Originally Posted by escape4

Since the disappointing Diamond benefits announcement, I continue with some points redemptions but I have cancelled some Accor cash stays because I will not target to reach Diamond. A couple of examples regarding the results:

- Fairmont Dubai. I was booked in a suite including breakfast, but no Gold lounge access. It was a 3-night stay and for our first night we were scheduled to arrive very late so no chance to use the lounge. I asked ahead of time by e-mail if we could upgrade to Gold but only for the last 2 nights otherwise money is just wasted on the first night. Their answer was no. Also there is no room category higher than the suite so no expectation for a bigger room upgrade (besides Gold lounge access) and they refused to give one free night in a Gold room that we would not even use the lounge. It is their right to do so, but stingy nonetheless. I cancelled and booked at W The Palm instead. Got free breakfast as Marriott Ambassador benefit, no lounge but received upgrade to the Marvelous Suite which is not the entry level suite, but rather than 4th category of suites.... a jaw-dropping 184 square meters! That room sells for 6 times what I paid for, talk about generosity... compared to Fairmont who does not want to give lounge access for one night only when we won't even be there to use the lounge. Cannot regret our choice and W has found itself a new long-term client.

- Fairmont Barcelona. I had a 6-night stay booked flexible. Several weeks after I booked (and several weeks before the stay), out of nowhere they charged my credit card. I sent an e-mail and asked them to refund my card, e-mail went unanswered and I sent reminders several times until I finally changed my request and just told them that in light of the lack of reply I wanted to cancel my booking (part of the reason was the announcement of Diamond benefits too). Finally I got a response with apology, and lukewarm offer for another rate which was barely better than what was available online and I said no thank you. I booked at the nearby SOFIA Barcelona with a lower rate instead, used Hyatt Globalist suite upgrade award for upgrade into the hyper-exclusive Wish suites including Wish lounge access (Fairmont has no lounge). So I got lounge access, free Globalist breakfast, and a suite, all that for cheaper than the offer at Fairmont where I would possibly have had no suite (not sure), no breakfast (most likely), and no lounge (for sure).

Fairmont does have some great properties but in cities with competition, as much as I liked the Fairmonts for example Chengdu, Amman, and Istanbul, I will most likely reap better elite benefits by booking with competitors next time and would only come back to Fairmont in those cities if I am disappointed by what I sample elsewhere. Only the sentimental value of returning to where we had great stays in the past would make us re-book at these Fairmonts, more so than ice cold logic.

I am disapppointed that it turned out this way, but I genuinely gave a chance to Accor - it's been perhaps a couple of years since the Fairmont takeover and they were kind enough to extend Platinum status for a long time which I was thankful for. I was hopeful that the new Diamond tier would fix the weakness of the Accor program with better elite benefits but unfortunately that's not the case, and so far my recent stays confirm that leaving Accor (for the most part) was the right thing to do for my stay pattern, which I recognize different people are in different situation. I will continue to stay at some Fairmonts (or other Accor hotels) in some destinations where there is limited or no competition, but in my humble opinion Accor has put itself at a competitive disadvantage in cities with competition, for elite members that is. Someone without status anywhere can still book very nice Accor properties, the problem is when comparing with generous elite benefits elsewhere, the grass is indeed greener, no doubt about it, except in Asia where Accor benefits can compete.

Sometimes things go through cycles and it's entirely possible that in the future Accor will improve for the better and others will devalue for the worse, in such case it would be foolish to close the door forever!