Looking forward to a staycation / city break? Accor has a choice of over 100 hotels to choose from in
Australia and New Zealand in their Black Friday sale.
Accor APAC Members receive early access to the sale. Register & book before 25 November to get 30% off the
price of their stay and earn 2X Reward points. Accor Plus members receive an additional 10% off.
The member-only sale ends midnight on 25 November 2021, and public access starts 26 November and ends 1 December
2021.
Stays must be completed between 01 December 2021 & 28 February 2022.
.
Further T&C's apply.
Read More…
GHA makes new Discovery
GHA flagged the revamp of its loyalty program Discovery in September. With its December launch under the new branding of GHA
Discovery now
imminent, details are starting to emerge.
The main changes are:
1) the move towards a points earning system.
2) the Discovery experiences will now be able to accessed at all status tier levels. 3) you
won't have to book flights or nights to enjoy your membership. The new DISCOVERY will offer exclusive benefits both with or without a
stay.
Previously,
key differentiators from other hotel loyalty programs were the absence of points and tier level based on stays being rewarded for upper tier members by tailored travel experiences, rather than discounted or award stays. So this is a major change in philosophy by
the group.
Points earning will be in the form of "Discovery Dollars" or D$.
From their very first stay, members will earn D$ at 4% to 7% (depending on tier status) of their total bill and D$1 = 1
USD, so the value is clear. D$ will be able to be spent flexibly across the hotel, toward spending on a room, dining, spa or golf.
Members simply apply their D$ as a form of payment at check-out.
So the revised Discovery program has some similarities with Accor's ALL - a fixed redemption rate (value of USD 1 or EUR 1
respectively) and a fixed earning rate that increases with tier status (4% to 7% depending on tier status).
Tier qualification requirements will also change.
An additional tier level is being introduced (from Gold, Platinum & Black to Silver, Gold, Platinum & Titanium). Qualification will
be based on either Nights/Stays, spending or number of brands stayed at. The latter looks to be the easiest route to top tier status:
Gold – Stay 2 times or spend $1,000
Platinum – Stay 10 nights, spend $5,000 or stay at 2 brands
Titanium – Stay 30 nights, spend $15,000 or stay at 3 brands.
Previously, the 2 top-tier members received complimentary Local Experiences with their stays (different Local Experiences depending on tier
level. Now, all members will have the option to choose to redeem D$ for them (D$100 for what was a Platinum-level
experience or D$200 for a Black-level experience), or apply their D$ on other items. In Australia, the GHA brands include Atura, Avani,
Oaks, Pan Pacific, ParkRoyal, QT and Rydges, with the more leisure-based Oaks being the most plentiful. In total there are 117
hotels
to choose from.
Travellers to Asia will fare best, as there are 142 hotels under the brands of Anantara, Araiya, Avani, Capella, Kempinski,
Leela, Marco Polo, NUO, Niccolo, Pan Pacific & ParkRoyal.
Options in the US with 14 locations are more limited, under the brands of Meritage,
Outrigger, Pan Pacific, Viceroy & Doyle Collection.
UK travellers may find it even more limited, as the brands there are currently limited to Corinthia, Pan Pacific, Doyle Collectiion
& Campbell Gray in a total of 7 locations.
GHA Discovery has not yet communicated what benefits loyalty program members at each tier will receive. Further details will be released
soon, particularly in regard to benefits usable without a stay.
Whether or not status-matching from other programs will be possible is yet to be revealed.
Stay tuned!
4X boost for your AeroMexico Club Premier points with nH Hotels stays
4x Club Premier points for stays at NH Hotels Worldwide. Simply choose Club Premier as your earning preference when you book
online at NH Hotels for destinations like the NH Plaza Collection Santiago (pictured).
AeroMexico is a member of the Skyteam alliance (which includes Delta, Air France/KLM, Argentinian Airlines and Garuda Indonesia.
Bookings must be made by 30/11/2021 for stays between 23/11/2021 and 31/03/2022 both inclusive. Additionally, these
bookings must be made at least 7 days before the check-in date.
Participating hotels included in the promotion of hotels
* The Americas - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, USA, Mexico, Uruguay; and main
* Europe - Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome Munich, Lisbon, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Porto, Vienna,
Nice.
