starflyergold

As of 2 July 2018 the Fairmont President's Club will cease to exist (the same goes for the Swissotel Circle). Both programmes will be folded into Le Club Accorhotels.

What does this mean for Le Club members? You will be able to earn and redeem points, and receive status related perks at all former FRHI hotels. This includes: early/late check in, welcome drink, upgrade (subject to availability), welcome amenity, free wifi. Lounge access for Platinum members will apply to Swissotel (where available) but does not include the Fairmont Gold Service (unless of course booked, including with points). Any stays at former FRHI hotels from January will contribute to your "night count" but no points will be accrued until 2 July.

What does this mean to FPC members? Members will be transferred into Le Club in July. Platinum members will become Le Club Platinum members, Premier will be Silver, Club will be standard members. The "nights stayed" count will transfer to Le Club in July and contribute to status in Le Club. However points will only accrue from July. Suite certificates can be used up beyond July.

sxc

Any details on how Swissotel status will carry over?

starflyergold

Afraid not, the announcement today will hopefully clear this up.

markis10

Accor Plus Update:

Discover our new luxury hotels & resorts

As you may be aware, AccorHotels welcomed Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts in July 2016, to our collection of luxury properties.

The addition of these renowned brands offer members even more choice with iconic and celebrated hotels such as: Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, Swissôtel Nankai Osaka and Fairmont Swissôtel Singapore.


Your member benefits in Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts

Now there is even more to get excited about because, of 2 July 2018, Fairmont and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts throughout Asia Pacific will extend dining benefits to Accor Plus members. You will also receive Accor Plus member rates, earn Le Club AccorHotels Status and Rewards points with every eligible stay, and receive great offers.

From 1 January 2019, the Stay Plus complimentary room night will be available at all Fairmont and Swissôtel hotels throughout Asia Pacific with the same terms and conditions that apply to other AccorHotels brands in the region.

At Raffles Hotels, Accor Plus members will enjoy the recognition and soft benefits commensurate with their status and will be able to earn Le Club AccorHotels Rewards points; however, no Accor Plus specific benefits will be available.


To reward members during this interim period, if you join Fairmont President's Club and/or Swissôtel Circle loyalty programs now, and stay at either of those brands from 1 January 2018, we will add these rooms nights to the total of your membership activity so these also contribute to your overall Le Club AccorHotels status from 2 July 2018.

We remain at your service if you have any questions about the upcoming change.

Thank you for your loyalty.

ContinentalVoyager7

Where is this information from though? I checked my emails and have nothing. Even dropped a call to my contact at Accor Plus and they have not been briefed on anything yet! She herself seemed surprised by the news I gave her.

markis10

ContinentalVoyager7

Oh, Thanks. Talked with my contact and yes she checked with her boss and they are planning to send emails to us within the coming hours/days.

cowism

That's it? I was expecting better benefits for lcah members (ie: guaranteed upgrades etc)

sxc

cwl

Thank you Starflyergold for the post.

My initial reactions from a Le Club member perspective is whilst it is a welcome to finally have a start date for Le Club earning and benefits to start at FRHI hotels what is proposed seems to be the at the low end of what I was hoping for.

For FPC members what is proposed seems to confirm many of their worst fears. A simple replacement of the FRHI loyalty programmes by Le Club with none of the benefits which made FPC unique being carried over?

I don't see a lot of evidence of Chris Cahill's expressed desire "We’re going to merge those two programs, but the intention, the objective and the strategy is that we don’t want to lose the recognition elements built into the Fairmont Presidents’ Club. We’re going to expand those benefits, or the recognition element, into the rest of the luxury and upper-upscale group."

Maybe something further to come in the detail of how this will all work?

My wish list would have included a start date for Banyan Tree and Rixos stays to benefits from Le Club. I appreciate both these joint ventures were announced after the FRHI takeover but hopefully both of these brands joining Le Club will occur sooner rather than later and further broaden the premium end of the Le Club offering.

starflyergold

I understand that Accor a keen for FPC member NOT to be disappointed. Question I have is what is unique to FPC? The suite certs are probably the only part that is truly unique. I gather they are looking at carrying that over in some sort of format.

On the other brands I very much share your views and asked Accor about this recently. Yes they will join Le CLub but they have no concrete timetable as of yet.

tris06

Banyan tree will Have points/rewards and status earning from the 1st of July 2018. Benefits will Also start from the 1st of July minus the room upgrade I was told by Chongqing Banyan recently.

cwl

Whilst I'm not a FPC expert as I understand it (no doubt someone will correct me if I wrong) one area where FPC is superior to Le Club is "Guaranteed" benefits rather than Le Club benefits which are "subject to availability" i.e. upgrade, late/early check in. Beyond that FPC seems to priorities enhanced stay benefits for FPC members more than Le Club. I believe Chris Cahill acknowledged this when is distinguished FPC as a recognition programme whilst Le Club is principally a points earning programme.

I am realistic enough to accept we won't get everything from FPC plus all that Le Club offers into one single programme. What would seem realistic to me and a benefit for members and Accor in terms of marketing would be retaining FPC upgrade certificates for use across the Premium Accor brands. Say 2 guaranteed room upgrade certificates for Gold members and 2 guaranteed room upgrades plus 2 guaranteed suite upgrade certificates for platinum members per annum. Beyond that upgrades "subject to status". Le Club members could then choose to use their upgrade certificates when they believe it really matters and the rest of the time take the current "subject to availability" gamble.

Starflyergold something like this might be along the lines of what Accor have in mind re retaining upgrade certificates?

starflyergold

I don't know is the answer. All I know they are very aware this is a treasured element of FPC and are looking at it.

CanadaDH

Actually we do know the answer. Fairmont sent out an e-mail at 9AM (Eastern North American time) a few hours ago with the details.

The programs are merging in July 2018. Any upgrade certificates earned in FPC for the 2018 year will continue to be valid past the merger date, and expire on Feb 28/2019, just like they normally would in any other year. Beyond that, it's basically just the Le Club program for everyone. So, Mr. Cahill may have said they want to maintain those program elements that FPC members all liked, but ultimately, it's what we expected... just the Le Club program.

You'll see the reaction on the Fairmont forum. The benefit of this change to an FPC Plat like myself, is that Le Club Plat is easier to get, but the benefits are not something we care for. Where I used to have to stay 30 nights at Fairmont to get Plat status, now I can get Accor Plat with only 5,600 EUR in spend, which I would typically do in only 5 or 6 nights of stays. So, basically less need to try to give business to Fairmont/Accor to get status (the good), but also no reason to care about getting it either (the bad).