SkyTeam - Sofitel room upgrades for Elite Plus

The Airfrance website quotes the following benefit for Flying Blue Platinum (Elite Plus)

Sofitel

- room one-class upgrade (subject to availability upon arrival at hotel)
- opportunity to keep one's room until 4 pm on departure day

at
http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/voyageurfrequent/flyingblue/fblue_avantages_elite_platinum.htm

But when I try to claim it at Sofitel GuangZhou Sunrich they knew nothing about it which is not so unusual. But now the manager wrote to me saying there is no such benefit.

Does any one know the truth of it and more importantly is this a common issue? Any way around it.

I must confess to being of OneWorld origin and we talk about unpublished benefits - is this instead a published non benefit?

you are right, as this is a benefit still valid AFAIK (although as you said, these benefits are not guaranteed ==> subject to availability). Unfortunately, many Accor hotel staff are very poorly trained about perks of airlines program and even for their own program A-Club, especially in China.
You should write to both Accor customer service and Flying Blue to inform them about this. I believe this is the only way to improve the system. Alternatively, you can also contact Accor Concierge, the company representative in the Accor forum of our favorite web site Flyertalk !

But when I try to claim it at Sofitel GuangZhou Sunrich they knew nothing about it which is not so unusual. But now the manager wrote to me saying there is no such benefit.

Does any one know the truth of it and more importantly is this a common issue? Any way around it.

Unfortunately, I suspect this benefit is no longer offered. Although it is indeed listed on the www.airfrance.co.uk page you mentioned, I suspect that page is out-of-date (it also mentions NorthWest and Continental...) and the benefit does not appear on the FB partner pages for Accor (of which Sofitel is part) at: https://partnersearch.ehn.klm.com/gb_en/partner.jsp?pid=275288&cid=273577&o=0&l=5&p=0&eb=all

Indeed, looking at the FB partner pages, it seems that few if any hotels now give any specific benefits to FB members, other than the possibility to earn or burn miles.

A one-class room-upgrade, and 4pm check-out are still benefits offered to A¦Club Platinum members (see here (http://www.a-club.com/en/membership-levels.html)), but it seems they are no longer offered automatically to FB Platinum members. (There was a status-match offer at A¦Club (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/flying-blue-air-france-klm-other-partners/1182456-status-match-club-accor-hotels.html) for FB members recently, but I think that has now finished).

My 2012 Flight Memory:
AKL BKK CAI CHC ICN JUB KRT MAK MUC NBO SVO TAS

Unfortunately, I suspect this benefit is no longer offered. Although it is indeed listed on the www.airfrance.co.uk page you mentioned, I suspect that page is out-of-date (it also mentions NorthWest and Continental...) and the benefit does not appear on the FB partner pages for Accor (of which Sofitel is part)

it is still listed also as a benefit on the French web site of AF.

Accor Plat is not so hard to get.
Keep an eye on the A|Club forum and there will be some links to free instant plat. (ofcourse for a specific target group but AClub is so lacks they don't check credentials)

it is still listed also as a benefit on the French web site of AF.

Also on the Dutch KLM site. Even for Silver!

Hi Lucky_man,

Thank you for pointing out this issue, which I have taken note of.

I have relayed it to accorhotels, and once I have a response from them regarding this issue, I will get back into contact with you immediately.

All the best,

Christopher




The Airfrance website quotes the following benefit for Flying Blue Platinum (Elite Plus)



at
http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/voyageurfrequent/flyingblue/fblue_avantages_elite_platinum.htm

But when I try to claim it at Sofitel GuangZhou Sunrich they knew nothing about it which is not so unusual. But now the manager wrote to me saying there is no such benefit.

Does any one know the truth of it and more importantly is this a common issue? Any way around it.

I must confess to being of OneWorld origin and we talk about unpublished benefits - is this instead a published non benefit?

The Airfrance website quotes the following benefit for Flying Blue Platinum (Elite Plus)



at
http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/voyageurfrequent/flyingblue/fblue_avantages_elite_platinum.htm

But when I try to claim it at Sofitel GuangZhou Sunrich they knew nothing about it which is not so unusual. But now the manager wrote to me saying there is no such benefit.

Does any one know the truth of it and more importantly is this a common issue? Any way around it.

I must confess to being of OneWorld origin and we talk about unpublished benefits - is this instead a published non benefit?

You are right,
I faced same situation 2 times:
1. at Sofitel Siemriep - reception tried to sell me deluxe room for 30$/night, when i gave them FB Gold card, they said that it not applicable here
2. same thing in Sofitel Silom, they said that it is for points only, but no point credited after:confused:

they said that it not applicable here


I hate it when they say that (everywhere). Just like I wasn't granted perks at some car rentals.

Hi Lucky_man,

Thank you for pointing out this issue, which I have taken note of.

I have relayed it to accorhotels, and once I have a response from them regarding this issue, I will get back into contact with you immediately.

All the best,

Christopher

it has worked exactly zero times for me ... one reason why I am avoiding Sofitels. It's not the fact that upgrades are unavailable, but nobody knows this is even existing, which really bothers me.

Hi cfischer,

Please find accorhotels' response to this particular issue:

"Dear Customer,

Thank you for your kind feedback. Please be informed that the benefits for Air France elite members are no longer valid at Sofitel, Pullman and MGallery and are pending removal from Air France’s website. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences caused and look forward to your kind understanding during this transitional period."

Cheers,

Christopher

it has worked exactly zero times for me ... one reason why I am avoiding Sofitels. It's not the fact that upgrades are unavailable, but nobody knows this is even existing, which really bothers me.