ung1

Don't know if anyone else noticed this but the free massage at Holmes Place spa when qualifying for Gold is now gone. One less reason to travel via Athens (the gym is not very nice).

l380

You are right
My account was renewed in November and I got the spa treatment. But my girlfriend's account, which was renewed in March, didn't.
Do you know which spa treatment was offered anyways? Any review on that?

blackball

Wait, I just re-qualified before my November deadline, but I have no new coupons showing up.

I expect this is normal- the new coupons (e.g. business upgrade) should not show up until Nov. 24th-25th, otherwise I'd be able to use them in this re-qualification year (which clearly shouldn't be possible).

So are you sure this isn't the same for you guys?

ung1

Well I used my coupon in September for last year. Then I re-qualified after that trip (before November). Now I've already re-qualified again a couple months ago. I didn't pay attention to whether it was available between November and when I requalified, but either way there is one missing coupon.

It was a half hour massage, choice between legs or back (but more like full body with a focus on one area) which was very nice, worth about 30 euros.

blackball

OK, sounds weird. I've never used my coupons, but when I re-qualified last year, I got a new one valid until Nov. 2017 (as expected). So there's no reason you don't have one in your account right now... Maybe give them a call and ask.

By the way, the current year's coupon is slightly different (?) than what you describe:

"Free access for 7 consecutive days Studio classes, swimming pool or gym and access to jacuzzi or hamam for 7 consecutive days, for you and another person plus 1 Spa massage."

l380

I have never used my coupon for the 4+ years. Guess I will try it this year before it's gone!

This is this year's coupon:

Free access for 7 consecutive days
Enjoy free access to studio classes, swimming pool or gym and jacuzzi or hamam for you and another person.

nk15

Why does a 30-min massage in Greece still cost 30 euros, it should be cheaper than this when a doctor's visit is less, and an hour massage in Thailand is 6 euros.

ung1

Exactly, before you had the one week gym membership for 2 pax, plus a 30 minutes massage treatment for one person. Now the massage is gone. I still see this one, but in my opinion this is useless. To be staying relatively close to where the gym is, you are probably at a hotel, which has a gym. If it was access to a gym/ spa at a Park Hyatt (eg Shanghai) that would be nice, but I went to the gym at Holmes Place once and didn't go back.

ung1

This is in the center of Athens where everything is expensive...

NWIFlyer

A massage in a probably private room in an upmarket spa in Thailand would be a lot more than €6. In London it would probably be considered a bargain! Wages and costs are an awful lot different throughout the world ...

nk15

It is 15 euros in Thailand for a private room with massage oils. For one hour. In the US it is $100-200/hour. But for the state Greece is in 30 euros for 30 min is a lot, when starter monthly salaries are 450 euros and MDs charge 25-30 euros per visit. It is still cheap, but it can be a lot cheaper.

So A3's "perks" basically worth nothing, not even a 30 euro massage. And even then only a fraction of fliers would have used it. I wouldn't have bothered going down there for a 30min 30 euro massage.

NWIFlyer

I think you probably misunderstand the purpose of these "perks". They're not something A3 is paying for, they're what the hotel/spa is prepared to offer to entice people in as a paying customer on subsequent occasions, because they believe A3's Gold members match their intended demographic. I would actually say there's more useful vouchers still with A3 than the much bigger BA FFP, so they're hardly worthless compared to others in the market sector.

If the hotel has decided this loss leader strategy isn't working for them and withdraws the offer, there's not much A3 can do. Maybe it'll be replaced by something else, maybe not - but given the main purpose of a FFP is for, well, flying, I for one am not going to get too upset about it.

blackball

Remember, Holmes Place is an upmarket brand. They're expensive- all over the world.

I also don't see this particular perk as being very useful. The same is true for the other discounts for the various hotels/restaurants- they feel more like promotions for these businesses.

And don't get me started on the parking coupons... Almost worthless.

nk15

I understand, and I am fine with the program, but they just have a whole section of worthless coupons over there.

As for the massage place, I don't know what they are thinking or what world they live in. I think the incentive was just too weak for anyone to bother, and the prices slightly too high to justify going that distance. You can probably find cheaper massage next to you.

ung1

Sure, and I think the problem is partly that at least the typical leisure traveler is not spending several days in Athens. Yes, maybe I would have experienced the free massage and gone back for another (paid one) since I was there. In fact, when I went, they were fully booked but luckily had a cancellation.