Have your Shangri-La Golden Circle points posted?

If you joined in with the recent Shangri-La Golden Circle online game, all of the points should have posted to your Golden Circle account.  That would be 1,200 points if you played for all 6 weeks.

(If you received an emailed statement this week from Shangri-La, ignore the total printed on that.  They have used the totals from a couple of weeks ago!  Also ignore any reference to points expiring, as you have two years to use them.)

The main use of 1,000 Golden Circle points is a $100 food and drink voucher for use in any Shangri-La or Traders hotel.  For most of us, this will be used at The Shard in London once the Shangri-La property opens there during 2014.  If you would rather use them sooner, there are some other things you can do:

Redeem for a free hotel room in China, Manilla, Philippines or Taiwan

1,000 points is enough for a room at certain Shangri-La hotels in these categories.  Click on the room redemptions tab here for details.

Redeem for a $100 food and beverage voucher at a different Shangri-La property

The Shangri-La chain is now spreading well beyond its Asian heartland.  If you will be in Asia in the next few months, you have no problem finding a suitable hotel restaurant or bar in which to spend your points.  They are also in Canada, Paris, Qatar, Dubai, Australia, Ghana, India, The Maldives, Oman, Turkey and Abu Dhabi.

Note that a handful of restaurants are excluded – check the website.  However, even in those properties there still appear to be other qualifying venues.

How do you redeem?

Here is a reminder of what reader Tony wrote a few weeks ago on exactly how you redeem these points. Over to Tony:

“I redeemed 3,500 points for food in Hong Kong earlier this year. [Readers should know they can’t] just rock up to the bar and use your GC card to pay the bill.  Points appear to be valid for two years plus the remainder of the calendar year from issue. 

You have to go online and redeem your points for the vouchers.  You have to nominate which property you are using them in and also whether it’s for F&B or the Spa at this time.  These then come through as an e-mail with a long alphanumeric code on it. For me this came through straight away and the voucher is valid for 6 months.  

The terms state you must make a reservation for the venue where you want to redeem the voucher. This appeared to be enforced in HK. 

On the day you want to use the voucher you have to take the e-mail to the business centre in the property with photo ID and tell them which venue you’re using. They will then input the code on your email and convert this into a paper voucher. This has a local currency equivalent stated and at least in Hong Kong there was no dodgy spread – I think we got HK$778 for every US$100 voucher. 

You can only redeem in $50 and $100 lots, so if you want $150 or $200 then you have to apply for multiple vouchers. And as has been noted, the maximum redemption against a single bill is $200. 

Full T&Cs from the voucher (April 2013) are below.

1. 1. A Non-Room Award confirmation is valid for six months from the date of redemption is made.
   2. Advance reservation with the participating food and beverage outlets or CHI, The Spa is required.
   3. A Member or Nominee must validate the redeemed Non-Room Award in exchange for a Golden Circle redemption voucher in person by presenting proof of identity document at the Business Centre prior to the service being used.
   4. Redemption vouchers can only be used at participating food and beverage outlets or CHI, The Spa on the date of validation.
   5. Redemption vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash. All unused value will not be refunded whether in terms of cash, GC Award Points or otherwise. Any excess amount will be charged to the Member or Nominee.
   6. Redemption vouchers cannot be used to purchase merchandise or services that are contracted out by the Hotel to a third party.
   7. Redemption vouchers cannot be used to settle charges on banqueting, outside catering and event spends, or expenses charged to a room account.
   8. Redemption vouchers cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts or promotional offers.
   9. Redemption vouchers must be presented at the time of payment.
   10. A maximum value of USD200, or local currency equivalent, worth of redemption vouchers can be used to settle payment for each transaction. The value of voucher(s) will be converted to its applicable local currency equivalent at the Hotel’s prevailing exchange rate.
   11. Once the redemption is made, no amendment or cancellation is allowed.”

Tony also copied me this information he was sent on how to give your food and beverage vouchers to another person:

“We are also pleased to inform that member may share the Non Room Award Redemption with their nominees.  Members may nominate up to 5 immediate family members above the age of 18 in your guest list to share the awards with them.  Once the nominee is listed in the guest list, the nominee may present the Non Room Award redeemed by member and validate the voucher at the business centre prior to usage.

You may add the nominees to your guest’s list through the following steps after logging into your Golden Circle online account.

1. Click on ‘My Profile’ on the top bar of the page.
2. Click on ‘Edit Redemption Group’
3. Click on ‘Add Nominee’s’.
4. Fill in the details requested and click ‘Submit’“

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Hotel offers update – April 2024:

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Want to buy hotel points?

• Hilton Honors is offering a 100% bonus when you buy points by 14th May 2024. Click here.