Best use of Suite Night Upgrades?

[Zanzaid]

Well first of all congratulations. It's not easy getting to Platinum (well it's not easy supposing you don't stack up a dozen different paid Accor membership programs as some people do). It should be noted that while you do earn 2 SNUs for acquiring Platinum status, you have the opportunity to earn additional SNUs for each additional 4,000 status points you earn in a given year, up to a maximum of 12 SNUs that can be earned.

Thank you! Yes i did take good advantage of Qantas fast track and Accor Plus but it will pay off big time! I did see that, not quite sure i'll reach it but there's a chance.

Sofitels tend to be a good place to use these SNUs from my experience. In particular, if you have Accor Plus (which is one of the paid Accor programs that offer discounts as high as 50% off room bookings) you can sometimes find Sofitels reasonably priced (now not the $100 I'm used to paying staying at ibis Styles but maybe $250-$300/night) making this whole thing work out. And the thing about Sofitels as a Platinum, is you'll have access to their lounge meaning you'll have a-la carte breakfast in the morning plus hors d'oeuvres and high tea during the day. Oh and you don't have to check-in with the riff raff downstairs either, instead you head straight for the lounge and check in discretely there.

If you want a guideline on how much to value these upgrade certificates I'd say conservatively $200 AUD per certificate in value. Remember too that these certificates can be used globally be it at a Sofitel in Sydney or a Fairmont in Montreal. In my case, I ended up using 4 SNUs (more on that in a moment) to upgrade a stay at the Sofitel Melbourne to a Junior Suite, netting me a savings of $250/night:

Thank you for the conservative value! At least it gives me a good understanding of what to try aim for. The Pullman in Tokyo was about $300-$350 a night saving, bringing it down to about $400 a night (with the current promo). Though checking again tonight, this price has gone up so thinking it's a bit too far from our usual budget now... haha

I have definitely studied the platinum perks though! We're looking to stay at the Mercure in Tokyo this time round, instead of the Ibis Styles East, so that should be a nice upgrade.

In my case I earned Platinum status in 2022 but like you couldn't find a use for the SNUs. However, in 2023 circumstances changed, I was travelling more and consequently found a use for them at the end of the year just as I re-qualified for Platinum status. Hence, I could use the 2 SNUs earned in 2022 plus the 2 SNUs earned in 2023 to book a stay in January 2024 for 4 nights at the Sofitel Melbourne using those certificates.

Ah yes, good to know that. We were looking at using them soon but stacking them makes it quite enticing. My Accor Plus renews in November so have to think about it closer to that time, in case we don't use it on this Japan trip.

I'd say start looking at Accor properties now as they're running a promotion where it's up to 25% off I believe at many Accor properties. This might be enough cost savings whereby you can both afford to stay at a luxury hotel in Japan whilst getting excellent value on the SNUs. Certainly, the Sofitel Melbourne is a good candidate for using the SNUs as that was where I used the upgrade certs and wasn't disappointed in the upgrade.

Was this close to booking Pullman Tokyo, being the only option in Tokyo that allows the use of SNU. Unfortunately with the price up again, will need to reconsider this. It's a struggle choosing between the non-refundable promo and flexible price.

One final parting shot: ensure you familiarize yourself with the perks of Platinum. The main ones that you'll be using regularly are the free breakfast when staying at properties in Asia-Pacific and secondly access to hotel lounges (aside from those at Fairmonts) globally. You'll notice a few other things, like better strike rates at upgrades (I've personally been double upgraded), better welcome gifts and more likely to get a late checkout.

Thank you for your detailed response! I'll be sure to report my experiences in the thread in the coming year/s!

 

[markis10]

Thank you for the conservative value! At least it gives me a good understanding of what to try aim for. The Pullman in Tokyo was about $300-$350 a night saving, bringing it down to about $400 a night (with the current promo). Though checking again tonight, this price has gone up so thinking it's a bit too far from our usual budget now... haha

I have definitely studied the platinum perks though! We're looking to stay at the Mercure in Tokyo this time round, instead of the Ibis Styles East, so that should be a nice upgrade.

