Bits: win tickets to Le Mans with Avios & Shell, how a reader used his free GHA Platinum status

News in brief:

Win tickets to the Le Mans 24 hours race

Shell petrol stations and Avios have teamed up to give you a chance to win a fully inclusive trip to the Le Mans 24 hour race from 17th to 20th June.

There are four first prizes of Standard Premier Eurostar tickets, a hotel, car hire and hospitality tickets for the race itself.

You may even be happy not to win, as ten runners-up will each receive 10,000 Avios points.

To win, you need to purchase Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuel before 30th April 2016 and swipe your Shell Drivers Club card.  You will receive multiple entries for multiple purchases although you are limited to one per day.  You MUST also pre-register by visiting this page at avios.com and clicking the ‘Register’ button.

Putting GHA Platinum status into action

I wrote last year about an offer being run (still being run, actually) by Business Traveller magazine.  If you signed up for a subscription, you would receive Platinum status in the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) loyalty scheme.  This covers 33 major chains including Kempinski.

Reader Colin dropped me a note to say how well this worked out for his family:

“I thought it worth a quick note to illustrate the value of the GHA Platinum status which comes with the Business Traveller subscription. Knowing that I was going to be making a booking at the Avani Sepang Goldcoast in Malaysia (Avani are part of the GHA scheme) I had purchased a Business Traveller subscription and had my fingers crossed that it would pay off with an upgrade.

As there were to be 4 of us staying (and the possibility of some others also showing up) I booked a 2 bed villa with living room (measured as a very comfortable 122 sq m) which is listed as accommodating up to 5 adults. The cost including breakfast was approx £240 per night, a good deal for what was to be provided.

A week before the stay I emailed the hotel to point out my GHA Platinum status and request an upgrade and late check out. A few hours later I received an email back confirming my upgrade to a 3 bed villa (232 sq m!) and confirming the late check out. The cost of the 3 bed villa is typically £450 per night. As I was able to make use of all the rooms/beds it was perhaps the best £24 ever spent!

The villa was huge, located at the end of the branch/frond at the most quiet and private location with views out over the Melacca straits, including seats and mattresses on a large deck area. The main bathroom featured twin washbasins, a separate shower room, a seating area in the middle, and a separate sunken bath area (with wide open views to the sea, the pavement and the villa next door!).

At breakfast I glanced a look at the guest list and noticed that my reservation was tagged as VIP, and throughout the stay the staff did seem eager to please and I experienced none of the problems listed in some Tripadvisor reviews.”

Even some of the more obscure deals I cover on HfP can work out well if they happen to match your travel plans.

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Hotel offers update – April 2025:

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 29th May 2025. The annual purchase limit is also increased to 240,000 points pre-bonus. Click here to buy.