Le Club Accorhotels - Bag storing in Etap

I'm ususally an InterContinental Hotel Group (particularly Holiday Inn Express) customer, but as I am planning my trip to France for the next summer, I realised that I would probably need to stay in Accor Hotels quite a lot. Right now it seems to me that Etap is a pretty good option, but I do have one concern. From what I can see on the website, the reception is not always manned. While I know that they have machines that checks-in, I wonder if it would be a problem for me to store my bags at the reception after checking-out and retrieve them later. Do I must retrieve bags stored at the reception during the hours manned, or are there some other alternatives that I should look for? The reason I ask this is because in several cities we are planning to check-out in the morning, explore the city during the day, and take an evening train to the next place. Alternatively, we might also arrive at a place in the morning before noon, leave the bags there and come back for check-in later. Any suggestion is appreciated!

Etap are pretty basic motel accomodations, and not always manned. In this case it might be better to store your bags at the train station, where there are usually storage lockers (larger cities). You will have to pay however. Or you could simply store your luggage at a large hotel near the station; just tell them that your room is not ready yet and you will be back later... Don't know if it bothers you that won't really be staying there.

Etap are pretty basic motel accomodations, and not always manned. In this case it might be better to store your bags at the train station, where there are usually storage lockers (larger cities). You will have to pay however. Or you could simply store your luggage at a large hotel near the station; just tell them that your room is not ready yet and you will be back later... Don't know if it bothers you that won't really be staying there.

I've been reading somewhere that due to security reasons a lot of the train stations in France no longer have storage facilities, so I am a bit worried. Our plan is to use the train as our main transportation in France. I've seen in another forum that Etap hotels are usually built next to another Accor hotel, where the reception can also help Etap customer when the Etap reception is not manned. Do you have any idea if this could work out? On the other hand, I would not think that it is appropriate to store bags at a hotel I'm not going to stay. I also think that they would check for reservation when I store my bags. Thank you!

you'd better ask directly the hotel.

you'd better ask directly the hotel.

I guess that's what I need to do before making the reservation. Do all Etap receptionists speak English? I can speak limited French but I would be a lot more confortable if I can talk to them in English via phone to ease any anxiety of miscommunication.

I guess that's what I need to do before making the reservation. Do all Etap receptionists speak English? I can speak limited French but I would be a lot more confortable if I can talk to them in English via phone to ease any anxiety of miscommunication.

I think that would be a safe assumption.

I think that would be a safe assumption.

Thank you!

You wrote that you are a regular Holiday Inn Express customer. So I would suggest, you better check Ibis or All Seasons (the second will be called "Ibis Style" from next year on). Even regular Ibis rooms seem to be smaller that typical HIX rooms. So Etap (to be "Ibis budget" form next year on) might be a budget step too far for holidays. Staying at Ibis solves your bags issue as well, as reception is run by humans :-). A-Club-points will only be granted at Ibis hotels in France on weekends. But that's the same with Etap (which only will lead to A-Club-points via Mouvango (check the www for the Mouvango-networkbranches in France)).

You wrote that you are a regular Holiday Inn Express customer. So I would suggest, you better check Ibis or All Seasons (the second will be called "Ibis Style" from next year on). Even regular Ibis rooms seem to be smaller that typical HIX rooms. So Etap (to be "Ibis budget" form next year on) might be a budget step too far for holidays. Staying at Ibis solves your bags issue as well, as reception is run by humans :-). A-Club-points will only be granted at Ibis hotels in France on weekends. But that's the same with Etap (which only will lead to A-Club-points via Mouvango (check the www for the Mouvango-networkbranches in France)).

Thank you very much. I've stayed in a Ibis about 10 years ago and my impression was that it was more similar to Holiday Inn as it serves dinner, but I guess Etap is really below the level of Holiday Inn Express. I did see that I can only earn A Club points in Ibis on weekends, but is this still the case if I purchase la carte ibis? In another word, does la carte ibis only give you more points in weekends, or does it also give card holders the chance to earn A Club points on weekdays? Does la carte ibis's 10% discount apply to Etap as well? I've been looking through Accor's website but things really are not clear to me. Sorry if other think the programme is more straight forward than I thought. Right now my plan is probably to choose a mix of Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn, Ibis, and Etap. I found out that there are some Etaps that are physically connected to a higher-branded Accor hotel, and I think in that case bag storing should be fine.

I am sorry, but I am not used to the T&C of "la carte ibis". But just had a look at the french web-site, you might be right: "Gagnez 3,5 points AClub pour chaque euro dépensé lors de vos séjours dans les hôtels ibis" sounds like every "séjour"-day. Have to admit, I never thought of that. But the card is, ehm, yeah, 160 Euro.
But I wondered as well, if - when three brands will be "ibis" - the card will be valid (3,5 points per Euro) at all three "ibis"-brands from 2012 on?

Everything there is to know about la carte ibis is in the T&Cs (page 14):

http://www.a-club.com/en/terms-and-conditions.pdf

I am sorry, but I am not used to the T&C of "la carte ibis". But just had a look at the french web-site, you might be right: "Gagnez 3,5 points AClub pour chaque euro dépensé lors de vos séjours dans les hôtels ibis" sounds like every "séjour"-day. Have to admit, I never thought of that. But the card is, ehm, yeah, 160 Euro.
But I wondered as well, if - when three brands will be "ibis" - the card will be valid (3,5 points per Euro) at all three "ibis"-brands from 2012 on?

Since we are planning to stay in France for 3 weeks, I thought that perhaps the 10% discount, extra points, and room guarantee (so we can be flexible and not book early) might worth it. Of course, I need to carefully calculate all of that before deciding whether to purchase it.

Everything there is to know about la carte ibis is in the T&Cs (page 14):

http://www.a-club.com/en/terms-and-conditions.pdf

I have indeed read the T&Cs before posting this thread, but I still find it unclear. I don't know whether it means that holders of la carte ibis are benefited from earning 3.5pts/Euro instead of 1pt/Euro on weekend stays, or do holders also benefited from earning points (3.5pts/Euro) on weekday stays. I know that Etap (ibis budget) is not part of the programme right now, but after seeing this post by Accor Concierge (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/accor-club/1050733-please-read-first-frequently-asked-questions-faqs-regarding-accor-club-3.html) I thought that things might change in the future.

I have indeed read the T&Cs before posting this thread, but I still find it unclear. I don't know whether it means that holders of la carte ibis are benefited from earning 3.5pts/Euro instead of 1pt/Euro on weekend stays, or do holders also benefited from earning points (3.5pts/Euro) on weekday stays.

Hello,

If you have "la carte ibis", you can get 3.5pts/euro at ibis (the red one) everyday. Some Etap Hotels offer 24-hour reception and have enough space to store bags (Etap Hotel in Paris for example), however, all ibis hotels (the red one) offer a 24-hour reception, it's better if you want to have your bags stored while you visit the city.

Dieu Anh

Hello,

If you have "la carte ibis", you can get 3.5pts/euro at ibis (the red one) everyday. Some Etap Hotels offer 24-hour reception and have enough space to store bags (Etap Hotel in Paris for example), however, all ibis hotels (the red one) offer a 24-hour reception, it's better if you want to have your bags stored while you visit the city.

Dieu Anh

Thanks!