Any experience with www.pureupgrades.com?
 

Read about www.pureupgrades.com in RyanAir magazine. They claim to offer room upgrades at select properties (not listed on web site) for a £99 annual fee. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks.

Moving thread to Budget Travel Forum
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

"This year's mus have accessory for exectutive travellers and stylish jet-setter"

Why is this in the Budget Travel forum? :confused:

Because it was moved here from the wrong forum, based on Ryan Air, an LCC. LCC threads often end up here, but since this is really about upscale hotels I'm moving it to Luxury Hotels forum.

EmailKid
Budget Travel Moderator

This seems much more appropriate! ^

My thinking is that any program which advertises in the Ryanair magazine is not going to be featuring luxury hotels. They don't list the hotels on the website (they say you have to email them to get the list, why keep it secret unless it isn't any good?), but the display at the top goes through a listing of 7-10 different hotels before repeating. I guess I don't travel much since I never heard of any of them, like the "Chester Grosvenor Hotel" in Chester, England. They also don't detail the TYPE of upgrade you get, it appears nothing specific is guaranteed.

Reads like a ripoff.

From http://www.pureupgrades.com/register.php:

very unclear regarding benefits, and looks like probably more boutique properties than luxury properties.

for example >
http://www.designhotels.com/hotels/e...nkfurt_germany

so kind of like tabletplus ($200) or mr and mrs smith goldsmith ($500), except those memberships are very clear about the benefits they offer at which properties.

I didn't stumble on those T&Cs that kvs found. But they don't change anything.

What value is it to a member that they will limit the number of hotels in the program in each geographic area? I infer that they keep the entire 99 quid and claim to the hotel they will steer more business their way, sort of an upgrade-only "Entertainment Card" that is substantially more expensive. That probably means they won't get any real luxury hotel, certainly not the ones regularly discussed in this forum.

Still sounds like a ripoff to me.

Might work for you if you spend a lot of time in Italy. Mostly 4* properties, and I'm not sure who is rating them:

March 2008

Hotel Roc Blanco 4* Escaldes Andorra
Jolly Beach Hotel 4* St Mary´s Parish Antigua
Viamonte Buenos Aires Apart 4* Buenos Aires Argentina
Baucis Boutique Hotel 4* Buenos Aires Argentina
Tribeca Buenos Aires Apart 4* Buenos Aires Argentina
Tonic Hotel 5* Lovedale Australia
Best Western Premier Kaiserhof 4* Wien Austria
Schloss Prielau Hotel 4* Zell am See Austria
Treasure Beach Hotel 4* St James Barbados
Hotel e Orangerie 4* Bruges Belgium
Metropolitan Hotel Sofia 4* Sofia Bulgaria
Holiday Inn Sofia 5* Sofia Bulgaria
Hotel Nikko Royal Lake Yangon 5* Yangon Burma
Lotus Angkor Hotel 4* Siem Reap Cambodia
Khemara Angkor Hotel 4* Siem Reap Cambodia
Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa 5* Victoria Canada
The Fountain Suites 4* Shenzhen China
The Fountain Resort 4* Shenzhen China
The Fountain Hotel 4* Shanghai China
Kempinski Hotel Boao 5* Qionhai, Hainana China
Hotel Bellevue 5* Dubrovnik Croatia
MaMaison Residence Belgicka 4* Prague Czech Republic
Step Hotel 4* Prague Czech Republic
Aramis Hotel 4* Prague Czech Republic
Residence Retezova 4* Prague Czech Republic
Ventana Hotel Prague 5* Prague Czech Republic
Bohemia Plaza Residence 4* Prague Czech Republic
Hotel Liberty 4* Prague Czech Republic
Prague Imperial Hotel 5* Prague Czech Republic
MaMaison Pachtuv Palace Hotel 5* Prague Czech Republic
MaMaison Riverside Hotel 5* Prague Czech Republic
MaMasion Imperial Hotel 4* Ostrava Czech Republic
Hotel Boutique Santa Lucia 5* Cuenca Ecuador
Domina Hotel & Resort Makadi Bay 5* Hurghada Egypt
Domina Coral Bay, Resort, Spa & Casino 5* Hadaba Egypt
Domina Inn City - Tallinn 4* Tallinn Estonia
Telegraaf Hotel 5* Tallinn Estonia
Three Sisters 5* Tallinn Estonia
Baltic Hotel Imperial 4* Tallinn Estonia
Domina Inn Ilmarine - Tallinn 4* Tallinn Estonia
Strand Spa & Conference Hotel 4* Parnu Estonia
Ammende Villa 4* Parnu Estonia
Hotel Keppler 4* Paris France
Hotel de L´univers 4* Tours France
Francois 1ER 4* Paris France
Hotel d´Aubusson 4* Paris France
Victoires Opera 4* Paris France
Hotel Le A 4* Paris France
Hotel Atlantic Kempinski Hamburg 5* Hamburg Germany
Gerbermuehle 4* Frankfurt Germany
Kings Hotel First Class 4* Munchen Germany
Domina Hotel & Conference Park 4* Bad Kreuznach Germany
St George Lycabettus 5* Athens Greece
King George Palace 5* Athens Greece
MaMaison Andrassy Hotel 5* Budapest Hungary
MaMaison Residence Izabella 4* Budapest Hungary
Domina Inn Fiesta - Budapest 4* Budapest Hungary
Lancid 19 Design Hotel 4* Budapest Hungary
101 Hotel 4* Reykjavik Iceland
Hans Hotel New Delhi 4* New Delhi India
Hotel Shelter 4* Chennai India
Hotel Vikram 4* New Delhi India
Shelter Beach Resort 4* Chennai India
The Capitol 4* Bangalore India
Vikram Vintage Inn 4* Nanital India
Asiana Hotels 5* Chennai India
Corbett Hideaway 5* New Delhi India
E-Inn 5* Bangalore India
Galaxy Hotel, Shopping & Spa 5* Gurgaon India
Park Field 5* Bangalore India
The Orchha Resort 5* Madya Pradesh India
Hotel Tugu Bali Boutique 4* Bali Indonesia
Tamukami Hotel Boutique 4* Denpasar Indonesia
Aberdeen Lodge Hotel 4* Dublin Ireland
Connemara Coast Hotel 4* Galway Ireland
Carlton Tel Aviv 5* Tel Aviv Israel
Hotel Pulitzer Roma 4* Rome Italy
Accademia Palace Hotel 4* Padua Italy
Air Hotel Linate 4* Segrate Italy
Aris Hotel 4* Igea Marina Italy
ARS Hotel 4* Rome Italy
Bagni di Pisa Natural Spa Reso 4* San Giuliano Terme Italy
Balletti Palace 4* Viterbo Italy
Balletti Park Hotel 4* San Martino al Cimino Italy
Barocco Hotel 4* Rome Italy
Canova Tadolini La Residenza 4* Rome Italy
Domus San Francesco 4* Tuscania Italy
Don Carlo Hotel 4* Broni Italy
Etrusco Palace Hotel 4* Arezzo Italy
Gardaland Hotel Resort 4* Castelnuovo del Garda Italy
Grand Hotel Imperiale 4* Moltrasio Italy
Grotta Azzurra 4* Ustica Island Italy
Grotta Giusti Natural Spa & Golf Resort 4* Monsummano Terme Italy
Hotel Bellerive - Salo 4* Brescia Italy
Hotel Berna 4* Milan Italy
Hotel Congressi San Luca 4* Battipaglia Italy
Hotel Cosmo Palace 4* Cinisello Balsamo Italy
Hotel De La Ville Ferrara 4* Ferrara Italy
Hotel Estate 4* Torre Pedrera Italy
Hotel Flaminio 4* Pesaro Italy
Hotel Forum 4* Pompei Italy
Hotel Il Borghetto di Sibari 4* Marina di Sibari Italy