During November 10 to 16 the hotels belonging to NH Collection México do not participate in the present
promotion.
The NH Collection Mexico City Airport T2 hotel is excluded from the promotion.
Buy Hyatt Bonus Points at 30% off
World of Hyatt is quietly having a sale on bonus points.
Purchase at least 5,000 points per transaction to receive a 30% price discount, which is equivalent to
receiving 42.9% bonus.
The effective price you will pay is USD 16.38 per thousand points, which is slightly better than our estimated fair value of USD 17.00, so you should comfortably find good value redemptions opportunities.
The maximum number of points you can purchase in a calendar year is 55,000. This is more than enough for 2 nights in a luxury category 6 hotel (St James Hotel & Club or Dukes in London, or Hyatt Union Square or The Beekman in NYC).
This promotion ends 11:59 pm on 30 December 2021,so
buy your Hyatt points now(advertiser). May make a nice present for the festive season...
Accor & Qantas commence their dual earning alliance
Today marked the launch of the "crossover" alliance between the Accor Live Limitless and Qantas Frequent Flyer programs.
Under their agreement, you must be a member of both programs, then you can earn points under both programs:
1) from Qantas flights around the world if they hold at least either ALL Gold or QFF Platinum tier status; 2) from stays at Accor properties, regardless of tier status, but only for stays in the APAC region.
Two Scottish hotels join WorldHotels, with a new one in Phuket slated for end--2022.
WorldHotels announced today the addition of three new hotels to the brand’s global portfolio. It has expanded its presences in Scotland by
the addition of the Kingsmills Hotel and Ness Walk Hotel in Inverness, to WorldHotels’ Elite and Luxury collections,
respectively. In addition, Layan Green Park in Phuket, Thailand will become part of WorldHotels’ Distinctive collection.
Situated in the Scottish Highlands, the Kingsmills Hotel features luxurious accommodations, two stunning indoor restaurants and a heated
outdoor Garden Restaurant. The Kingsmills Hotel is also located near five of Scotland’s world-class golf courses,
allowing guests to easily access the country’s national game.
Ness Walk is an idyllic five-star retreat just a short distance from Loch Ness. Originally constructed as a 19th century
house, it is situated near the North Coast 500, a 516-mile journey set in the Scottish Highlands that provides magnificent
views of Scotland’s landscape and lochs.
Guests will be have convenient access to be able to enjoy the stunning Scottish scenery, golf courses and whiskey distilleries, plus more.
In addition to WorldHotels’ growing presence in Scotland, the brand has added Layan Green Park in Bangtao Beach in Phuket, Thailand. The
hotel is scheduled to open its doors in December 2022 and will be a four-star property located in Phuket, one of the world’s top vacation
destinations.
WorldHotels is owned by Best Western. You can redeem BW Rewards points for stays at both the Kingsmills
Hotel (12,000 per night) and Ness Walk Hotel (28,000 per night).
Six Senses Ibiza - anti-ageing program in a luxury spa retreat
Six Senses Ibiza (pictured) is the first sustainable BREEAM certified resort and residential community in the Balearics, occupying a breathtaking position in Xarraca Bay. It has teamed with RoseBar to
offer a residential anti-ageing health & wellness program.
At the time of writing, prices per night were from EUR 595 in early December 2021 and EUR 925 in mid-June
2022, including airport transfers. Alternatively, in both cases, 150,000 IHG Rewards points.
If you buy
IHG Rewards
during a promotion, you could enjoy a wonderful, luxury break to invest in your personal health & wellness - possibly the best
investment you can make!
IHG Rewards extends Elite Status & Points expiration
Once again, IHG Rewards is extending the elite status that members earned in 2019. This time the extension is good until February 2023.
Previously, elite statuses were extended through January 2022.
In addition, IHG is extending some free night certificates and its pause on the expiration of points until 31 December 2022.
Bonvoy bonus points promotions - 45% bonus when you buy
Bonvoy members receive a 45% bonus when you buy or gift 2,000 or more points now through 8 December, 2021.
