heronb

I made a booking with The Greenwich in NYC and received an invite to join the Leaders Club (at a cost) but after a little investigation it appears that I'd be wiser using an Amex FHR agent as I'll be visiting an MO property during the trip.

I'm platinum free at present and am unable to compare room rates, do they compare favourably with LHW's?

Also how consistant are the walk up benefits of early check in and upgrades for each?

I understand that Amex Platinum has additional benefits and bonuses also but the agent perks passed me by. Seems a no brainer even at Ł450 fee if the benefits are consistent.

CanfordCliffs

Hi, i am an unlimited member, my husband the complementary family member limited member. I have asked at the hotels we have stayed and they have all given EXACTLY the same upgrade to limited and unlimited BUT we do not book our holidays in peak season so i guess for a ski hotel in the school holidays or sun hotel in the school holidays its probably worth going unlimited for the guaranteed upgrade.

We find the 4th night free rather than 5th night worthwhile as we do quite alot of leading hotels stays but thats really the only benefit of going unlimited for us.

Status perks for the hotels we have stayed in have been exactly the same as amex BUT amex doesnt give you a night free after 4 nights!

livefromtuscany

I had given up on Leader's Club completely, but this e-mail coinciding with a 3-night LHW booking (non Virtuoso-property) comes just at the right time:

Receive a Free year of Leaders Club when you complete a 3-night stay!

Limited time offer - book by April 30, 2015

Complete a 3-night stay by May 31, 2015 and receive a complimentary year of Leader's Club membership

To take advantage of this offer, call your local Leading Hotels reservation center at:
00-800 2888-8882
0-800-55-1123
Mention offer code RETRN
Membership brings benefits to
enhance every stay at a Leading Hotel:
• Earn a free night at any Leading Hotel for every 5 stays*
• Room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout**
• Daily continental breakfast
• Complimentary Internet access
• Welcome amenity
• Exclusive offers and invitations

grumbler

Good if you don't have to pay to renew. But ultimately, this is a dying program. What a shame.

Trogger

Why is that?

RichardInSF

Hmm, do I qualify, I just stayed three nights at a hotel that happened to be a LHW? However, I booked through Virtuoso.

pricesquire

Interesting promo, and worth value - if only for the free night.

God, this program is really starting to stink.

Kagehitokiri

agents can book through LHW, like FHR/SLH/preferred/kiwi(visa?)
in order to use 'club' for LHW/SLH/preferred

non-chain properties in europe

behuman

It's not the program, but the consortium which looses all its partners. Remember once all Orient Express Hotels (now Belmond) and many Mandarin Orientals with some Four Seasons were part of it. All gone.

There are still strongholds like Switzerland where the top is really part of LHW.

MikeFromTokyo

It would have to be a new booking made through LHW. I got the offer sent to me too.

Leaders Club is useful for certain properties that do not participate in other consortia.

livefromtuscany

Exactly. That and only that. I would never have bothered to pay for LC membership, but I was happy to take it for free. The complimentary breakfast alone will safe me 150 GBP during my stay.

Agree with the others that LHW has pretty much lost it's appeal over the recent years.

RichardInSF

Thanks, I figured that was most likely the case.

grumbler

As noted by others:

1. Biggest problem is the shrinking pool of LHW properties. Having super coverage in Central Europe doesn't really make up for the fact that offerings in Asia are weak, and even options in NY and London are not great.

2. Amex FHR/Virtuoso is now more consistent in terms of benefits being honoured by properties, in my experience.

3. Even the free night program is tricky because of the various ways stays can be disqualified from counting.

I used to really like the program, but I just don't use it that much anymore and will probably terminate the membership this year.

vhrum

I wasn't in Leaders Club till a couple of years ago, but I've had nothing but fantastic experiences with it... properties top notch, although yes, they lack numbers in Asia. But what they do have there is tip top, and I'm saving up my stay credits to spend at Laucala Island in Fiji ($4k/night).

Kagehitokiri

any agents booked through LHW for clients LC benefits?
curious if it makes any difference in LC/etc recognition

http://www.lhw.com/terms-and-conditions
no longer possible, but i heard it was originally

edit >
laucala joined in jan 2013
redemptions prompted changes