How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?

Property: The Johnson, Brisbane
Status: Accor+ Gold
Room booked: Base (studio suite)
Room upgraded/type: Don't think so but honestly they are great rooms with no shub in sight.
Rate: $212
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: No (gold only, and no restaurant here)
Early check in/late out: n/a
Welcome drink: Yes x 2
Welcome gift: 1 750ml bottle of water, 700ml De bortoli wine and a chocolate.

I really like this hotel. But I got an email a few days before asking my estimated time of arrival, if I needed a car park, and if they could help with anything else. I replied (6pm, no and no) and received acknowledgement. But 2 days before arrival I got a phone call asking the same things (with the same answers) but with the added addition of did I want white or red wine as my free welcome drink. I replied white, she said 'okay red' and I said no no, white please and she acknowledged.

... guess what colour wine was waiting for me ha. I'm just annoyed because I'm a typical millenial who hates answering the phone ("eww why is my internet and meme generator making a ringing noise")

Still, I like this place.
 
Property: Pullman George’s Square Brisbane
Status: Accor+ Gold
Room booked: Deluxe King
Room upgraded/type: Yes, Premium Corner Room
Rate: Corporate rate unknown
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: No
Early check in/late out
: Early check in around 12pm granted
Welcome drink: Yes
Welcome gift: personalised card and chocolates

Had 5 nights here. Decent location. Dated hotel showing it’s age but good service, spacious room. Low lying shub was easy enough to navigate. Very good desk setup and comfortable desk chair. Very tasty menu available for room service. No complaints. Would stay again for work.
 
I really like this hotel. But I got an email a few days before asking my estimated time of arrival, if I needed a car park, and if they could help with anything else. I replied (6pm, no and no) and received acknowledgement. But 2 days before arrival I got a phone call asking the same things (with the same answers) but with the added addition of did I want white or red wine as my free welcome drink. I replied white, she said 'okay red' and I said no no, white please and she acknowledged.

I really like it as well, and having recently tried a couple of others round the CBD, I'm going back to the Johnson. I get the deluxe studio, which looks out the back on the ground floor.

I like the pre-arrival contact, but got caught once when I said that yes, I would like parking only to find out when I checked in that 'parking isn't guaranteed' (not reserved) and they were expecting the park to be full that night. The alternatives they suggested weren't in fact available and it was going to be a big problem for me if I couldn't park at the hotel. In the end they kindly allowed me to park in a staff space, as she was leaving at a certain time.
 
parking isn't guaranteed'
Kind of ironic that the former Transport and Main Roads HQ has parking issues, kind of sums up Queensland really, rather than build it and they will come (looking at you WA), it’s a case of boast about them coming then build it if you must! Parking at most Accor options is problematic in Brisbane.
 
Property: ibis Budget Wentworthville (NSW)
Status: Accor+ Platinum
Room booked: Standard Queen room with 1 Queen bed
Room upgraded/type: No
Rate: $76.30/night
Free internet: Yes and fairly usable
Free Breakfast: Yes but didn't partake
Early check in/late out: 1 PM late check out requested, 12 PM late check out received
Welcome drink: Yes x 2
Welcome gift: No

Decided to stay here with my partner over the weekend as I had a flight today over to Melbourne. As you can probably tell, I chose the hotel primarily based on price. In hindsight, the location isn't great. To get to the hotel from Sydney you would need to take the T1 over to Parramatta, followed by an express bus (10 min ride) to a stop then walk another 5 minutes. There isn't much nearby either in terms of restaurants or shopping or parks for that matter. So I probably wouldn't book this hotel unless I actually had a reason to be in the vicinity and preferably had a sustainable form of transport (i.e. a car).

