Admiral Ackbar

What does having a PhD have anything to do with loyalty programs, although if it impresses you I have one in remote sensing (precision forestry) as well which means I know everything. Being 47 I have also been around a while which seems to be another one of your useless criteria.

yeah my regular upgrades to Churchill and Frontenac suites at the Chateau Frontenac were really slumming it as an upgrade from a Fairmont room. God you are clueless.

tjex

Most Fairmont properties in Canada have gone though massive renovations, with the QE shutting down for 1 year. I'm assuming your colleagues have done mostly the US Fairmonts? I personally have plat with the Fairmonts but also SPG and gold with a few others. Fairmont is by FAR the better program.

Side note, not sure what you bring up the fact that your colleagues hold a doctorate, adds nothing to the conversation and makes you sound condescending.

Jasper2009

Dear Flyertalkers,

Just a friendly reminder to keep this discussion on topic and stay away personal insults etc.!

Thanks,

Jasper2009
Fairmont FPC moderator

rfrost

I am trying to keep an open mind, but, try as I might, I cannot see how this meets either Chris Cahill's stated objective "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" or any of my objectives in choosing a hotel loyalty program.
I've been Platinum with FPC for 6 or 7 years, and have genuinely loved it. Like most of the posters above, I place a high value on the suite upgrades, and have had some wonderful ones. But, as most of my Fairmont stays have been at the Savoy, and as the eastbound TATL flight is far too short to allow anything approaching a decent night's sleep, the FPC benefit I value most is the guaranteed early checkin. It's made a world of difference to me to be able to arrive at the hotel at 10 or 11, get into the room, and go back to sleep for another 3 hours, and to KNOW that I can do so. Going from that guarantee to "subject to availability" (which most decent hotels would do for you anyway) is for me a substantial downgrade. And it's disappointing to know that, having achieved FPC Platinum status again this year with the expectation of enjoying that and other benefits like late checkout for another 12 months, I'll only have them for 6. (I am not disputing Accor d/b/a FPC's right to do so--I think we all know that the T&Cs more or less allow the brand to make any changes it likes. I'm just saying that it's a disappointment to lose a benefit I think I earned.)
I was Accor Platinum for a couple of years. I was treated very well at Accors in Southeast Asia, and not very well at all at Accors in Europe. (With respect to suite upgrades, what I want when I arrive at a hotel is to be greeted--and treated-- as a valued guest, and that applies doubly when I hold top tier status in that hotel's loyalty program. Almost the last thing I want to do when I arrive at such a hotel is to perform an Internet search for suite availability at the hotel and then "negotiate" or argue for an upgrade.)
The value of ClubAccor points was for me diminished by the inability to use them on the less expensive rates (I don't know if that's still the case) and the conversion from Euros in non-Euro countries (they used to issue vouchers in USD, which was useful in some countries in Asia, but that is no longer done). And, like many others here, I found LeClub Accor's "Customer Service" to be rude and abysmal.
I guess the two benefits we get out of this are a doubled term of status (albeit with diminished benefits) without having to earn it again, and the ability to "enjoy" those diminished benefits at a far larger range of properties (most of which, however, I have no intention of visiting). These are grossly insufficient to keep me loyal.

CanuckFlyHigh

What if they are directed towards Accor senior leadership?

CanuckFlyHigh

I will stay in a broom closet when I am on business at a Fairmont. But when I am taking my wife on a trip to make up for never being home, I always selected Fairmont because of all of the perks that would GUARANTEE us a great room and a great stay. Since those perks no longer exist, I will no longer stay at a Fairmont for business. Off to SPG I go.

tris06

Actually is does matter. While you can always think for yourself you should take note is someone who is say 67 years old this year has a lot of experience. I disagree sometimes but I do take note. You might learn a few things next time. They are that old that a couple of them served during the Vietnam war.

I don't think its all one way or the other. But you only want to paint a picture that its only just good good good. When fairmont has or had issues in itself. Yes by these work staff being from the US they would have stayed mostly at US properties. Like San Fransisco as when I asked they showed me some online pictures of that hotel's suites, so i assume that is one hotel they stayed at previously.

I am still waiting Akbar for you to report me and get me banned.... Seems a world of difference between your responses and other peoples responses which are much more well mannered.

And all these comments on bad experience with Accor, do spread your experience. If you had bothered to look you can see all the gift pictures being sent in of platinum welcome gifts upon checking in as an example. I still stand by that the program has improved quite a lot over the past 7 years and is still improving.

I still don't think treatment at Fairmont hotels will change in the next decade. They will have the same staff and so you can expect the same treatment. If you want how about we make a dedicated thread. And i record the next 10 stays just for you (usually about a 6 month period of activity) for every small detail. If its a positive experience with frequent upgrades,welcome gifts, of course all the benefits (late check in or check out) then you should ask yourself why are you not getting the same treatment when staying with Accor?? I could suggest maybe why, but I am sure i might set off a hive nest of Ackbar anger.

