How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

Couldn't get into the pool to take a picture, no idea why door was locked will have to ask tomorrow.
 
In BNE no brekkie in EL. Only in downstairs zoo
That’s a change since I last stayed there which has been a while given it’s my home city
Firstly let me say I feel Darwin hotel options for those wanting to be guaranteed a shubless stay are really limited across all brands. There are no Indigo, Voco, Crystalbrook properties which generally provide modern comfort with great walk in showers and no carpet, seriously carpet is stupid in the tropics. Hilton has shubs, so had to lower my standards and consider the less premium options.
Darwin has always struggled with hotel options given it’s a town of 100K population. IHG haven’t had much luck since the Bergers moved their holdings to Hilton some time ago, new hotel investment has been lacking unless your talking the wharf area or airport.
 
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Property: Mercure Sydney Macquarie Park
Status: Accor+ Platinum
Room booked: Standard Queen Room
Room upgraded/type: No
Rate: Nights 1/2 - ACCOR PLUS - SPECIAL EVENT RATE ($139/night) Night 3- ACCOR PLUS - SAVER RATE - COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST ($167/night)
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: Yes
Early check in/late out: Late Check out to 12 PM granted
Welcome drink: Yes
Welcome gift: Fruits, bottle of wine, cheese platter
Recommended. Yes, particularly if you are staying in North Sydney and/or need a place to stay in Ryde/Macquarie University

Stayed here for three nights on the basis that I had yet another (soft) deadline for my thesis that I needed to complete. This time I was staying with my partner, so the welcome gift was slightly different (bottle of wine instead of selection of beers). The third night was booked first as I was only planning on staying on Friday night. However, given the deadline I ended up booking the Wednesday and Thursday nights as I saw it was on a discount and we needed the luxury of the hotel. On check-in I explained the situation to reception, and they were able to get me to keep the same room for all three nights no problem.

As I think I mentioned prior this used to be a Travelodge hotel, and keeps some of the amenities (if we can call it that) of the Travelodge like a kitchenette.Having stayed at a number of Mercures, this is not too bad even if it is starting to feel a bit dated:
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The restroom was the most dated part of the room, but fortunately provided a shub free experience:
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The various welcome gifts:
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Breakfast was buffet style and was available between 6:30 and 10 AM weekdays and 7 AM to 11 AM on weekends. The buffet consisted a mixture of western and Asian (rice, kimchi) choices, naturally I went for the Western options:
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The hotel has a restaurant and the prices aren't too bad (toasties are $11-$12, pizza is less than $20) and they accept the Accor+ discount which I used for my dinner on the last day. Additionally, the drink voucher I had could be used for anything at the bar so I chose Aperol for a change:
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There are two principle downsides I see to staying at this hotel, at least based on this experience. One I don't think they give upgrades (this is now the second time staying without an upgrade). Now I'm not sure if there's a difference between the Deluxe and Standard room, but it would've been nice to get that upgrade, even if it is a slight one (I believe the Deluxe room has a balcony). The second downside is the limited late checkout. Standard check out is at 11 AM and I requested a late checkout on the evening prior to check out. The best reception could offer was 12 PM. Maybe I am unrealistic in my expectations but I would think that a 1 or 2 PM late checkout shouldn't be a problem, particularly given the status and the fact that this isn't a huge hotel and there weren't tons of people staying here either (at least so far as I can tell).

-RooFlyer88
 
Darwin has always struggled with hotel options given it’s a town of 100K population. IHG haven’t had much luck since the Bergers moved their holdings to Hilton some time ago, new hotel investment has been lacking unless your talking the wharf area or airport.

Yes it's lacking higher end properties for the tourists who want to be spoilt.

It was probably better in the 1980s when I lived there. I think it was the Sheraton that just opened (now Hilton) and it was very high standard (bosses used to stay there and we went there often).

And a place whose name I can't recall, but now DoubleTree, built by Japanese and by all accounts really high end. But the market obviously couldn't sustain it.

The dear old Mindil Beach Hotel/Casino was well past its prime even by then. :)
 
And a place whose name I can't recall, but now DoubleTree, built by Japanese and by all accounts really high end. But the market obviously couldn't sustain it.
Beaufort Hotel, built in 1984, became my go to hotel when it was a Holiday Inn, where I often got the suite on the top left (King Premier) with a spa on balcony and one in the bathroom on the mezzanine level where you could have held its own party.

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Photo credit Darwin History | The 23rd April. On this day in Darwin History .. | Facebook

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The Qantas Link crew stayed there, you would often see the local tradies taking the service road in the hope of spotting one or two relaxing by the pool.
 
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Beaufort Hotel, built in 1984, became my go to hotel when it was a Holiday Inn, where I often got the suite on the top left (King Premier) with a spa on balcony and one in the bathroom on the mezzanine level where you could have held its own party.

That's it, thanks! I enjoyed many a Saki highball in their poolside bar. :)
 

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