This
equates to a price of USD 8.62 per thousand. Still higher than our valuation of USD 7.50 per thousand, but a
relatively cheap opportunity for small quantities to top up a balance to get you your next planned stay. T&C's apply, which are shown
when you login to your account and buy Bonvoy points through the manager
of the Bonvoy program.
Bonvoy members can soon be "putting on the Ritz" at sea! .
Marriott Bonvoy has announced that the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection joined the Marriott Bonvoy program, effective from 9 November 2021.
Bonvoy members will be able to earn and redeem points for voyages and associated hotel stays from 6 May 2022 when
booked through Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
This is a unique option for Bonvoy members. Voyages at the Ritz-Carlton level will be reminiscent of the hey-days of luxury
cruising. Is it a valuable benefit for Bonvoy members?
Read More…
Accor extends ALL points expiry...another 12 months
Accor has announced a further extension for the expiry of its ALL members points.
Back in March this year, ALL points expiry was extended to 15 December 2021. Ths has now been further extended to 15 December 2022
This complements the tier status extension that was announced in October (also to December 2022).
A welcome development for Victorians, who have just come out of lockdown and in time for summer breaks. Also for members in the
Americas, where Accor's footprint is smaller and there is less opportunity to earn points to extend the life of accrued points.
Hyatt acquisition positions it as leader in all-inclusive resort
Hyatt yesterday confirmed that it has comp[leted the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group (ALG).
1) Hyatt is doubling its global resorts footprint through the addition of ALG’s AMR Collection brand portfolio,
which comprises approximately 100 hotels and resorts operating in 10 countries.
2) Hyatt now offers one of the largest collections of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the world, including new
destinations
for Hyatt such as Acapulco, Curaçao, the Canary Islands, Menorca and St. Martin.
3) Hyatt has added properties in 11 new European markets and expanded its European brand footprint by 60%.
In addition there are
Unlimited Vacation Clubby AMR™ Collection, an exclusive membership club whose members enjoy preferred
rates and other benefits at participating AMR Collection properties
ALG Vacations®, one of the largest packaged vacation providers and leisure travel distribution platforms in North America
serving the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The acquisition boosts Hyatt's presence in areas in key markets, boosting benefits and attractive destinations for World of Hyatt members.
What remains to be seen is the integration into the program and the points costs. Hyatt has been successful in integrating SLH properties
(which are not part of Hyatt owned subsidiary), so we anticipate this should go smoothly.
i Prefer offering TopTier status for stays before year-end
i Prefer is running a Where Next 2021 campaign for travelers keen for a break before year-end.
If you book and stay of at least 2 nights prior to 31 December, you receive
1. daily breakfast for 2;
2. upgrade to Elite Member (top tier) status for the duration of your stay; and
3. a travel experience unique to the hotel of your choice.
Fairmont announces offers showcasing links between its sustainable properties & nature
Since its creation in 1907, Fairmont has developed magnificent destinations from the big city sights of New York to the spectacular
landscape of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.
Fairmont was the first luxury hotel brand to adopt a global sustainability program (now incorporated into Accor’s dedicated program, Planet
21). Today,
Fairmont has a portfolio of over 80 properties where sustainable development has been a key element.
With this campaign, the brand reveals breathtaking images that connect natural landscapes to Fairmont destinations in the desert,
the mountains and tallgrass prairies.
Over the coming months, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts around the world will unveil “The Grandest of Escapes Exclusively by Fairmont”
- a series of offers that through a series of "unique and exciting experiences that will breathe new life into adventurers’ souls and
the need to reconnect with nature”.
Accor ALL members and Fairmont fans should keep their eyes peeled for future announcements…
Marriott (again) extends elite status, Free Night Awards & other elite perks
Despite the closet points devaluation associated with a move to dynamic pricing, it's not all bad news coming from Marriott Bonvoy.
Points Expiration — paused through 31 December 2022. At that time, your points will only expire if
your account has been inactive for at least 24 months. Diarise to buy the minimum points required to "refresh" them then.
Elite Status extended -—Your 2019 earned status, already renewed through February 2022, or your 2020 status, will be
extended through February 2023.
Suite Night Awards with an expiration date of December 31, 2021, will be extended for an additional six months —
to 30 June 2022.
Free Night Awards — also extended to 30 June 2022. From early 2022, you will be able to add points to your FNA
to redeem for higher value, providing greater redemtion flexibility.
