Fairmont President's Club - Isn't it better to join the Swisotel loyalty program?

I mean you get stay credits regardless of which program and which hotel you stay at, and many of the benefits are shared.

But with Swissotel you only need 30 nights across 2 years to reach Swiss Gold Elite status (top tier).

Plus you get a free night voucher for every 10 paid nights.

And to top it off, once you have Elite status you have access to the Executive Lounge (2 hrs of free booze and snacks) even if you take the cheapest of rooms.

It's the latter that I consider to be the biggest bonus. Would FPC Platinum allow access to a Swissotel lounge when staying there?

Great observation. Depending on programs' T&C, can rewards be redeemed under the program at Fairmont Hotels only.. For example, in North America, Swissotels are few and far between. Can we use the Swissotel program by just staying exclusively at Fairmonts?

There are more Fairmont hotels than Swissotels, but I can see why the two chains are working so closely together as one is strong in Canada and US while the other is more focused on Asia and Europe.

The free lounge access really does it for me at Swissotel and was an important reason why I signed up for their program. Unfortunately not every hotel has an executive lounge, like the Swissotel in London, but the two hotels in Singapore do and you can get free booze every evening between 6-8pm.

I really wish FPC gave free access to its lounge to Platinum members, if there was ever a survey on what you'd like to see changed about the loyalty program... this is the first thing I'd list.

I mean you get stay credits regardless of which program and which hotel you stay at, and many of the benefits are shared.

But with Swissotel you only need 30 nights across 2 years to reach Swiss Gold Elite status (top tier).

Plus you get a free night voucher for every 10 paid nights.

And to top it off, once you have Elite status you have access to the Executive Lounge (2 hrs of free booze and snacks) even if you take the cheapest of rooms.

It's the latter that I consider to be the biggest bonus. Would FPC Platinum allow access to a Swissotel lounge when staying there?

No, unfortunately FPC Plats don´t get access to the Swissotel Exec. lounges. The benefits you get at the other hotel are quite limited: local calls, newspaper, welcome amenity, health club access etc. However, I´ve heard that FPC Plats occasionally get comp. upgrades to an Exec./Club room, but no idea whether this happens often.

While Swissotel and Fairmont are owned by one company, they´ve maintained two destinct brands for a good reason:

Swissotels are mostly 3.5*-4* hotels targetting mainly business travellers, Swissotels generally provide decent to very good service, but rarely are "the" hotel at the destination, or even among the top 5 hotels (the only somewhat famous Swissotel is the Stamford in SIN, and maybe the Howard in London)

Fairmont also targets business travellers, but has a much stronger focus on the affluent leisure traveller. Fairmont hotels generally are in the 4*-5* category, not all Fairmonts are the "top hotel in the area", but many are.

Therefore the focus of the two loyalty program differs: Swissotel focuses on free nights for use in the future (likely earned by stayed on the company´s dime) while Fairmont focuses on making your current stay better (room and suite upgrade certs).

Basically, if you intend to stay at Swissotels on a regular basis, I´m sure their program will be better for you. You could always try to maintain FPC Premier (which provides some decent benefits) for the odd stay at a Fairmont.

Many thanks for the info.

In SIN I actually prefer the Swissotel Merchant Court as I like staying in Clarke Quay, and the pool there is much better.

Of course service could be improved greatly, few things can tick you off as much as having to call the reception to change rooms asap at 1am because they decided to start a paint-job in the hallway using unhealthy emulsion paint (which also reeks like heck). I think they had to evacuate quite a few people after this mishap, if not in the middle of the night then in the morning once the smell was everywhere...

I agree that the Fairmont seems to be a step above the Swissotel in terms of quality, even in SIN. I just wish I could get lounge access there if I were to gain status with FPC. Maybe this way both chains could then share lounge privileges as one of the joint perks that they offer each other's loyal customers...

To me, lounge access means nothing.

I won't go to lounges because if I want to eat something during the day, I would rather go elsewhere and pay for it because the choices in the lounges are usually very limited.

