i would say ...a suite was always available, but they decided to don’t give me suite upgrade.

Comparisons between different Loyalty Programmes are interesting and helpful.

But they are easier to follow when comparing like with like.

First hand experiences with Accor Gold (30 nights/x Points which I have forgotten) should be compared with first hand experiences with upgrades at the equivalent status in “many other programmes” and the various types of variables which can impact a hotel’s willingness or ability to reward Loyalty.

Through first hand experiences we can learn to direct our Stays to certain hotels while avoiding others. Certainly I wish that there was more uniformity.

At the Accor Platinum level I can easily say that based on my tiny 18 months experience in just 5 Southeast Asian countries that upgrades more than one category are not uncommon at all although certainly not guaranteed.

So far I still don’t see much difference between Starwood Ambassador treatment and what is happening now that I have the 26,000 Status Points .... depends a lot on individual hotel management/Loyalty culture and other variables ... long/short stay, country, regular/first time guest, record of incidental spending, high/low season, original category booked, luxury/premium or whatever brand, hotel architecture with regard to number of Suites (few or many).

I stopped staying with Marriott at end of March so although still Ambassador have no first hand experiences of improvements in that programme.

Also have a tiny amount of current experience as Hilton Diamond in the same region which seems to equate with Accor Platinum and maybe Marriott Titanium and don’t see much difference between those levels. Hilton will never be my main programme simply due to lack of properties where I travel. Same with Hyatt although I am very tempted by Hyatt due to lots of good reports.

I’m doing a 25 night long stay Novotel Stay at the moment. I did not get a Suite but got a big room on their quiet highest floor with a Staircase to their Premier Lounge one floor below. But what I notice most on recent Stays is that I am meeting the highest ranked management staff member on duty on almost a daily basis and they are doing what they can within brand standards to make my Stay a happy one. I really appreciate this kind of personalised loyalty service. Suites are wonderful when I get them but I am a solo traveler so not hugely necessary.

My next 20 night long stay is at is at a Grand Mercure which I have never been to before. They have blocked a Suite for me and are providing complimentary airport transfer to the hotel. Again, this basically mirrors my Starwood experiences .... wonderful or average depending on the hotel and other things.

i don’t want to get into a debate with anyone about what is the best Loyalty Programme and appreciate hearing different perspectives.

I can only only tell you what I have/am experiencing. And certainly I have had some disappointments in some hotels so I definitely hope for more stringent auditing.

One way to do this is to ensure that hotels do not know in advance what precise date the mystery guest brand auditor is going to check in. I am going to stay very vague with regard to that statement.

Thanks for the feedback, good to hear about your success recently. Indeed what might be the "best" loyalty program might be true for Mr XYZ because of his own stay pattern, level of luxury of hotels booked, desire for lounge vs breakfast vs suites, etc. But the "best" loyalty program might be another one for Mr ABC for different reasons. And both could be right.

The most valuable is to hear of how others are treated as Plat and Diamond and see how that can relate to our own situation.

So far in 2019 my suite upgrades as Marriott AMB are stellar, much much better than in 2018 and prior: 21 out of 23 stays, if I exclude the stays where the hotel was full, stays where I already booked the highest level room, or hotels which don't even have suites (Aloft). So only 2 out of 23 denied me a suite when there was one available, and one of them there was a mitigating factor because I booked two rooms and asked for connecting rooms. I believe this is because in the past as Starwood Plat, I was missing out on some suites because Plat50 and Plat75 got them ahead of me as Plat100 since there was no differentiation. Right now I suspect the Plats and Titaniums have fewer upgrades than before, at the benefit of the Ambassadors.

I am quite pleased with 90%+ success rate which is why if I read of a hotel chain where I will get 50%, breakfast 2/7 days, lounge access yes but few properties with a lounge, etc. then for my situation it does not work. But in different circumstances it might easily be the best program for me, for example if travelling a lot in mid size cities in some parts of Europe. ^

21 out of 23 for suite upgrade are very good result.
I was nowhere near that number.

Your wife is a wise woman!!

ibis style are often even better than mercure and Novotel in Italy and France.

The “problem” with this brand is 1/4 points than Accor standard

To be honest a lot also depends when you travel. With a school age child we can only realistically travel at peak times. I’m Accor Plat with 25k status points but found travelling in Malaysia and Thailand at Easter rather hit and miss with upgrades. YMMV!

​​​​​https://all.accor.com/article_all.ht...made-limitless

accor updated the website for the diamond benefit
I think I will not go for diamond given such benefit and will stick to platinum and shift my stay to Marriott