New Amex Platinum hotel benefits launched – but a shock exit too

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• Enigma368 says:

  6 Feb6 February 06:15

  I have never used my Accor Platinum status and I’ve had it for 3-4 years now through various promos. If memory serves, they brought in the guaranteed lounge benefit a year or two ago which made me think I might use it but then I read that hotels like the Sofitel Berlin were denying the lounge access most(all?) of the time because of capacity issues, which makes the guarantee pretty worthless.

  • Enigma368 says:

    6 Feb6 February 06:18

    I have never stayed at a Melia or a Shanri La either tbh although the guaranteed breakfast with both of these statuses is not bad..

    • Nick Burch says:

      6 Feb6 February 10:10

      Melia isn’t free breakfast though – it’s buy one get one free breakfast

      Well, more like, buy two, spend ages arguing at checkout when they try to charge you for both and don’t know how to remove the second charge…

  • YL says:

    7 Feb7 February 01:32

    Yes, Sofitel Berlin Ku’damm …has denied me lounge access once. They claimed it is subject to availability and their club floor were full, so the lounge would be too full. However, they were still selling rooms with club acess when I checked in..
    Not sure how it is like now, as after that I see no point for me to return.
    However, the Accor Platinum members are normally well treated in Asia pacific.

• Susan says:

  6 Feb6 February 06:52

  Accor platinum last week at the Novotel Auckland airport gave us an upgrade to a suite. I’ve always had great service from Accor hotels and liked that they include a lot of mid-range as this is my usual price-point.. I’ll be sorry to lose this – and as it also allowed the status match to Hilton Diamond the HH-G is now somewhat less valuable than it might have been. Melia has little coverage outside its Iberian homeland and Shangri-La is too pricey for me.

• Alan says:

  6 Feb6 February 07:03

  Hilton have started to annoy me big time. I got diamond through status match with Accor, and over the last 20 stays I didn’t get a single upgrade. On several occasions I checked availability after checking in and they had quite a few better rooms available. During the last stay they even upgraded our friends without status that checked in at the same time. I have a feeling that there is not enough being done for top level elites by Hilton.
  Carlson and Accor have always been the best for treatment of their elites.

• Ross Parker says:

  6 Feb6 February 08:09

  Had a feeling this was coming. Accor also downgrading their shareholder free Platinum to free Gold – including for existing members like me. Accor went mad a few years ago and were give Plat away in a free promotion. Then all the hotel owners started refusing lounge benefits, etc, and they decided to go in the opposite direction. When this link goes there will be no way to buy platinum, and the 90 day stay minimum will mean platinum numbers drop hugely. I take 100ish flights per year and I’m still nowhere near 90 nights.

  • General Mayhem says:

    6 Feb6 February 09:17

    Or 25000 points – which as a platinum member equates to around 5000 euros spend a year.

  • Relaxo says:

    6 Feb6 February 11:56

    What do you mean by “downgrading their shareholder free Platinum to free Gold – including for existing members like me” ??
    Anyways Accor CR on facebook is aking for suggestions for improvements/changes to their program. Could signal a devaluation towards the latter part of this year.

    • Rob says:

      6 Feb6 February 16:40

      If you bought Accor shares you got free status.

  • Guesswho2000 says:

    6 Feb6 February 19:31

    That’s a shame, I originally had Accor Plat via the free way you mentioned (LoyaltyLobby used to be able to sign you up, but no more), but only used it a couple of time in Australia. Ironically, since dropping to ‘classic’, I’ve had a fair few Accor stays! Been toying with the idea of upgrading the Gold to Platinum, but am still struggling with the idea of the fee, in light of the benefits.

• flyoff says:

  6 Feb6 February 07:14

  It is a real shame about Accor – the Sofitels in Bangkok have always treated us magnificently as Platinum.
  I tried and failed to register yesterday for the Shangri-La and Melina card but the website wouldn’t get past the initial registration page.

  • joechin13 says:

    6 Feb6 February 14:58

    I tried to enroll for the HHonors Gold from the Amex page, and couldn’t get past the initial page. Tried Chrome (OS X), Safari (OS X), and Internet Explorer (Windows 7) with the same results. Hopefully this will be fixed soon.

    • Travelady says:

      6 Feb6 February 15:18

      me to, been trying all day with no luck

• Cheshire Pete says:

  6 Feb6 February 07:19

  Yes Accor covered such a wide range of hotel types and I’ll really miss it. Always received excellent service and free lounge at the Sofitel Heathrow a real boost. Like others I recently got Hilton Diamond matched so this also dropping to Gold in the future not good really any of this news! Will make me reassess the £450 worth of the card in conjunction with the other benefits. Wasn’t so long ago we lost Cathay Gold status. So it’s another devaluation of the benefits for me anyhow.