Which Mecure? The Haneda property is a favorite of mine re cost, locale is good for food and has a Lawton’s/7-11 nearby as well as a good drug store with the train just up the road. No suites here so SNUs are not usable, at circa $150 a night I suspect it’s better than the $400 Pullman option.

 

[Infrequent traveller]

Which Mecure? The Haneda property is a favorite of mine re cost, locale is good for food and has a Lawton’s/7-11 nearby as well as a good drug store with the train just up the road. No suites here so SNUs are not usable, at circa $150 a night I suspect it’s better than the $400 Pullman option.

I concur. Stayed at both properties in September just to “experience”. Pullman was nice but don’t think it worths 3x the cost. Mercure Haneda was superb both absolutely and relatively (in terms of pricing), though I noticed that the rate has gone up 10-20% recently. Still good value, just no longer can term it as a steal. The executive lounge at Pullman was a bit underwhelming during my stay - most guests stopped by 15-20 mins for a drink amd and some “ordinary” snacks then left. Not a place to be pampered…

 

[Zanzaid]

Which Mecure? The Haneda property is a favorite of mine re cost, locale is good for food and has a Lawton’s/7-11 nearby as well as a good drug store with the train just up the road. No suites here so SNUs are not usable, at circa $150 a night I suspect it’s better than the $400 Pullman option.

Mercure Tokyo Hibiya that is, the Haneda one does look nice though. Pullman was just a way to use the SNU but no longer feel that's a worthy option, so we'll probably go back to Mercure Haneda now to finish off the trip.

 

[aikman]

I concur that Pullman is not worth what they are charging. It's a nice hotel but you can do much better for a lot less, especially if you won't be in the hotel much as you will be out sightseeing.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Which Mecure? The Haneda property is a favorite of mine re cost, locale is good for food and has a Lawton’s/7-11 nearby as well as a good drug store with the train just up the road. No suites here so SNUs are not usable, at circa $150 a night I suspect it’s better than the $400 Pullman option.

That's actually a key thing I learned about Accor hotels in Asia proper, the quality of the rooms tends to be higher than the stuff you get in Australia. So whilst a Mercure in Australia is largely regarded as a mid-tier hotel experience (at best) often run-down in my experience, in Japan or Singapore or Korea it's actually quite good (perhaps as high as a Novotel or even an Australian Pullman in some instances). Remember too that some of these mid-tier properties in Asia will have executive lounges available for Platinums. For instance, when I was in Singapore last year I stayed at the Mercure Singapore Bugis. Speaking of lounges for Tokyo and Osaka there are just two hotels that have them:

• Osaka: Swissotel Nankai Osaka
• Tokyo: Pullman Tokyo Tamachi

With that being said, if you can score a Pullman or a Swissotel at a great rate then all by all means. But you shouldn't feel that you are getting screwed over using those upgrades at a Mercure or Novotel in Japan, particularly if the savings are considerable.

Another thing to consider, and probably something you've already realized is that hotel prices vary quite a bit depending on where in the country you are staying. So yes Osaka or Tokyo might be a bit more pricey to stay at, particularly at a luxury brand like a Pullman, but have you thought about Nara or Naha? Both of these cities offer Novotels below $100 AUD/night and the one in Nara has both an executive lounge and junior executive suites you can upgrade into using SNUs for peanuts. Realize too that Japan is very easy to get around by rail. If you plan on staying in Japan for more than a couple of days, getting a JR Rail pass where you can hop on a Shinkansen or high speed rail whenever you want can make a big difference, allowing you to explore more of Japan for not too much more money.

-RooFlyer88

 

[markis10]

That's actually a key thing I learned about Accor hotels in Asia proper, the quality of the rooms tends to be higher than the stuff you get in Australia. So whilst a Mercure in Australia is largely regarded as a mid-tier hotel experience (at best) often run-down in my experience, in Japan or Singapore or Korea it's actually quite good.