Admiral Ackbar

There is no anger, you are just having a conversation with yourself and refuse to listen to anything else than the sound of your own voice. Why would I want to have you banned, I am just vehemently disagreeing with the platitudes you are spewing and the nonsensical 'facts' you use to back them up. You also seem to assume a hell of a lot about people here.

You keep stating you hear this from sources this and PhD that, which part of me being Accor Platinum have you missed? I am familiar with both and stay at both (that with my PhD should give me automagical credibility with you per your previous posts). Night and day.

To stay on topic (apologies but this kind of posting gets under my skin) One additional difference I did not mention was posted above. Things are guaranteed with Fairmont, not so with Accor. May not make a difference to you, it does to me and a lot of posters here. Why are you so invested in defending Accor tooth and nail anyways?

Shenanigans

This pretty much mirrors our plans. My wife has a few more nights this year to Platinum but I don't think we're going to bother. I already have my Platinum for next year so we'll go out in a blaze of glory with the certificates we have left plus the new ones I'll get for next year.

We also had Platinum status with Accor as a result of Amex Platinum and had a few stays in Asia under that program. The benefits for Platinum were, to put it mildly, underwhelming and, no, we were not afforded the upgrades at check-in notwithstanding what appeared to be availability per the hotels' websites.

On the upside, we're hoping to utilize our personal relationships with various VIP Concierges at some of the properties to attempt to secure what we have come to know as "guaranteed" suite upgrades. We are definitely not interested in being subjected to some front desk person's discretion as to whether to hand out upgrades at check-in. That's just not going to work for us.

There's one Accor fan posting here that lost me with the anecdotal stories about how Fairmont suites "are not that great". My one BR suites overlooking the Bow River at the Banff Springs, my Riviera Suite overlooking the Mediterranean and the harbour in Monte Carlo, and my1 BR suite overlooking Lake Geneva in Montreux, as only a few examples, say differently. Some seem to be happier with lower standards. We are not among them.

RIP FPC

JCFans

I agree that first-hand experience is best and second-hand accounts are not that reliable. Being FPC Plat for many years I can also vouch that one of the most valued perks is the suite upgrades. I use them consistently and never let one expire. I will even go out of my way to use them in my own city where I don't need a hotel, which translates to more revenue for Fairmont.

CanadaDH

I'll agree with that. Some of my best value suite upgrades are also at the Banff Springs and Le Montreux Palace. Those suites in Montreux are renovated and decorated beautifully, and the balcony on Lake Geneva makes for a great morning coffee spot. For Banff, I've been given the same named suite at the front of the building every year--it could use a larger bathroom (like many old hotels), but the living room and bedroom are huge and the view tough to beat. But I still think my best use of a suite upgrade is at Lake Louise, upgrading into the Marquis de Lorne Signature Gold Suite twice; once a couple summers ago and another confirmed coming up this February for a 10-night stay.

ptownca

Accor management has shown to me as very loyal FPC member (47 nights last year) that they are completely tone deaf to what made FPC so special. Sad.

tris06

Nothing tone deaf here. I know you spout that you used/use Accor. What I don't get is the treatment you have received and well what I have been getting instead. I had many memorable stays with Accor and if I was not being upgraded over 70-80% of the time i would be getting grumpy. But in the main I am getting it all. I have 4 super upgrades in the past 3 years to presidential suites/penthouses without the need to pay extra but complimentary from just rooms I booked. So maybe if you know it all then you can explain why I seem to do far better off than you do. And no I don't believe I have low expectations.

While I have no plans I wouldn't mind trying out Banff springs. I have seen the pricing and its not that Expensive. In my case i will always book the Gold room as I will want lounge access and quite often i book rooms in Sofitel's with the lounge access anyway like the junior/prestige suite.
Maybe you cringe at the thought of masses of Accor plat members enter the holy ground of fairmont and getting the same privileges. Also there is maybe a reason why guaranteed suite upgrades can no longer work because the membership will be far much bigger. All the best hotels in the Accor group (including fairmont) will get flooded with guaranteed suite upgrade requests. Because anyone with the right mind would only use these suite upgrades at the very best hotels as that is where the best value is..Do I wish for suite upgrades certs? Well why not of course. But i can possibly see a reason as well why it might be difficult to implement or maybe they just offer 1 cert per year instead of the 2 per year?

Admiral Ackbar

I get exactly the benefits I am supposed to get as an Accor Plat. They suck compared to Fairmont Plat. Period.

​​​​​​I must sound like the teacher in Charlie Brown. I give up.

tris06

No actually because your story makes no sense if you are getting upgrades. And Again it is hard to measure someone's expectations. As if I am getting room upgrades worth around 100euros plus per night then that is valuable and I amexcluding those exceptional upgrades I mentioned before. Lets just say you can wiggle and complain what ever upgrade Accor gives you because you have not mentioned what is a decent upgrade or not.

Again I feel you love being the one insulting others.From Now on I will ignore your posts and only reply to more sensible members on this thread.