Hotel La Locanda dei Ciocca 4* Grottaferrata Italy
Hotel Le Dune 4* Sabaudia Italy
Hotel Le Sirene 4* Olbia Italy
Hotel Li Graniti 4* Baja Sardinia Italy
Hotel Recina 4* Montecassiano Italy
Hotel Repubblica Marinara 4* Pisa Italy
Hotel Rossini 4* Pesaro Italy
Hotel Vergilius 4* Vicenza Italy
Hotel Villa Pigalle 4* Bel .di Tezze Sul Brenta Italy
Park Hotel Villa Ariston 4* Lido di Camaiore Italy
Relais Fontana di Trevi 4* Rome Italy
Relais Piazza di Spagna 4* Rome Italy
Relais Vignale 4* Radda in Chianti Italy
Romantik Hotel Laurin 4* Salo' Italy
Tigullio Royal Hotel 4* Rapallo Italy
Villa San Martino 4* Martina Franca Italy
Vogue Hotel Arezzo 4* Arezzo Italy
Windsor Hotel Milan 4* Milan Italy
Des Etrangers Hotel 5* Syracuse Italy
Fonteverde Natural Spa Resort 5* San Casciano Dei Bagni Italy
Montebello Splendid 5* Florence Italy
Palazzo del Corso 5* Gallipoli Italy
Santa Maria Novella 4* Firenze Italy
Hotel Lord Byron 5* Roma Italy
Hotel Regency 5* Firenze Italy
Romantik Hotel Turm 4* Völs Am Schlern Italy
Castello di Leonina Relais 4* Asciano/Siena Italy
Grand Hotel Terme 4* Chianciano Terme Italy
Villa Aminta 5* Stresa/Verbania Italy
Abano Ritz Hotel 5* Abano Terme Italy
S. Gallo Palace 4* Firenze Italy
San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort 5* Venezia Italy
Domina Hotel Conference Capannelle- Roma 4* Rome Italy
Domina Inn Malpensa - Milano 4* Somma Lombardo Italy
Parco dei Pricipi 5* Sorrento Italy
La Locanda delle Donne Monache 4* Maratea Italy
Grand Hotel Majestic 4* Verbania, Pallanza Italy
Grand Hotel Adriatico 4* Firenze Italy
Hotel Rivoli 4* Firenze Italy
Hotel Saturnia & International 4* Venezia Italy
Hotel Vittoria 4* Pesaro Italy
Hotel Plaza 4* Mestre/Venezia Italy
Hotel Nasco 4* Milano Italy
Albergo San Domenico 4* Urbino Italy
Round Hill Hotel & Villas 5* Montego Bay Jamaica
Domina Inn Riga 4* Riga Latvia
Century Park Hotel 4* Jounieh Lebanon
Casa d'Or Hotel 4* Beirut Lebanon
Barbacan Palace 4* Vilnius Lithuania
PNB Darby Park 5* Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
The Diplomat Hotel 4* Sliema Malta
Hotel Phoenicia Malta 5* Floriana Malta
Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz 5* Gozo Malta
Terre Resort and Spa 5* Marrakech Morocco
The George 5* Christchurch New Zealand
Hastings Europa Hotel 4* Belfast Northern Ireland
Hastings Slieve Donard Hotel 4* Belfast Northern Ireland
Hastings Stormont Hotel 4* Belfast Northern Ireland
Hotel Westfalenhaus 4* Asuncion Paraguay
MaMaison Le Regina 5* Warsaw Poland
MaMaison Residence Diana 4* Warsaw Poland
MaMaison Parkhotel Vienna 4* Bielsko Biala Poland
Domina Residence Poznan 4* Poznan Poland
K+K Hotel Elizabeta 4* Bucharest Romania
MaMaison Pokrovka Suite Hotel 5* Moscow Russia
Grand Hotel Europe 5* St Petersburg Russia
Mar Hall Hotel 5* Bishopton Nr Glasgow Scotland
The Mackinnon Hotel 3* Isle of Skye Scotland
The Hudson Hotel 4* Edinburgh Scotland
Cringletie House 4* Peeles Scotland
The Sentosa Resort & Spa 5* Singapore Singapore
MaMaison Residence Sulekova 4* Bratislava Slovakia
Woodall Country House and Spa 5* Addo South Africa
Incosol Hotel Medical Spa 5* Marbella Spain
Gran Hotel Guadalpin Marbella Spa 5* Marbella Spain
Gran Hotel Guadalpin Byblos Spa 5* Mijas Costa Spain
Gran Hotel Guadalpin Banus 5* Puerto Banus Spain
Senator Espana Spa Hotel 4* Madrid Spain
Fairplaygolf Hotel & Spa 5* Benalup-Casas Viejas, Cadiz Spain
Hotel Puente Romano 5* Marbella Spain
Hotel Pulitzer Barcelona 4* Barcelona Spain
Hotel Regina Barcelona 4* Barcelona Spain
Ciutat de Barcelona Hotel 4* Barcelona Spain
Hotel Termes Montbrio 4* Montbrio del Camp Spain
Hotel Rural Molino de Santillan 4* Malaga Spain
Hotel El Privilegio de Tena 4* Tramacastilla de Tena Spain
Hotel Almazara 4* Riofrio - Granada Spain
Gran Hotel Son Net 5* Puigpunyent Spain
Victory Hotel 5* Stockholm Sweden
Lenkerhof Alpine Resort 5* Lenk Switzerland
Twinpalms Phuket 5* Phuket Thailand
Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok 4* Bangkok Thailand
Best Western Historical Acropol Hotel 4* Istanbul Turkey
The Marmara Bodrum Hotel 5* Bodrum Turkey
Conrad Istanbul 5* Istanbul Turkey
Al Hamra Fort Hotel and Beach Resort 5* Ras al Khaimah United Arab Emirates
