As others have said it entirely depends a wide range of variables: location, travel pattern, who pays the bills (you or a business) and what level you normally stay at (economy versus luxury). Generally hotel programmes are laced with so many loopholes and subject to availability clauses that consistency remains the main obstacle in all of them. Accor's ALL remains one of the most uneven ones. I would never advise someone based in the US mainly traveling in North or Central America to sign up for ALL. Accor has hardly any presence in those markets. Then again if you tend to have a stay pattern at the few high end Fairmonts it might make sense, not because of the loyalty perks (the few that exist) but merely the cashback option that ALL provides. Also ALL's cash equivalent with no blackout dates makes it more attractive compared to others. In APAC they do have stunning hotels and it is only there where perks can make a difference (lounge access, free breakfast) for Platinum upwards. Let's face it silver and gold are practically worthless.

Does it make sense to chase status? Absolutely not. There is nothing ALL offers as perks that money cannot buy. Want to stay in a suite or a room with lounge access? Book that room and pay for it. Want a nice glass of champagne? Buy one at the bar (a lot more pleasant than having to haggle with ill-trained staff). It might be a lot more cost effective than chasing status (especially if it is your own money). Airline programmes have unique perks (e.g. lounge access or priority treatment) that money can not buy, or at least they used to. Now they are cannibalising everything as pay as you go or through acting as credit card shills. The result? Nothing is exclusive or special but they make tons of money.

There are a few bright spots with ALL and those are some of their subscription services, especially Accor Plus in APAC. If you travel regularly (or even just one long trip) in that region it makes a lot of sense.

Accor came very late to the loyalty game and inconsistency has always been the hallmark of Accor. The plethora of non-participating hotels/brands gives me a headache (even Accor cannot get it right on the website with conflicting information for some properties or even rates), and that is not taking into account hotels making up their own rules (bonjour France) or simply ignoring ALL perks completely. Just yesterday Accor emails me with the headline "Discover luxury without limits" and one property mentioned looked interesting. Once checked I was greeted with:


Luxury without limits? Give me a break! Who makes up this nonsense?

Post-COVID I have grown very tired of having to argue, needing to research occupancy, "begging" for a lousy voucher, or correcting bills because perks (say free minibar) have been charged, none of that gives me a "special" feeling.