Hi,

Long time lurker, first time post. Thanks for indulging me!

I was just wondering how you handle if your welcome amenity is not provided.

I have stayed at 4 different hotels in a row over the last month in Australia. I am not going into details but the stays were at Mercure, Novotel and Pullman.

All 4 failed to provide a welcome gift. Not even a bottle of water.

Part of me says that it isn't a big deal. As my wife puts it, "a First World" problem. I know she is right at a level and doesn't change the way I enjoy my stay. I paid nothing extra for it and do I really need a pack of some carrot protein fruit balls. I know at any one time, mistakes are made and the odd miss is going to happen as people change rooms and jump around. Maybe I am just unlucky having a run of stays in a row.

Part of me says this is something I paid for and should be provided regardless. The hotel is saving a dime at my expense and they are probably compensated by Accor to provide the amenity.

I was wondering how people generally handle the situation.

When this happens to you, do you:

a) Decide it is not a big deal and let it slide. Not worth kicking up a stink over late at night.

b) Called guest services while staying and ask for the amenity to be delivered.

c) Contacted Accor after the event to raise their services are not being followed (Mind you, good luck at getting a suitable response from my experience in general).

If people generally just let it slide, does it annoy you at all?

4 hotels in a row didn't provide an amenity? Are you sure your status was actually showing up in the system properly? We're you staying on eligible rates?

What is your status level? I am Gold but I did not receive anything at Mercure, Novotel and Sofitel in the last few months.

I did not even receive a drink voucher at 1-2 properties (well, I showed the digital one, a receptionist did not recognise...).

I did not receive any upgrade either, I don't really expect much at this hotel group...

Good questions.

I'm gold level and yes, they know my status. All were booked via the Accor website.

I know I am not platinum level although should be by end of the year but that seems a little irrelevant as it is a gold level benefit.

All drink vouchers have been available and used.

Make sure to not have DND on during the first hours. Last three hotels have delivered it after some hours.

i have never complained about a missing welcome amenity as I would find it cheap to beg for any goodies, but I mention it in the review (Platinum)

Are we supposed to get a welcome amenity? (Gold)

Yepp, Gold+. it is a benefit according to Accors rules. Thus, properties which don't give welcome gifts break the rules.

Sometimes I complain, sometimes I let it slide. I can't remember the property but there was one that clearly forgot it and delivered to me a basket with 5 or so chocolate bars after I phoned the front desk and said I did not receive one. I don't remember specifics, but I do recall that there were 2 Snickers bars.

Now if you went into details those with experience of those specific hotels might be able to tell you whether no amenity is the norm for those hotels.
There are also other factors such as some hotels are good at providing the amenity but forget it on a Sunday check-in as that must be the amenity deliverer's day of rest.

Multi Year Platinum and now Diamond.

Lower end hotels ( Ibis etc ) normally provide just water, however sometimes they go the extra mile on the "amenity"

Sofitel etc mostly do provide something. Maybe just a selection of fruit ( that I don't want - its in my profile ) or some leftover breakfast or lounge items. Sometimes even cling filmed.

Have stayed at top rated hotels and been underwhelmed, and lower grade and been pleasantly surprised. There is a thread here for the welcome amenity for Gold plus members.

Over the years the "average" has been water, or some fruit ( mostly apples )

The surprising observation I have made is that on staying in some hotels I either get "more" or "less" than other posters on FT.

APAC normally gives more. France well .... we will not comment !

Its the same with the welcome drinks as well.

You can tell when its a "Accor" hotel or just an "Accor doing the least"

TBH I would complain depending on room rate


( 130 nights this year )

Platinum here, 60 nights/year roughly (most in France, Belgium and the Netherlands), would say I do never expect welcome amenities as they are extremely rare.
I usually receive nothing from MGalleries and Sofitels, but the best welcome amenity so far was from an Ibis in Cambridge. Most underwhelming was a single one mini Halloween size chocolate bar on a 2-people reservation in Sofitel Brussels Europe. I'd rather receive nothing if it's to cheap out like this.

I would be tempted to send a "thank you email" to the GM at Sofitel Brussels.
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I�ve stayed at the Sofitel Brussels often and experiences for the welcome amenity have varied a lot. They used to give larger boxes of Neuhaus chocolate but of late despite my status increasing I got smaller ones and last time (mentioned my more broadly poor experience in another thread here) nothing.

I would choose option a) although it hasn't happened to me very much that it's completely forgotten (except at Sofitel KL which I now know is hit n miss so I don't expect it); but one time when I was at a Pullman, the lady said at check-in, "Oh since you're platinum you'll get a very nice make your own cocktail as the welcome amenity", I kinda wish she hadn't mentioned it. Because then yes I went for option b) and called to ask, but whoever I spoke to when I called was a different person, then someone else called me back and by then I was feeling so uncomfortable asking. I mean, I like to get a nice surprise rather than be told I am getting something amazing and then have to ask 3 times for it, so that once it arrives it's a bit ... ahhh, thanks.

So overall now, I am leaning far more toward option a. ... But 4 times in a row! (I'd mention it at check-out maybe to see if there is a legit explanation). idk, sounds very weird to me.