Al Hamra Village Town House 5* Ras al Khaimah United Arab Emirates
Khatt Springs Hotel & Spa 5* Ras al Khaimah United Arab Emirates
The Royal Crescent Hotel 5* Bath United Kingdom
The Washington Mayfair 4* London United Kingdom
The Chester Grosvenor Hotel 5* Chester United Kingdom
The Balmoral Hotel 4 * Harrogate United Kingdom
The Stafford 4* London United Kingdom
Laston House 4* Ilfracombe United Kingdom
Danesfield House Hotel 4* Marlow, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom
Gidleigh Park 4* Devon United Kingdom
The Bath Priory 4* Bath United Kingdom
Hendon Hall Hotel 4* London United Kingdom
Alexander House & Utopia Spa 4* West Sussex United Kingdom
13 Half Moon Street 4* London United Kingdom
Billesley Manor Hotel 4* Stratford-upon-Avon United Kingdom
Brandshatch Place Hotel 4* Dartford United Kingdom
Buckerell Lodge Hotel 4* Exeter United Kingdom
Buxted Park Hotel 4* Tunbridge Wells United Kingdom
Captains Club Hotel 4* Christchurch United Kingdom
Careys Manor Hotel and Spa 4* Brockenhurst United Kingdom
Chester Mollington Hotel & Spa 4* Sevenoaks United Kingdom
Chichester Park Hotel 4* Chichester United Kingdom
Chilston Park Hotel 4* Lenham United Kingdom
Combe Grove Manor 4* Bath United Kingdom
Crathorne Hall Hotel 4* Yarm United Kingdom
Dolphin Hotel 4* Southampton United Kingdom
Down Hall Country House 4* Bishops Stortford United Kingdom
Ettington Park 4* Stratford upon Avon United Kingdom
Fanhams Hall Hotel 4* Ware United Kingdom
Flemings Mayfair Hotel 4* London United Kingdom
Foxhills Club and Resort 4* Ottershaw United Kingdom
Grand Hotel 4* Torquay United Kingdom
Grim's Dyke Hotel 4* London United Kingdom
Hastings Ballygally Castle 4* Ballygally United Kingdom
Hastings Culloden Hotel 4* Belfast United Kingdom
Hastings Everglades Hotel 4* Londonderry United Kingdom
Hawkwell House Hotel 4* Oxford United Kingdom
Hotel De La Bere 4* Cheltenham United Kingdom
Kensington Rooms 4* London United Kingdom
Lainston House Hotel 4* Winchester United Kingdom
Makeney Hall Hotel 4* Derby United Kingdom
Manor House Htl and Golf Club 4* Bath United Kingdom
Norton House Hotel 4* Edinburgh United Kingdom
Oakley Court Hotel - Claire Ryan 4* Keighley United Kingdom
Ponsbourne Park 4* Hertford United Kingdom
Priest House on the River 4* Castle Donington United Kingdom
Regency Park Hotel 4* Thatcham United Kingdom
Rhinefield House Hotel 4* Brockenhurst United Kingdom
Richmond Gate Hotel 4* Richmond-upon-Thames United Kingdom
Richmond Hill Hotel 4* Richmond United Kingdom
Rookery Hall Hotel 4* Worleston United Kingdom
Rudding Park 4* Leeds United Kingdom
Seiont Manor Hotel 4* Caernarfon United Kingdom
Sheffield Park Hotel 4* Sheffield United Kingdom
Sir Christopher Wrens House Hotel & Spa 4* Windsor United Kingdom
Skene House Holburn 4* Aberdeen United KingdomSkene House Whitehall 4* Aberdeen United Kingdom
South Lodge Hotel 4* Horsham United Kingdom
Sunborn Yacht Hotel 4* London United Kingdom
Taplow House 4* Taplow United Kingdom
The Bromsgrove Hotel 4* Bromsgrove United Kingdom
The Chamberlain Hotel 4* London United Kingdom
The Claremont 4* Brighton United Kingdom
The Grand Hotel Jersey 4* St Helier United Kingdom
The Grange Hotel 4* York United Kingdom
Great Fosters 4* London United Kingdom
The Harte and Garter Hotel 4* Windsor United Kingdom
The Lygon Arms 4* Broadway United Kingdom
The Montagu Arms Hotel 4* Beaulieu United Kingdom
The Parkcity Kensington 4* London United Kingdom
The Pinewood Hotel 4* George Green United Kingdom
The Swan Hotel 4* Lavenham United Kingdom
Vale Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort 4* Cardiff United Kingdom
West Lodge Park Hotel 4* Barnet United Kingdom
Whittlebury Hall 4* Towcester United Kingdom
Wood Hall Hotel 4* Linton United Kingdom
Woodlands Park Hotel 4* Cobham United Kingdom
Bovey Castle 5* Moretonhampstead United Kingdom
Fredricks 5* Maidenhead United KingdomL'Horizon and Spa 5* Jersey United Kingdom
Pennyhill Park Hotel and The Spa 5* Bagshot United Kingdom
Dolphin Bay Hotel & Residences 5* California USA
The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa 5* Florida USA
The Tablott Hotel 4* Chicago USA
Hotel Valencia 4* San Jose,California USA

