Originally Posted by
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.
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.