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-   -   Accor buys FRHI Holdings (Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel) (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/accor-all-accor-live-limitless/1730281-accor-buys-frhi-holdings-fairmont-raffles-swissotel.html)

tris06 May 5, 2017 9:28 am

I wouldn't get too upset yet. Maybe its best to ask our rep on this forum with Accor to confirm this promotion offered to FPS if its true that they have been offered complimentary plat membership for an additional 12 months (Beyond December 2017) we should be granted the same treatment or a discount on the number of nights to retain our plat/gold memberships.(Maybe by 50% of the total required?).

The way Accor is going about this is wrong. Sort out the differences between the programs and then dump FPS. Their most loyal members are just talking crap about moving to another chain. In most cases they will still stay at those same hotels as long as the quality of service stays the same. Also keep offering comp Accor plats to these (Feel like saying spoilt children) and its only going to make the Accor program look cheap which is exactly opposite of what they are looking for which is to be seen as special.

gilbertaue May 5, 2017 9:40 am

(BTW, should be FPC... Not FPS. I slipped up in my message above).

IMH May 5, 2017 9:41 am

How very foolish of Accor.

On at least three occasions in the past year I've stayed at an IC or Westin that was located within spitting distance of a Fairmont -- and would have chosen the Fairmont without hesitation if I'd had status. This afternoon we're off to Dallas and will be able to wave at another Fairmont property on our way to a Marriott group hotel (where I have status thanks to being matched from Starwood).

Goldorak May 5, 2017 12:11 pm


Originally Posted by gilbertaue (Post 28270791)
THANK YOU ACCORHOTELS!

Not only did you stay quiet vis-a-vis your own members end of last year when Fairmont FPC members were given a status match to be LCAH Platinum members till end 2017, but now they have been target AGAIN to have their Accor Platinum status extended until end of 2018!

WHHHAAATTTT ???? :mad:
Unbelievable :mad:


Originally Posted by starflyergold (Post 28270844)
Couldn't agree more. A year in and there have been ZERO advantages for Le Club members nor has there been any information on what is in store for us. It almost looks like they lost all interest. For me as customer the FRHI part of the business is completely invisible but meanwhile goodies are thrown at their customers and nothing on our side. God forbid the great unwashed, collecting points at ibis or Novotel, should darken the steps of a Fairmont hotel....;)

Couldn't agree more too...

Jasper2009 May 5, 2017 5:16 pm


Originally Posted by gilbertaue (Post 28270791)
THANK YOU ACCORHOTELS!

Not only did you stay quiet vis-a-vis your own members end of last year when Fairmont FPC members were given a status match to be LCAH Platinum members till end 2017, but now they have been target AGAIN to have their Accor Platinum status extended until end of 2018!

And in the meantime: "Let's let the LCAH members sweat it out in 2017 to gain status. Haha" (sarcastic).

It's great to see how little comes from Accorhotels to their own members in regards to the newly acquired chains versus the communication the FPS members are getting.

And in case the management has missed the point: I don't mind staying at a Fairmont, but why should I if I don't get status matched.

I realize not everyone will like my message, but IMO there's no chance in hell Fairmont will give a free night in a suite plus $100USD in free dining (Plat benefits) to >10k (?) Accor Plat members. Doing so would make zero business sense. If at all, I could see Accor Plat members getting FPC Premier status, which would require paying for two nights in return for getting a third night free plus a confirmed upgrade to a suite during that stay (still an awesome deal).

Whether or not it makes sense to offer comp. Accor Plat status to FPC Plat members is a different story. But I assume most people will agree with me that Accor Plat status has minimal value in itself unless you actually stay and spend money at Accor hotels (and even then I'd argue the benefits are quite meager compared to other loyalty program)

If it makes you any happier, I know dozens of FPC Plat members who received the comp. Accor Plat status, and even that hasn't been enough to entice them to stay at an Accor property. The most "enthuastic" response I've received was "maybe I should give them a shot and spend one night at a Sofitel, though their customer service is mediocre."