The Aberdeen lodge in Dublin is a nice bed and breakfast, not a 4 or 5 star hotel. The Connemara Coast is a pleasant 3 star in Galway,Ireland.
I can see a few good 4, maybe 5 star hotels in Europe on the list but I think the luxury hotels forum is not the best place for discussion as it might be of interest to many travelling on a mid range budget.

A Dilemma
 

This thread is looking for a good home. Initially, it was posted in TravelBuzz. However, as Ryan Air was mentioned in the OP's post, I moved the thread to the Budget Travel Forum as that is the proper venue for queries re: LLCs
The Thread was moved to Luxury Hotels (I fully respect that decision). On further reflection, I have decided that the OP was correct to post the thread in TravelBuzz and will redirect to that forum.
Thanks all for your understanding
Obscure2k
Moderator
Luxury Hotels

It covers a wide range of hotels and inns. Ive stayed at Gidleigh Park a few times and it was over 500 GBP per night, although that did include breakfast and dinner. Even so, not what I would consider budget level. Also a really, really wonderful place to stay.

I'm not familiar with many hotels on the list, but have checked out rooms in the Victory Hotel, Stockholm. Low end upscale, not close to luxury, definitely not 5*. I would consider Great Fosters in Egham near Heathrow (have stayed there twice but not recently) as mostly high 3*. It's not really that close to London as they state, I wouldn't stay there without a rental car as there is no public transit within walking distance.

I live not far from San Jose, California, and have walked by the Valencia's entrance, but never checked it out -- it would certainly be a hotel with pretensions and might be 4*. Not luxury.

So overall what I can recognize is a rather weird assortment, sometimes not miscategorized but more often upgraded over usual rankings.

Hm, I'm a little late on this thread, but the Westfalenhaus in Paraguay doesnt really look like you can get much of an upgrade. As for 4*... sure, just ask them. Also "ISO 9001 Quality"... I didnt know hotels had this... maybe they dont? :)
http://www.westfalenhaus.com/preise_gb.html
From "Standard" to "Delux" is a $9-21/night difference, so unless you're spending 10+days...