Nice and welcome changes given the lack of travel due to covid-19......but only temporary.
It has just announced that the Bonvoy program will move from award tables to dynamic pricing for award stays, where the amount of points you
pay is based on the demand and cash price of the room.
While the devil is in the details (which haven't yet been fully released), this is similar to the pricing model used in Hilton Honors
and IHG Rewards.
Thankfully, the change isn't immediate. For details...
Read More…
Hyatt members can earn 1,000 bonus AA miles per stay.
World of Hyatt members can earn 1,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles per qualifying stay for a limited time.
The offer varies slightly by region, but you must be a member of both World of Hyatt and American Airlines AAdvantage and register for the
offer using both membership numbers.. The differences are:
* 130 hotels in 30+ countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa and India participating. You must
complete your qualifying stays by December 19, 2021
* 190 US
Hyatt properties participating and you must register by 15 December and qualifying stays must occur between 1
November, 2021, and 31
January, 2022.
You can see the lists of participating hotels after you register. Read on for more
details on the offer
targetted for you and T&C's.
Hyatt peak/off-peak pricing preparing to launch - Act NOW
Hyatt peak/off peak pricing is about to launch. This change was announced in December 2019, but implementation was deferred in March
2021 and again later due to the impact of the global covid-19 crisis.
Hyatt will enact these changes on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. If you have been meaning to book a Hyatt property,
it may be time to do it now, rather than later. Details and suggested strategies remain the same as when we first looked
at Hyatt peak/off peak pricing in detail.
In summary:
peak pricing will only affect nights starting 1 March, 2022.
Award stays will remain at the Standard rate for nights stayed through 28 February, 2022.
The new structure applies to all award nights, regardless of room type.
Points + Cash awards will also use the Hyatt off-peak and peak pricing.
Free Night Award certificates, which are category based, will not be affected by these changes. These
certificates are earned either though holding a branded credit card or Milestone Rewards.
Australian members of ALL can earn 3x the normal number of points when renting a car through Hertz.
Book before 30 November and rent before 15 December 2021 to enjoy:
* 15% off the base rental rate
* triple rewards points.
When you make your booking you must quote:
CDP
code: 840267 PC code: 203530 and provide your ALL membership number.
Read more to go to the Hertz site to make your booking.
Read More…
Accor changes rules so ALL points are now easier to retain
Good news for Accor Live Limitless (ALL) members.
Now any points earned will extend the life of all your points.
Previously points expired after 365 days unless you had made an eligible stay or participated in the Accor Dining
Offer.
Points may be earned from stays, shopping with retailers on the Accor portal, using one of their partners' products (eg car rental with
Europcar or Hertz) or dining in one of the many participating restaurants, bars and cafes.
500 Good Reasons to try new Hyatt hotels
World of Hyatt members can earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at new Hyatt hotels around the world this year,
within the first few months of opening.
Earn 500 Bonus Points for qualifying nights at new hotels during specified offer periods
There’s no need to register and you can earn on top of other offers.
Currently there are 26 hotels participating in this offer, with differing offer periods and more are being added.
Pictured is the patio at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, one of the participating hotels.
For the 6th year in a row, Hilton has been recognised as one of the world's top 25 workplaces.
Hilton ranked #3 on the 2021 Fortune Magazine / Worlds Best Workplaces awards announced today and remains the only
hospitality company on the list.
Congratulations to Hilton, its managers and team members !
For travellers, my experience is that happy employees result in exceptional service. To experience this yourself, take
advantage of the latest Hilton Honors promotions.
Get some sun on your bones! Escape the winter blues with a holiday at a resort in sunnier climes.
We look at a smaller chain and Iberostar Horizons, its simple to use loyalty program to see what it can do for you.
Read More…
Embrace the Unforgettable - earn EXTRA POINTS for stays with Marriott brands
For Australian Bonvoy members, Marriott has launched a new promotion whereby members can earn extra points per stay.
You must register first, then you can earn an extra 1,500 points for each stay at a Marriott property, or 3,000
points
for stays at the newly launched All-inclusive by Marriott resorts.
You must register by 28 November, 2021 then book for stays between now and 12 December, 2021.