Long story short. I think offering Accor Plat status to FPC Plat members may make good sense, but Accor also needs to:

(1) ensure it doesn't alienate its customer base

(2) offer an incentive to stay at Fairmont hotels. IMO Accor Plat members should at least get the following benefits when staying at Fairmont properties:

- ability to earn points
- room upgrade based upon availability at check-in
- early check-in and late check-out based upon availability
- free wifi
(basically similar benefits to what they'd get at Accor properties excl. the few dozen properties with a lounge)

sxc May 5, 2017 5:30 pm

I have middle tier Eleva Swissotel status and my Accor Gold status has been extended to end of 2018.

starflyergold May 5, 2017 5:51 pm

I seem to recall that shareholders were give the tall tale of synergies, integration, loyalty bla bla bla. None of that has happened. Effectively the two sides still run as separate businesses. All this points to some internal struggles between both sides on how to proceed, resulting in no progress is being made on the business and neither on the customer experience side. Pretty poor IMHO.

tris06 May 6, 2017 8:54 am

Well if they allowed ALL Accor benefits (Yes including lounge access for those properties that have the lounges. This is our benefit not our problem its not a FPC benefit.. However you could check in to the fairmont using only your status matched Accor plat card and give up the FPC benifits so you can use the lounge.) for elite guests and earn points/status credits! I would then not care one bit for FPC benefits. (Sorry for the rant part)


Lets be honest Accor has screwed up this integration it seems (I hope I am proven wrong) and this would be an acceptable stop gap (Hopefully fixed by end of 2018).

I still find this attitude (Sofitel treatment is crap), again if your talking about US hotels (Maybe excluding 1/2 decent Accor hotels I heard about)then yes your right.. Thats why Accor bought your beloved hotels!! Because the options in USA are not that great and Accor can apply more pressure on these Accor hotels to do the right thing in the future by having more properties in the same city/area. But go to Asia Pacific and the treatment is far much better and sometimes beyond expectations.

You talk about suite upgrade certs which is only for 1/2 times per year? Well I get upgraded to suites 10/11 times a year (I might only have 15-20 stays each year tops)!
Yes some of it needs encouraging but I get there.

Europe has been harder of course but with my gentle encouragement we have had 80% of the time been upgraded, and even getting suites at Mercure's in UK (2/3 level upgrade) when the hotel was nearly full.

Too many USA centric FPC members (Try Sofitel Legend...none in USA yes...) and you will be usually impressed like we have been at both Hanoi and Amsterdam Sofitel Legends in the past.

IMH May 7, 2017 2:05 pm

I have given the Wikipost a gentle edit, completing a couple of dates so that new readers can instantly see that this merger was announced in 2015 (and assess the worth of Accor's 2016 commitment to keep FT in the loop).

restlessinRNO May 7, 2017 2:37 pm


Originally Posted by Jasper2009 (Post 28273959)

Long story short. I think offering Accor Plat status to FPC Plat members may make good sense, but Accor also needs to:

(1) ensure it doesn't alienate its customer base

(2) offer an incentive to stay at Fairmont hotels. IMO Accor Plat members should at least get the following benefits when staying at Fairmont properties:

- ability to earn points
- room upgrade based upon availability at check-in
- early check-in and late check-out based upon availability
- free wifi
(basically similar benefits to what they'd get at Accor properties excl. the few dozen properties with a lounge)

I agree with the above comments. I'm Accor Gold. They certainly need to allow me to earn Accor nights and points if I'm going to book a Fairmont hotel! :)

Jasper2009 May 7, 2017 3:48 pm


Originally Posted by tris06 (Post 28276099)

I still find this attitude (Sofitel treatment is crap), again if your talking about US hotels (Maybe excluding 1/2 decent Accor hotels I heard about)then yes your right.. Thats why Accor bought your beloved hotels!! Because the options in USA are not that great and Accor can apply more pressure on these Accor hotels to do the right thing in the future by having more properties in the same city/area. But go to Asia Pacific and the treatment is far much better and sometimes beyond expectations.

