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News: loyalty podcast, 25% off at Atlantis The Palm, save 40% at Citadines

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News in brief:

Join me on the ‘Let’s Talk Loyalty’ podcast

I recorded an episode of Paula Thomas’s ‘Let’s Talk Loyalty’ podcast this week. It has now run to over 50 episodes, featuring guests from all across the loyalty spectrum, but I think I am the first media person to appear.

If you’re employed in the travel or loyalty space it is worth a listen. I cover a broader range of topics than I do on HfP, including: How should loyalty programmes work with sites like HfP? What do I think of the new Pret coffee subscription scheme? Why did I become addicted to Joe & The Juice? and much more ….

You can listen directly from the Let’s Talk Loyalty website here or via your favourite podcast platform.

Atlantis The Palm special offer

Save 25% at Atlantis The Palm

If you don’t mind sitting out two weeks of quarantine on your return, there are some good deals to be had in Dubai this Autumn.

Whether or not you think the headline prices are cheap, they are far lower than you would normally pay. You usually can’t get a room at a decent resort for under £500 per night during October half term.

Atlantis The Palm, which has its own water park, is running a special sale until 10th October, valid for stays until 10th November.

Rooms are available for under £300 per night during half term – albeit your kids will be home schooling for two weeks afterwards – and drop even further after that.

The Atlantis The Palm website is here if you want to find out more.

Save 40% on Citadines aparthotels

We don’t cover aparthotels on Head for Points, except for brands such as IHG’s Staybridge Suites which let you earn and burn points.

For longer stays, or often for trips involving families, an aparthotel can work well. Citadines, probably the largest player in this field via its parent Ascott, is currently running a 40% sale on bookings made by 11th October.

The website is here. You can book for stays up to 31st March. London rates seem to start at £65 per night.

PS. If you are looking for a something similar which earns points, Residence Inn – a Marriott brand – currently has exceptionally low prices at its London properties. Rooms have always been available for £85-£90 per night when I have looked, which makes them the cheapest Marriott option in Central London. Residence Inn Kensington for example (click for details) is currently £92 per night, rising to £144 for a two bedroom, two bathroom suite.


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.

Comments (28)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Bob says:

    I really enjoyed listening to the podcast, very interesting.

    • Rob says:

      Thanks. Apologies for the umms and ahhs in the first half but that’s what happens when you do it totally unscripted and the questions are quite complex.

      • Reney says:

        I am listening to it too. Currently on the bit about Joe & The Juice. I sort of feel the same about Boots points, most of the time when I buy something I have an offer on my account which mathematically makes more sense for me to pay money compared with points. The points keep building up, I had to force myself to ignore the maths and use some points the other day!

        You could write an article on Joe and the Juice in the other blog if that is still going?

    • New Card says:

      +1, enjoyed listening to this on my way to work this morning.

      • Genghis says:

        +1. Interesting listening over my lunch just now. So the umms weren’t edited out? 🙂

    • Harry T says:

      I very much enjoyed the podcast during my commute. I would like to hear more podcasts from Rob – perhaps a HFP podcast could be a thing?

      • Rob says:

        Time consuming, hard to monetise, unfortunately. Happy to do the odd guest spot on others though.

    • Sam Wardill says:

      Likewise I enjoyed the podcast. It is testament to your success that you were invited. I think you have made a great business that provides a valuable service. Well done! Someone needs to hold a mirror to frequent-flyer programs. You do it well. Forgive me if this is a stupid question. Is it BA that you dig at for not engaging?

      • Rob says:

        BA do their best, but with Avios and Exec Club bring totally separate businesses they are confusing to deal with. We do have a good relationship with the press office and they spend money with us. Can’t really complain.

  • Green Plastic says:

    Does the Pret subscription include deliveries on Just Eat?

    Please excuse the non-miles and points question!

    • Rob says:

      Unlikely as you need to scan a bar code to pay.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      Instore only.

    • Jack says:

      That would be an absurd money loser for Pret. I don’t imagine the regular inshore version will be a money maker, frankly. It’s more about getting people back into the habit of going in there.

  • ChrisC says:

    If your Accor account was wiped out because of inactivity between January and mid May of this year doing the Accor offer will get those reinstated.

    It’s specifically listed in the T&Cs of the offer and requires only a single 2 night stay for this to happen.

  • Jay says:

    I guess there isn’t an ibis in the UK with nights available for under €20 ?!

  • Alex says:

    A good podcast, which is very interesting! Needs to work on the audio quality a little bit though – guessing it was done over zoom or something similar?

    • Rob says:

      One of those. Paula was in a studio though which is why it is odd her sound quality is worse, at the start, than mine.

  • AJA says:

    A few months ago someone wrote here that they read Live in the Accor live limitless slogan as rhyming with hive instead of give and ever since then I now do the same! I so wish I hadn’t read their comment 🙁 Sorry if that ruins it for others too but I had to get that off my chest.

    I was not aware Raffles was part of the Accor chain, I nearly booked a trip there for earlier this year as I’ve always wanted to stay there. Am glad I didn’t as it would have been cancelled along with all the other trips that have been too. Oh well here’s hoping I can do it in the future.

  • Dubious says:

    Can anyone confirm if the 2night stay will still trigger the offer if each night was booked separately?

    I have night booked and will add another to start it one day earlier but only worth it if the promotion gets triggered.

  • Dubious says:

    Can anyone confirm if the 2night stay will still trigger the offer if each night was booked separately?

    I have 1 night booked and will add another (at the same hotel) to start it one day earlier but only worth it if the promotion gets triggered.

    • Lady London says:

      Book as one booking.
      Accor does have in their conditions on most ‘stay’ driven promotions, that checking in for a new stay on the same day as an earlier stay ended, they will count it as only one stay. I cant recall if it”s in the ts and cs in this promo but it would only work against you not for you.

      Accor does not have clean hands on ethical behaviour and sorting out problems caused by Accor themselves or by Accor hotels. Basically their customer aupport is close to useless and just doesnt follow up to resolve problems and doesnt have the power to resolve anything based on my many years experience.

      So the short answer is book your stays as 2 night single staya if you want them to qualify whether thats technically necessary or not.

      • Erico1875 says:

        About 10+ years ago I tried to claim their “double the difference/ or if you find it cheaper stay for free guaranteee” . I cant remember the exact deal.
        I found it impossible to get them to honour it.
        However years later, got our own back with their Happy Mondays promotion.
        Regularly stayed a Saturday night at Edinburgh South Bridge IBIS for £25 (inc breakfast)

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