Hilton Honors has launched its latest promotion, where you can purchase up to 160,000 points and they will match it 1 for 1 with
100% bonus points.
This offers good value at an effective price of USD 5.00/ thousand, which is less than our valuation of USD 5.50/ thousand
- especially for Elite Tier members who combine this offer with their 5th night free benefit for a handy discount for
their next lovely stay.
T&C's apply, including that you must buy:
at least 15,000 points
before 7 December 2021
no more than 160,000 points - double the usual limit.
Click below to see our analysis and recommendation for the Hilton Honors 100% bonus points offer.Read More…
For the coming holiday season, Gaylord Hotels (a Marriott brand) is offering a variety of family-friendly holiday packages "So.Much.Christmas"
with events and original experiences at each of its five resort locations located in the US. Pictured is Gaylord Rockies.
Dates for stays vary slightly across the properties but generally must be from mid-November through 2 January 2022 (31
December 2021 @ Gaylord National).
Bookings are open now, so if you're looking for a magical holiday break with your little ones, this offer may be perfect for you. Especially
if you book before October 17 to Stay 2 nights & Save 15%, or Stay 3 nights, Save 20%.
Hit the button below to learn more and for the T&C's.
Note that Marriott is one of our advertisers and should you use the link on this page to make a booking, then at no additional cost to
you we may receive a small compensation. You don't have to use our links, but we appreciate your support when you do.Read More…
Marriott Bonvoy Get Vaxed, Win Big competition
Marriott Bonvoy has a competition for Australian members fully vaccinated against covid-19. There are 5 prizes with stays at
each of 9 Marriott (category 5 or 6) properties in Australia and Fiji. Ensure
you don't miss out…
Marriott launches all-inclusive brand
Yesterday, Marriott launched a new brand for all-inclusive resort stays - All-inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy.
At
launch there are 30 destinations in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Saint Lucia,
with more in the pipeline. Royalton, Saint Lucia is pictured.
20 of the initial 30 destinations are Blue Diamond resorts (the fastest growing
resort chain in the Carribbean). These resorts will continue to be independently owned and operated by Blue Diamond Resorts under Marriott's Autograph Collection name. They will also be integrated into the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, providing very attractive
new options for Bonvoy members. Although the Upgrade Awards, Cash + Points Awards, Suite Night Awards, and Instant
Redemption Awards features
of the Marriott Bonvoy program are not available, the Stay for 5 pay for 4, Points Advance and
PointSaversare available. More information regarding use of these features is in ourcomprehensive
guide to Marriott Bonvoy
Guests may make bookings through the resort websites, the All-inclusive
by Marriott Bonvoy
portal, or marriott.com (which must be used for awards bookings).
SLH Considerate Collection - sustainable with intent
SLH today launched a collection of destinations curated with an explicit intention for sustainability.
Shangri-La extends status of its Diamond & Jade members until end of 2022 !
Shangri-La's Golden Circle has extended tier status for all of its Diamond and Jade members globally. With this extension, all Golden Circle
Diamond and Jade members will maintain their current tier status and benefits until 31 December 2022.
American
Express Platinum (multiple jurisdictions) members had the Golden Circle Jade status benefit discontinued on 31 March 2021, so this tier
extension is definitely welcome news. Golden Circle members typically need the following stays and nights to qualify or maintain their
status in the year ahead - Diamond: 50 Nights or 25 Stays or Jade: 20 Nights or 10 Stays.
But the Shangri-La status does not just have benefits by itself, but also, it has many associated perks which come with it, including:
1. Short-cut to Star Alliance Gold status - Shangri-La Jade-tier and Diamond-tier members receive instant KrisFlyer Silver
status once they join up their Shangri-La Golden Circle and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer accounts. After that, Shangri-La Jade
Members need to take 3flights on Singapore Airlines, or just 1 flight as a Diamond member to receive KrisFlyer Gold status.
Once you have KrisFlyer Gold status, you have the equivalent of Star Alliance Gold status, which means you unlock the
associated benefits on flights on Star Alliance members across the globe.