You talk about suite upgrade certs which is only for 1/2 times per year? Well I get upgraded to suites 10/11 times a year (I might only have 15-20 stays each year tops)!
Yes some of it needs encouraging but I get there.

Europe has been harder of course but with my gentle encouragement we have had 80% of the time been upgraded, and even getting suites at Mercure's in UK (2/3 level upgrade) when the hotel was nearly full.

Too many USA centric FPC members (Try Sofitel Legend...none in USA yes...) and you will be usually impressed like we have been at both Hanoi and Amsterdam Sofitel Legends in the past.

Agreed - the Sofitel Legend properties look really nice and were repeatedly mentioned when I asked what the top Accor properties are (see thread). I've also had some very pleasant stays at the Sofitel Sukhumvit BKK, but my other stays at Accor properties in Asia/Pacific have been rather unimpressive as a Plat (though I'll fully admit I haven't made too much of an effort to visit too many propperties).

Btw, FPC Plat members receive:

- 2-3 suite upgrade certs (upgrade to a suite confirmable at time of booking for up to five nights each)
- 2-4 room upgrade certs (upgrade confirmable at time of booking for up to five nights each)
- upgrade certs can be applied towards almost any rate (incl. free night certs)

Most FPC Plat members very much value the ability to confirm an upgrade to a suite (or better room) on those stays when it really matters to them, but I fully appreciate that some people would prefer the "upgrade based on availability" approach.

gilbertaue May 7, 2017 8:50 pm

Jasper2009 thanks for the comments "from the other side" :D

I think the bigger issue is not "they get, we don't get". The problem is the absolute lack of communication from LCAH's part. One would assume, that the company that takes ownership of a new partner, would at the very least take care of their own members first - or at the very least treat both sides equally - that is currently not happening.

And finally - yes. Unless there is cross-program earning / nights count, it really doesn't make much sense to stay at either property chains.

IMH May 8, 2017 7:12 am


Originally Posted by gilbertaue (Post 28281618)
The problem is the absolute lack of communication from LCAH's part. One would assume, that the company that takes ownership of a new partner, would [...] at the very least treat both sides equally [...]

From a customer point of view things are proceeding rather as one would expect if Fairmont had taken over Accor. In the long term that may be a good thing for members of all three loyalty programmes, as one thing we can probably all agree on is that LCAH is neither the best of the bunch nor the best-managed.

CanadaDH May 10, 2017 1:48 pm


Originally Posted by Jasper2009 (Post 28280841)
Most FPC Plat members very much value the ability to confirm an upgrade to a suite (or better room) on those stays when it really matters to them, but I fully appreciate that some people would prefer the "upgrade based on availability" approach.

That pretty much describes me. Upgrade on availability, no matter how good the odds are of getting it, is useless to me, as that means taking a chance that you'll stay in a lesser room/suite than you want. If I can't confirm a free upgrade at booking, I'll just book and pay for the suite I want. Anything less amounts to playing room lottery with my vacations.

tris06 May 11, 2017 12:56 am

Some Accor hotels do actually confirm the upgrade soon after booking but out of the 30 different hotels I have stayed at I would say only 2/3 did it.

My method of booking is I usually have 2 rooms. What I expect as a min and what I prefer if available.

Quite often the hotel has also offered to upgrade me 3/4 days ahead for say a Christmas special package to transfer my booking on to. It was like 20 USD more expensive for the 1 night (suite price compared to what I originally paid for) plus buffet dinner on Christmas day. They even mentioned that likely the hotel would be fully booked as many local would likely check in at the last minute.

They were right but I had already taken the offer up and had the 2nd night also into their suite.


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