Football Fan

They have lost more than 10 % of their hotels in the past few weeks and months, including all Belmond hotels, almost all Kempinski hotels and almost all Rocco Forte hotels (such as the Charles hotel in Munich and the Villa Kennedy in Frankfurt).

Their promos have gotten worse and worse over time. The Private Sale is now no longer attractive.

I am seriously wondering if I should renew the Unlimited membership at all.

offerendum

It was discussed in the past. For me LHW is more or less unimportant. Only in few cities LHW is the first option and as most LHW-hotels are Virtuoso/ FHR the benefits are not so great. OK, 5 stays brings you one free night, but some Virtuoso benefits are worth more.

submonte

4 stays bring you one reward certificate for a free night (Unlimited membership), sometimes 2 stays only if the Private Sale includes this offer. 3 certificates redeemable one time at one hotel but blackout dates appear during high season at top destinations. Complimentary continental breakfast for 2, but most hotels I know give full buffet breakfast. Benefits given also on award stays. Upgrade policy changed some time ago from guaranteed to by discretion of hotel. Some more benefits.

I have not renewed Unlimited recently but still consider to do so.

Kempinski Munich is also gone by the way. Three years ago LHW had 24 member hotels in Germany, now down to 17.

What is going on?

stimpy

I stopped with LHW over a decade ago, so I'd say yes. It's been done for years.

Kagehitokiri

interesting

2 kempinski - berlin, istanbul
3 rocco forte - berlin, london, brussels

http://www.lhw.com/find-a-hotel 373 (351 + 21 newest)
http://www.lhw.com/collections/new-t.../newest-hotels
http://www.lhw.com/collections/new-t...ip/coming-soon
http://www.lhw.com/press-center

"more than 430" http://www.lhw.com/corporate/company-history http://www.lhw.com/corporate/fact-sheet
"more than 400" http://www.lhw.com/corporate/about-us

MikeFromTokyo

LHW is one of many consortia that can be useful under certain circumstances for the right hotels. It's definitely not "done."

Airport transfers alone are a non trivial benefit at the participating properties.

Some very relevant hotels and resorts, such as The Legian, Rayavadee, and Palazzo Parigi are LHW members, but not part of Virtuoso etc... or FHR.

All of these consortia and "programs" are just part of a toolbox to get value added to hotel bookings. There is no be all and end all, or a one-size-fits-all solution.

r281

LHW have been losing hotels for a number of years now.

It seems they have been trying to change the business model.

There is now a Leaders Club Rate again for some hotels which offers a 5% discount on the best available rate.

It seems that many hotels are now very restrictive in accepting free night certificates.

The loss of the guaranteed upgrade for unlimited members was very disappointing

Also the best rate guarantee seems to have been weakened as well:

Rate Parity Monitoring There will be occasions when rates are distributed through extranets or wholesale contracts to third and even fourth parties, and it is critical to monitor these sites as well. To assist with this task, Leading Hotels has partnered with SuiteStone to provide monthly online rate shopping reports, which we share with our member hotels. Hotels are encouraged to test book unauthorized rates on online, including those such as Amoma.com, to identify the source of the rate, despite the small cancellation fee the hotel will have to absorb. Hotels should always include clauses in their wholesale contracts that prohibit online distribution of net rates without proper mark-up, and be prepared to act on these clauses when a partner cannot commit to keeping unauthorized rates off such websites. Leading Hotels recognizes that in such cases, these rates are not truly available or authorized by the hotel. This is why we announced in 2015 that we will no longer hold these rates subject to our Best Rate Guarantee.

http://www.cpp-luxury.com/ted-teng-c...usiness-model/

http://www.hotelmanagement.net/sales...ue-model-15239

LHW seems to be losing its grip and influence on its member hotels and the contracts are getting weaker every year

scented

Times are changing, travel habits are changing. Younger generations don't fall for hospitality consortiums like LHW anymore, which more of a thing of the past. Many people these days know very well what they want and through social media, for the better or worse, they are uber-informed of what is going on around the world. Companies like Virtuoso hold the luxury flag higher. LHW to me is just a marketing tool, and it seems as if this tool has become irrelevant - people know what they want and are influenced through different channels. They would have been well advised to go down the Lifestyle route a bit more, and add Concierge services, sort of what Quintessentially has done very well. A global partner for high-end travelers, not merely a shiny plate on the door + website.

MikeFromTokyo

I fully agree with that assessment, but still maintain that LHW is at least occasionally useful.

Football Fan

Yes, but enough to pay for Unlimited?

MikeFromTokyo

For me only on an as needed basis, i.e. if I have upcoming stays and the math pencils out well, I'll pay for it. Otherwise, I stick with the base "Access" level.

I would never pay for either status level if I were not confident that I would get a return of greater value in benefits and/or free night awards.

The beauty of paid status is that one can just instantly "join" on demand whenever it makes sense.

r281

I wouldn't suggest that Quint as a good model to follow

pricesquire

While I don't disagree, the fact that the LHW members you listed aren't Virtuoso doesn't really "mean" anything, as any of those hotels can be contacted by an agent who can then get you the identical amenities you seek via the LHW program. (The relationship between Virtuoso brass, individual agencies, and LHW is very strong. I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of partnership springs up in the very near future.)

While most people (especially here on FlyerTalk) say LHW is 'over', LHW seems to be gearing up for some sort of new push towards quality and quantity. Whether that 'works' remains to be seen, but they aren't rolling over/dying as quickly as most seem to think.

submonte

The Leaders Club program / LHW business model is the reason why I started some years ago to stay more regularly at luxury hotels that are not part of the big hospitality chains.

I have "grown up" the past 20-25 years with loyalty programs such as HH, MR, PC, with points earning and redemption schemes, room upgrades, mostly complementary breakfast, other benefits upon status.

Over the years with growing personal expectations and opportunities I got to a point where I was not always satisfied anymore with the limited luxury options of the hospitality groups like Hilton or IHG who operate those programs.

LHW offered me what I was used to, a loyalty program with (immediate!) status (seems the hospitality industry sucessfully shaped me ), plus a wide choice of many top luxury hotels worldwide, all in one booking system, individual properties of highest quality, and with the brand promise of one luxury quality standard, "The Leading Hotels of the World".

They have done a good job. They conveyed the world of luxury hotels to me. I immediately understood their business model and loyalty scheme. The Virtuoso scheme I do not understand till today, I think it is nothing that I am used to.

The USD 150 (Access) or USD 1200 (Unlimited) pay off easily. I will prolongate Unlimited.

stimpy

Me too, but I'll add FHR CTS and R&C Club 5C. When I want to stay at a Luxury hotel, I'll try FHR (covers all the MO and FS properties, etc. as well as many small non-chain properties), or R&C, or one of the luxury options within SPG, Hilton, Marriott/Ritz, IC, Hyatt, etc. LHW just isn't necessary anymore and hasn't been for over a decade. For me anyways.