2. Enjoy Taj InnerCircle Gold status - Under the terms of a strategic alliance between Shangri-La Golden Circle and Taj
Inner Circle, there is an automatic status match between the tiers of the programmes. Golden Circle Jade members match to InnerCircle
Gold and Golden Circle Diamond members match to InnerCircle Platinum (and vice-versa).
While Taj InnerCircle is mostly an Indian hotel company’s loyalty programme, Taj also has hotels in various countries worldwide, such as the
US, UAE and UK.
Shangri-La will also waive the cancellation charges regardless of booking channel for all guests, if cancelled more than 24
hours prior to arrival date. The hotels reserve the right to contact all inbound international guests at least 30 days prior to their
arrival dates to confirm or cancel their reservations.
These changes are part of the Shangri-La Cares program.
In its most recent annual report on the most valuable and strongest hotel brands, BrandDirectory found Taj Hotels to
be the strongest hotel brand for 2021. This provides a huge vote of confidence for travellers.
According to the report, Taj is renowned for its world-class customer service and the luxury hotel chain scores very well
for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India.
Extending the appeal further through Asia, Warmer Welcomes is an alliance between the loyalty programs of Taj and Shangri-La,
adding versatility.
Read More…
Today, as part of the launch of its "Department of Epic" program, IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a contest that will give one
lucky US-based traveller
the chance to win back a year of missed adventures with 365 days worth of epic hotel experiences at various IHG locations around the world,
including InterContinental, Kimpton and Holiday Inn Express.
Pictured above is the InterContinental Bora Bora resort and Thalasso Spa - just one of many possibilities.
Read on for more details and how to enter.
Read More…
For travellers with young families wanting to book a holiday, Hilton has launched a new family-friendly booking feature.
Confirmed Connecting Rooms will enable individuals to easily book and instantly confirm at least two
connecting rooms (at participating hotels, which I expect will increase as the technology is rolled-out). This will reduce the
potential stress both at the time of booking adn during your stay, as anyone who has holidayed with particularly a younger family will
appreciate.
While I see it as ideal for young families, it is also a boon for other multi-generational holidays, friend groups,
wedding attendees and other travel parties who wish to stay near one another rather than potentially be spread across multiple floors.
In the past there have always been many benefits to staying in connecting guest rooms—but the booking process wasn’t always seamless.
Hilton seems to have overcome this with a smart, easy-to-use solution. Hopefully others will follow Hilton's lead.
For more details, or to make a booking at participating hotels with Hilton Confirmed Connecting Rooms, use the
link below. Read More…
Marriott Bonvoy has an Earn, Eat, Enjoy promotion to 'Holiday Here This Year' for Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa. Book
now using the Promotional Code: B1818 and for stays completed by 31 December 2021, you receive:
* 2X Marriott Bonvoy points;
* breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children (up to age 12);
* daily hotel credit to use at restaurants & bars.
You can see the T&C's or make bookings using the link below.
Read More…
Qantas announced plans on May 31st to giveaway a suite of mega prizes to Australians who get the COVID-19 vaccine, including unlimited
travel for a year. This is in addition to the announcement a week earlier that it would offer frequent flyer points along with travel
vouchers and status credits to Australians who get inoculated. It is understood the options being considered by Qantas include
giving people who get both their two COVID-19 jabs up to 1000 frequent flyer points, flight vouchers towards domestic and international
flights, and status credits, which allow people to move into high Frequent Flyer tiers.
Any reward would be available to people who had already received their jabs and the program would run until the end of 2021 when the vaccine
rollout is due to be completed; the details are yet to be completed.
Now, the national carrier has launched a further incentive scheme which it hopes will boost vaccination rates and help get state and
international borders reopened permanently.
“We’re looking at having 10 mega-prizes, at least one for each state or territory, where a family of four can have unlimited free travel for
a year on the Qantas and Jetstar networks,” CEO Alan Joyce revealed on Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
The trips would be in economy class and each of the ten winners. “In addition to that, the Accor Group have come on board and
they’re offering one million Accor Points, which gives free accommodation at 400 hotels and resorts across the country.”
Joyce said the program would launch in July, "will include anybody that has already been vaccinated (and) will apply to anybody that's
vaccinated through to the end of 2021."
“We have a vested interest in this, we want to do everything we can to ensure the borders domestically open and stay open and that we get
international up and running,” he explained.
