

 

[dairyfloss]

Question - if I don’t mind about the free night (or at least in year one), is there any known disadvantage for opting into the Accor+ Traveller membership, vv the standard paid version?

Had this show up in the ALL app today, and seems like good value at 4,000 points / 80 euros?
View attachment 338833
Cheers,
Matt.

Have now signed up to Accor+ Traveller via this promo points rate. I wasn't able to complete the steps online, for some reason; it kept rejecting me at the last stage with some verification concern, but a callback from the Accor+ team earlier today had it sorted out over the phone in just a few minutes, and now reflects in the app, and digital card etc.

Also, of note perhaps, they indicated that physical Accor+ cards are no longer being sent out, unless a member insists. OK by me and I'd prefer to get by without one, and will see how that goes. Is refusal of the digital card 'a thing' in any specific places, or countries? Heading soon back to Singapore & Malaysia.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[jase05]

Have now signed up to Accor+ Traveller via this promo points rate. I wasn't able to complete the steps online, for some reason; it kept rejecting me at the last stage with some verification concern, but a callback from the Accor+ team earlier today had it sorted out over the phone in just a few minutes, and now reflects in the app, and digital card etc.

Also, of note perhaps, they indicated that physical Accor+ cards are no longer being sent out, unless a member insists. OK by me and I'd prefer to get by without one, and will see how that goes. Is refusal of the digital card 'a thing' in any specific places, or countries? Heading soon back to Singapore & Malaysia.

Cheers,
Matt.

Don’t think I’ve carried a physical card for a long time and never had any troubles at any place we have been

 

[Lynda2475]

I received a physical card in June

 

[dairyfloss]

I received a physical card in June

Requested, or just supplied?