• Leo_C says:

  6 Feb6 February 08:45

  At the bottom of the ladder!
  Dear All
  I am taking my wife to Barcelona for a 3 day mid- week break in May 2016.( Our first trip there) I am new to HFP and although I have Avios, and joined all the hotel cards I am zero status!! and I use BA AMEX which doesn’t do much other than BA Avios points.
  There are a million hotels to choose from in Barcelona, and all chains Accor/Best Western/IHG/HHonours / Marriott have hotels there. I do not know where to start.. ( I want 4 star ish and central near all the sites) A good friend is wary of trip adviser. Any suggestions greatly appreciated- Thanks Leo

  • Kathy says:

    6 Feb6 February 08:54

    If you value a good night’s sleep, whatever you do don’t stay in a hotel on Las Ramblas! The noise is ridiculous until the very early hours of the morning.

    • Leo_C says:

      6 Feb6 February 11:34

      Thanks Kathy

      • Hingeless says:

        6 Feb6 February 23:34

        Get the Amex plat
        Get SPG gold
        Cancel the plat card
        Stay at the ‘W’

  • Anon says:

    6 Feb6 February 09:01

    I’ve stayed at both Hiltons over the same wknd, the Diagonal Mar has nice sea views from Exec lounge.

  • Leo says:

    6 Feb6 February 09:34

    Barcelona is a big city and I’d go on location rather than brand. Personally I like the Gothic Quarter and Barcelonetta because it’s near the beach and the centre.

    • Leo_C says:

      6 Feb6 February 11:34

      Thanks Leo
      Leo

  • Andrew says:

    6 Feb6 February 09:54

    We booked Castro Exclusive Residences – an apartment – via Rocketmiles… Just near Sagrada Familia… Like it. Good avios bonus too.

    Wallpaper* – see Facebook – has just run a photo list of hotels with rooftop pools and 2 of the 14 are in Barcelona

    And if you want to splash out and be near the beach there’s always the W 😉

    • Leo_C says:

      6 Feb6 February 11:33

      Thank you Andrew

  • Leo_C says:

    6 Feb6 February 11:33

    Thank you

• Metatone says:

  6 Feb6 February 07:53

  As I am currently having breakfast in the Gatwick Sofitel lounge, courtesy of Accor Platinum, (Mrs M is flying Air Transat today) I have to say I’ll miss it – Sofitel is the best option at Gatwick and the most convenient at LHR T5.

  It’s also been a good year for earning IB Avios, I seem to have lucked into 2x and 3x offers for most of my stays this year.

  I also used it to status match Hilton Diamond. So it has been good to me and I’m sorry to see it go.

  Hilton Gold will likely be useful. Melia is good in Spain but Accor had better coverage elsewhere. Shangri-La probably doesn’t work for me. Most places I go there are far better boutique hotels once you are at that price point.

  • Metatone says:

    6 Feb6 February 08:04

    I must also note that given the never-ending train ride last night I think one should only use Gatwick when you really have to.

    • Rob says:

      6 Feb6 February 08:59

      Interesting to hear your thoughts, as I got an email this week from a HFP reader who had stayed at the Gatwick Sofitel and thought it was a disgrace.

      • Ross Parker says:

        6 Feb6 February 09:47

        I will be staying there again tonight. It is not really Sofitel standard, but if you can get a Prestige suite, it’s ideal for 2x kids, and free lounge with Plat means free breakfast and dinner for four … (and beer for one)

        • Ross Parker says:

          6 Feb6 February 09:52

          Another bugbear: They sold off their spa recently (very annoying, no free guest access). Indian guy in the lounge is great though, couldn’t be more helpful and polite. Last time he was telling me how much he loves his job, and about his family back home. So nice to find such a genuine, positive attitude in UK service sector. Was going to suggest he ran seminars!

      • Geoggy says:

        6 Feb6 February 09:24

        The only good thing about the Gatwick SOFITEL is that it is very easy to get it for free using the holiday extras price match guarantee. And they always give you lounge access and an upgrade – the rooms are tiny and nothing special but a free bar for virtually all evening made up for it

        • Lev441 says:

          6 Feb6 February 10:27

          Does it actually work and do you get your money back? Looking at staying there tomorrow evening as we have a morning flight to toronto.. Accor website is £95 (or £100 non member price) and holiday extras is £109.

          Being a Accor gold card holder will I still get the room upgrade, free drink etc by booking through holiday extras?

        • xcalx says:

          6 Feb6 February 12:37

          I have had success quite a few times with the holiday extras price guarantee for the Marriott Manchester Airport.

      • Metatone says:

        6 Feb6 February 10:01

        This from my phone on the train back to London. (Only Mrs M gets to go to Toronto, alas.)

        Gatwick Sofitel have always treated me well as AP. Upgrade to a club room, couple of free drinks in the bar.

        However rooms and the lounge are small – I’d be put out if had paid for the club room. Club breakfast is serviceable continental with small selection. Shower a bit mediocre but decent toiletries. Bed is really comfortable. Internet connection good for company video chat, but hiccups our VPN for some reason. Room is clean if a little worn.

        What makes it is the convenience if you have an early flight. All the more so because LGW travel options are so bad.

        We tried the Hampton but the rooms get cold in the winter, it’s a tin shed. The main Hilton location is a joke in winter – long trek to the car park and lift. And it’s rather worn and disorganised IME.

        In sum, Sofitel the best of some not very special options, made noticeably better by AP.

    • John says:

      7 Feb7 February 01:43

      Some of us live in South London… trains to Gatwick will get better in 2018

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