ThWilmesi

I am just debatting with myself if I should join Leaders Club with LHW or Leaders Club Access (300 USD). From the website it is not totally clear what the benefits/advantages of Leaders Club Access are and what really are the difference to leaders club which is free of charge. Do you get guaranteed upgrade or what is the difference. Anybody here member?

Thanks for your responses

bsb21

I am a regular (free) member and benefits are sketchy, at best.

I just called a hotel in Europe and was told that the welcome amenity/gift is a local sparkling wine and fruit (this means a bottle worth 2 EUR tops and 2 apples!).

Their upgrades are also sketchy. They are based upon availability and are strictly one category upgrades. What happens if the next category is sold out? Do you get a suite, probably not.

Also, unlike the Elite Level hotel programs, there is no place to complain if you are not given these perks during your stay.

Right now I am in touch with Kempinski Private Concierge in order to get them to offer me something better than a 2 EUR crap wine for my next stay.

My advice is get free membership and if you like it, you can upgrade latter on. But I wouldn't jump right to the $300 membership, if I were you.

Hope this helps!

Kagehitokiri

id like to find out what kind of confirmed upgrades they offer with access/unlimited.

i asked the same question recently, no response yet. >
http://www.destinationclubforums.com...mited-926.html

all i remember in this forum is people saying they had access, but were not able to really get confirmed upgrades.. (and that LC in general usually was not great, although sometimes individual properties had great recognition..)

racman

definitely not worth paying the fee. I am Leders Club member (free) since the very first years and agree that upgrades and amenities vary a lot. on a recent road show I was also talkiig to a LHW manager who totally agreed the fee memebership is not worth it!!!!!!

ThWilmesi

[[/QUOTE]

Cool! That settles for me it, thanks a lot for providing this answer.

Kagehitokiri

racman, you never had access?

ThWilmesi, do you want me to bump this thread or PM you if i get a response on the other forum?

albie

We've been paid LCA members for a couple years and never got much benefit, so dropped it this year -- the Virtuoso benefits at most of the same hotels are actually better. Plus we got really disappointed by LHW last year when we decided to stay at one of their hotels in Berlin to try a different area, relying on LHW to only have truely top hotels, and the hotel was cr*p -- like a bad 4* at best.

Not sure if this is a global benefit, but AmXPlatinum in Sweden sent a notice last week telling us we now get LCA benefits by booking through AXP travel. So double reason not to pay for us at least!

ThWilmesi

Please PM me when you have a response from the other forum. Thanks

broadwayboy

Any access members here who can share their experience? Is the $100/year worth it? It looks like benefits are identical, if not less than Virtuoso and/or FHR.

Kagehitokiri

all discussion is in other threads.

Raffles

Personally, I would wait until you know you need to book something at an FHR property, and then (if its not FHR / Virtuoso) join up and book. You would get $100 of benefits on a 2-night stay with the breakfast and internet.

pjh981

I can only speak from experience but I'm a free Leaders Club member and have had 5 stays in 5 different properties in Europe, Americas and Middle East. On every occasion, I've received an upgrade. The free breakfast has not always been required - as in many cases I've booked on a room and breakfast basis anyway. The free wifi can save you a lot! (wifi is a real cash cow to many hotels these days). And invariably you get a free gift - a polo shirt, a bottle of fizz etc - nothing astounding but a nice touch.

All in all, I've never asked for anything, but have always received the upgrade plus a little more. May have just been lucky. But I can't see why I'd want to pay for something which I seem to be already getting for free.

Kagehitokiri

there is no longer free membership. a few here reported being comped for 1 year. there was quite a bit of discussion when the new program launched, just recently, and has been more since then.

behuman

Since early this year there appears to be a major awareness among the independent LHW members regarding the Leaders Club. So far I got each time an upgrade and nice amenities. This was not the case in the past.

Also the free internet and continental breakfast are nice touches. And the crown of all is the free night per five stays.

I still appreciate the individual character of a LHW and will prefer it over any big americanized brand like FS or RC.

And for sure I will renew my membership for USD 100 next year should they not give it away for free again.

broadwayboy

I think the best part really, for me, is the 1 free night after 5 stays. Their rates are sometime slightly more attractive than FHR's as well. I might give it a try once I know I'll stay in one of their hotels.