As for improvements of the FPC program, I would rather them give Platinums the best room available at checkin than to give us lounge access.

I on the other hand would LOVE a lounge benefit and think it is one thing missing from Fairmont. I suppose FM Gold get access but would hope this is a 2011 FPC Plat benefit.

I on the other hand would LOVE a lounge benefit and think it is one thing missing from Fairmont. I suppose FM Gold get access but would hope this is a 2011 FPC Plat benefit.

It's a situation like UDU, if you comp it people won't pay for it. If people won't pay for it the offerings keep getting paired back etc.

FPC is looking at some ways to enhance those who prefer lounge access without moving the masses so to speak. For example, a suite upgrade on the gold floor was handed out in December as trial basis. It was a great success, but no news if they will be offering room or suite upgrades.

My personal concierge has stated that there will be a package of enhancements geared towards elite members who stay quite a few nights at Fairmont rather 1 stay on 1 night. She says based on my profile, I will greatly benefit from the enhancements. She's seen the e-mail that's supposed to go out.. but I really honestly do not have a cue what its all about. So I guess stay tuned.

Lounge access has been the norm in the hotel loyalty programs. Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott all have them. I don't know why Fairmont doesn't. Maybe Fairmont is just not as generous as the others.

Not everybody will flock to the lounge floor if offered. For example, when I stay at a Hyatt, I would try to pick one that does NOT have a lounge, like a Park Hyatt.

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Lounge access has been the norm in the hotel loyalty programs. Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott all have them. I don't know why Fairmont doesn't. Maybe Fairmont is just not as generous as the others.

Not everybody will flock to the lounge floor if offered. For example, when I stay at a Hyatt, I would try to pick one that does NOT have a lounge, like a Park Hyatt.

OT but, just wondering, why would you go out of your way to pick a Hyatt that doesn't have a lounge? I mean.. If you dnt use it, who cares if it's in the building?

Deleted - dupe.

To me, lounge access means nothing.

I won't go to lounges because if I want to eat something during the day, I would rather go elsewhere and pay for it because the choices in the lounges are usually very limited.

I wouldn't go there for meals, it's the drinks I was talking about. :)

Lounge access has been the norm in the hotel loyalty programs. Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott all have them. I don't know why Fairmont doesn't. Maybe Fairmont is just not as generous as the others.

I wasn't aware that SPG had lounge access as one of its perks. Mind you I was only gold for several years, never Platinum there (50 nights - not stays - was a bit too much).

Sigh, another dupe.

OT but, just wondering, why would you go out of your way to pick a Hyatt that doesn't have a lounge? I mean.. If you dnt use it, who cares if it's in the building?
For Hyatt, Diamonds get free breakfast. But if there is the lounge, the breakfast will be in the lounge. I prefer to have breakfast in a proper restaurant.

I wouldn't go there for meals, it's the drinks I was talking about. :)
This is true. If you like the drinks or booze in the lounge, it would be useful to you.



I wasn't aware that SPG had lounge access as one of its perks. Mind you I was only gold for several years, never Platinum there (50 nights - not stays - was a bit too much).
You would be upgraded to the best room which can be a room on the club floor, even as an SPG Gold.

My experience with SPG Gold has been that upgrades are not as commonplace as they make it out to be. For instance the Le Meridien in Singapore never gave any upgrades...

Still, no automatic lounge access there based on status.

My experience with SPG Gold has been that upgrades are not as commonplace as they make it out to be. For instance the Le Meridien in Singapore never gave any upgrades...

Still, no automatic lounge access there based on status.

SPG Gold doesn't do much for anyone, you need to be Plat. to get many extras.

For Hyatt, Diamonds get free breakfast. But if there is the lounge, the breakfast will be in the lounge. I prefer to have breakfast in a proper restaurant.

Ah, well that actually makes a lot of sense! I'll have to keep that in mind if I end up getting status with Hyatt again.