Reply To: Rixos – any experience?

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

I’ve not stayed at a Rixos but I do have a decent handle on the Accor loyalty scheme. Rixos is a participating brand. The base earning rate is 25 rewards points for every €10 spend https://all.accor.com/loyalty-program/earn/stay/index.en.shtml

As Accor points have a fixed value of €40 per 2,000 they are always worth €.02 (2 cents) each. This means the 25 points represents €0.50 (50 cents) per €10, a 5% discount off a future stay.

If you are a gold member (which you are automatically with the IBIS business card) then the base earning rate increases to 37 points per €10, or 7.4% discount.

Once you know the rate you are going to spend on your Rixos stay it becomes fairly simple maths to calculate whether buying the IBIS card for your stay is worth it or not. The current subscription rate is £65 for one year (or £119 for two – but I think it’s best to buy in one year periods, every other year, for the timing reason I mention below). I make it £24 in additional points per £1,000 spend, so to break-even on that one stay your Rixos spend would need to be at least £2,708.

As an Accor gold member, you also gain a possible upgrade for your stay, a welcome amenity (usually a voucher for a couple of drinks) and a potential early or late check-in/out time – https://all.accor.com/loyalty-program/cards-status-benefits-details/index.en.shtml

Finally, if you wait to get your IBIS card until January 23 then you should be able to keep the Accor Gold status running ’til the end of 2024, a near 24 month period for your £65 fee. You just need the status to apply to your account during your stay, not at the time of booking, to be eligible for the benefits and increased points earn, so no need to buy the business card membership early.

PS If you’re paying cash direct to Accor then the BA Portal usually earns some Avios on your stay too (currently 8 Avios per £1 spend at ‘upscale hotels’ like Rixos, which is pretty generous for a couple of extra clicks).

PPS Also, don’t forget to register with Air France as well via Accor as this is a true ‘double-dip’ miles earning opportunity. You earn a mile per Euro spend and these can also be converted back to Accor points (albeit at a cr@ppy rate of 4:1), so this represents at least another 2.5 points per €10. It’s only an additional 0.5% discount but every little helps! Having an Air France account is also a way to convert Amex MRs to Accor points if you really need to (although I think this would only ever represent good value if used on an Accor ‘experience’ event, rather than a hotel booking).

• This reply was modified 55 years, 6 months ago by .