Some notes about the hotel (in no particular order):
  • This ibis budget has a reception that is only open at certain times (e.g., 12 PM to 10 PM)
  • Although this hotel participates in the ALL program (meaning you should get ALL the benefits of staying here as you would at say a Novotel), not all hotel staff are trained on this. Upon check-in, it was simply an ID checked then I was handed my keycard that was it. No welcome gift was offered (but at that point I didn't want to push on it).
  • There is a breakfast that is served, I didn't inquire on the time, and didn't bother using it, since from my experience at ibis budgets the breakfasts aren't substantial nor to my liking
  • On the night before we were scheduled to checkout I informed reception that I'd like a 1 PM late check out (if possible). A noon was offered, and accepted which sure beats the standard 10 AM checkout. However, again, information was not communicated to staff the following day, resulting in house keeping inquiring about when we are supposed to check out
  • There were two digital drink vouchers in my Accor app but I didn't see a need for using them
  • The sink of the bathroom is located beside the bed and the shower/toilet combo are in the bathroom
  • Limited number of power points in the room (there's one beside the bar fridge of which the fridge is using one of the power points). There is also a power point above the sink, which I sure hope is a GFCI outlet
Photos for those interested in seeing what a stay in a luxurious ibis budget in Western Sydney looks like:
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-RooFlyer88
 
Curious if anyone knows which Accor Hotels serve champagne within their club/ executive lounges?
 
Property: Pullman on the Park Melbourne
Status: Accor + gold
Room booked: Premium deluxe king with breakfast
Upgrade: Yes, higher floor given
Rate: $390 booked through Qantas Hotels as I had $100 PC+ voucher to use by November = $290 (Accor + rate was $389)
Early check-in Yes
Late check-out: Yes and proactively offered 12.30pm
Welcome drink: Yes - 2 vouchers, one we had not used so their suggestion was to grab a coffee or water from the Bar for our trip home - chose sparkling water.
Welcome amenity: No, not expected but anniversary acknowledged with a card and cake delivered to our room.
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Parking: Self parking - $45 * (Valet - $70)

Chose the Pullman as we were going to an afternoon event at The G with Canapes & Drinks back at The Cliveden Bar.

Excellent check in with Assistant Manager Sam. Though we had booked through QH, he noted I was Accor + and mentioned many guests had chosen that over ALL/Accor to take advantage of the recent 5000 QFF points offer.
Did not expect any of the usual perks but he offered late check-out and handed us 2 drink vouchers.

Had dinner in The Cliveden restaurant, Accor Plus Dining discount applied.
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* Only negative was upon check-out, I was charged twice for parking. System could not delete the 2nd charge, refund of $45 to go back on Amex, this came through today (cost me the CC surcharge of 63 cents though)

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Would stay again if in that part of town.
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Property: Park Lane Hotel (Pullman) Hong Kong
Status: Diamond.
Room booked: Superior Room
Room upgraded/type: Premium Pullman Room
Rate: ~$300 AUD
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: Yes - Buffet in restaurant (just OK) or Ala cart in the lounge (better)
Early check in/late out: Late Checkout at 2pm, which got extended till 3pm on the day of departure
Welcome drink: Yes, two vouchers - not available to be used for rooftop bar, just the bar/coffee shop in the lobby and very limited selection.
Welcome gift: Yes - macarons and a birthday card.

Short birthday weekend in HK and debut stay as a Diamond. Didn't notice a great deal of difference between Plat & Diamond from this stay and other than the check-in agent making a note of the double upgrade there was no other real status acknowledgments. Great location in Causeway bay and the lounge was great however only got to use for Breakfast, rooftop bar was fun however eye-wateringly exxy! Shame its leaving the Accor chain.
 

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good thing you didn’t push it: welcome gift is not applicable for BreakFree, ibis, ibis budget, ibis Styles, Adagio Access, greet, JO&JOE under the program rules.
You're right. However, from my experience staying at ibis properties in Australia, I almost always get some sort of welcome gift. So yes, on paper they aren't required to provide it but in practice they still do.

-RooFlyer88
 
Property: Mercure Bugis Singapore
Status: platinum.
Room booked: Twin Signature
Room upgraded/type: Executive Loft (their highest)
Rate: ~$200 per night
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: Yes - Buffet in restaurant, reasonable.
Early check in/late out: offered but not needed
Welcome drink: yes on app. Limited welcome drink selection at ground floor bar
Welcome gift: Yes - chocolates and sparkling water.

Stayed again at Mercure Bugis as last year. Last year stayed at their signature loft and the difference isnt very big. The executive is slightly bigger. Lounge is small and features a few wines and regular soft drinks. Some hot food options around dinner time.

This hotel also must have a deal with Korean tour groups as there are hoards of Korean elderly aunties staying here. This can end up being annoying as they can be extremely rude.

Otherwise this was one of the closest hotels for where I needed to go. If you don't need to stay around Bugis a few of the other Accor might suit better.
 

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