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Accor Hotels (Sofitel, Novotel, Ibis and many, many more) has announced an enhancement for top-tier Platinum members of its LeClub loyalty scheme. In the Asia-Pacific region only, Platinum members plus one registered guest will receive complimentary breakfast. The following announcement is now live on the dedicated Accor page:
HOTELS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION WITH AN EXECUTIVE LOUNGE OFFER BREAKFASTS TO PLATINUM MEMBERS IN THE EXECUTIVE LOUNGE, SUBJECT TO HOTEL’S LOUNGE CONDITIONS AND HOURS OF OPERATION AT TIME OF STAY. FOR THE FOLLOWING HOTELS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION WITHOUT AN EXECUTIVE LOUNGE, BREAKFAST WILL BE OFFERED TO LE CLUB ACCORHOTELS PLATINUM MEMBERS (AND REGISTERED GUESTS STAYING IN SAME ROOM) AT THE HOTEL’S RESTAURANT, SUBJECT TO RESTAURANT’ CONDITIONS AND HOURS OF OPERATION AT TIME OF STAY.
If the hotel has an executive lounge, you will be offered breakfast on the house in the lounge only. Hotels without an executive lounge will offer free breakfast in the restaurant.
Click here for Accor’s list of properties with lounges and those now offering free breakfast in the restaurant.
Bottom line
Although this is undoubtedly a welcome enhancement to the Le Club Accorhotels loyalty scheme, it is disappointing that the benefit is only offered in the Asia-Pacific region. After all, the likes of Hilton and Marriott offer complimentary breakfast to their mid-tier elite members across the world (with some exclusions)… Let’s hope Accor will roll this out to the rest of the world in the near future, but maybe that’s just my wishful thinking.
It is also interesting that Platinum members will only receive free breakfast in the executive lounge (if the hotel has one). The choice of buffet items will often be more limited than in the main restaurant, reducing the benefit effectively to a ‘breakfast light’ . Make sure you check on the dedicated Accor page before you book, so you know what to expect.
On the plus side, Accor is offering this benefit to the member plus one registered guest. Remember that Radisson Rewards (the old Club Carlson) restricts the free breakfast benefit to the elite member only, giving hotels the option to charge the second registered person.
Welcome move, nonetheless.
Now, how do I get my Platinum status?
It’s actually very tricky these days (it used to be absurdly easy) unless you stay with Accor a lot. They might relax things again though at some point. Weirdly, my account is still showing as Platinum even though it should have expired (or at least soft-landed to Gold) at the end of last year – I think I only had 1-2 Accor stays in 2017.