The key to getting a good lower end hotel (especially Mercure) is it must be a new build or reno. I didn’t mind the Mercure Bugis but the loft beds were not great, lounge was nice, and on the flip side the Mercure Nusa Dua is twenty years past its knock down time. I would use a SNU at Mercure Tamworth but not at Wagga, Mildura or Townsville, and not in Adelaide at the Pullman which was the Crowne Plaza. The Novotel Guanzhou is another good use of a SNU, especially compared to the next door Pullman, since both seem to be twins build wise and both have lounges.

 

[jase05]

The key to getting a good lower end hotel (especially Mercure) is it must be a new build or reno. I didn’t mind the Mercure Bugis but the loft beds were not great, lounge was nice, and on the flip side the Mercure Nusa Dua is twenty years past its knock down time. I would use a SNU at Mercure Tamworth but not at Wagga, Mildura or Townsville, and not in Adelaide at the Pullman which was the Crowne Plaza. The Novotel Guanzhou is another good use of a SNU, especially compared to the next door Pullman, since both seem to be twins build wise and both have lounges.

Pullman Adelaide got an overhaul not that long ago and the rooms are not too bad. We stay there if we have a function on in the East end of town. We get very good upgrades there regardless but I don’t think I’d use a SNU there

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The key to getting a good lower end hotel (especially Mercure) is it must be a new build or reno.

That's a good point. And actually something for them to consider is to look at YouTube reviews of the property, along with any discussion on our thread covering Accor hotel reviews and lastly photos from the hotel's site of the room. With that being said, there are certainly good options for Mercure and Novotel in Japan that appear modern and tick those boxes.

I didn’t mind the Mercure Bugis but the loft beds were not great, lounge was nice

I didn't mind the bed (then again, I was coming off a red eye from Europe having to suffer the injustices of flying FinnAir in business class). Lounge was okay although the selection of food items wasn't great. Then again I was arriving as the lounge was about to close.

I would use a SNU at Mercure Tamworth but not at Wagga, Mildura or Townsville, and not in Adelaide at the Pullman which was the Crowne Plaza.

Again, the specific property matters.

The Novotel Guanzhou is another good use of a SNU, especially compared to the next door Pullman, since both seem to be twins build wise and both have lounges.

That's another property of Accor hotels. Many properties, particularly in Asia Pacific, are next to each other and share facilities. Why pay a Pullman price when you can get the same facilities for only paying a Mercure rate?

 

[markis10]

Pullman Adelaide got an overhaul not that long ago and the rooms are not too bad. We stay there if we have a function on in the East end of town. We get very good upgrades there regardless but I don’t think I’d use a SNU there

Their suites are IHG junior suites in most cases which are just bigger rooms with a balcony, not a seperate lounge with loo etc. I like the Ibis across the road, but not for an extended stay, and both suffer from lack of parking. The Mantra Hindmarsh also in that vicinity has great status recognition including free parking for Plats in the council car park behind the hotel if you cannot fit in their basement, and I got a two bed suite on ref hot rooms for $90 on a recent Friday night.

I used a SNU at the Reef in Cairns, average, as I find most chain hotels are when they have a Casino where money talks, I will probably use mine next year at the Swissotel Foshan.

 

[Zanzaid]

Speaking of lounges for Tokyo and Osaka there are just two hotels that have them:

• Osaka: Swissotel Nankai Osaka
• Tokyo: Pullman Tokyo Tamachi

With that being said, if you can score a Pullman or a Swissotel at a great rate then all by all means. But you shouldn't feel that you are getting screwed over using those upgrades at a Mercure or Novotel in Japan, particularly if the savings are considerable.

Sadly only the suites at the Osaka Swissotel and Tokyo Pullman, plus a bunch of rural Grand Mercures are available to upgrade at in Japan. I probably wouldn't have hesitated if it was available at the suite at Mercure Hibiya!

I think at the time, the Pullman in Tokyo just looked like a nice hotel to spend the last couple days after a busy trip, enjoy the lounge and breakfast along with. Alas we'll leave that be this time and wait for another trip to pop up elsewhere! Or even if we can manage to use 4 later next year with a renewal.

We visited Nara last visit so we're leaving it this time ourselves, but the Mercure in Takayama was lovely and i'd go back any time!