The airline has consistently said that it will require all passengers to be vaccinated when it restarts international flights beyond New
Zealand.
More Australians vaccinated means more potential travellers making bookings.
While the moves may not be entirely altruistic, I think both companies are to be commended for “putting their money where their
mouth is” and not just relying on Government to provide support for the ailing sector.
It’s understood that vaccinated Australians will be able to claim their rewards and enter to win a mega-prize through the Qantas app from
July.
Don’t be surprised to see if this coincides with the launch of the Qantas/Accor
dual points earning
(crossover) capability that was announced in November 2020 as part of a closer strategic relationship between the companies. This too
was scheduled to launch mid-2021 and will be the first partnership of its kind between an airline and hospitality group in the Asia Pacific region.
Read More…
Marriott Bonvoy is adding new restrictions to Points Advance reservations, intended to address members making speculative bookings. This will benefit other members, as there should now be more rooms available.
Read More…
Gradually travel restrictions are being eased, enabling travel locally, or within defined "travel bubbles". Available at selected locations,
Hyatt have curated one-of-a-kind offerings to enjoy during summer stays to unwind, learn and explore while also fostering a genuine connection.
Read More…
Best Western Rewards elite levels at double speed in 2021. Perhaps leverage into another program
Best Western makes elite status in its Best Western Rewards program easier to attain for 2021. Requirements have been halved for 2021,
so you get there twice as fast!
New Qualifications for 2021*
Nights
105
157
3015
5025
Qualifying Stays
73
105
2010
40 20
Points
10,0005,000
15,0007,500
30,00015,000
50,00025,000
There will be no downgrades in elie tier levels through January 31, 2022.
If you attain a new elite tier level in 2021, you will maintain that tier level through March 31, 2023.
The perks for elite tiers in Best Western Rewards
aren't the most compelling (although breakfast is included). However if you stay primarily in budget/family oriented accommodation it
can work well for you.
The program does work very well for Australian travellers staying outside the major city centres. Regional centres usually offer
at least one option, whereas the major chains may not offer anything (different in the US I know). For these travellers and similar,
it can make a lot of sense to accumulate BWR points.
You can always later leverage your BWR tier status into a similar tier in another program. See here for more details on what you might
achieve with a status match from your current
BWR tier status.
SLH is one of our favoured programs and for a short time, you can save up to 40% at 100 SLH destinations! Get some sun on your bones
at Viceroy Bali, Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives, Aleenta or Keemala resorts in Phuket, La Casa Que Canta in Mexico or the Heritage Le Telfair Golf and Wellness resort in Mauritius (pictured above, sourced from Leonardo Worldwide Corporation) .
Perhaps a stay in a location that has an interesting history in itself, like either the luxurious Fortress Resort and Spa in Sri Lanka or
the Tom Tom Suites at the Old Franciscan House in Istanbul.
For fans of snowsports, there are options like the Kristiana, Lech in Austria.
So, you're bound to find something that will be a memorable stay.
Act soon to ensure that you don't miss out. Note that you must book by 3 January 2021 for stays until the end of June 2021. Other
Terms and Conditions apply, so be sure to read them on the page that this article links to.
Read More…
Get twice as many HIlton Honors points when you buy or gift at least 10,000 points before 31 December 2020. That's a whopping 50% discount
!
The annual limit on the number of points you can purchase has been temporarily increased to 160,000 - and the bonus points don't count
towards this limit.
This brings the purchase price down to USD 5 per thousand. What could you do with this? Read on to learn more.
Read More…
Get 50% more Marriott Bonvoy points when you buy or gift at least 2,000 points before 22 December 2020. That's a 33% discount !
The annual limit on the number of points you can purchase has been temporarily increased to 150,000 - and the bonus points don't count
towards this limit.
This brings the purchase price down to USD 8.33 per thousand. What could you do with this? Read on to learn more.
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Qantas and Accor have announced a deeper partnership that will see mutual members of their loyalty programs being able to double-dip for
rewards points in the APAC region.
The newly minted crossover feature is scheduled to launch mid-2021.
While similar to other crossover programs (eg Marriott and both Emirates and United; Shangri-La and Singapore Airlines; Hyatt and American
Airlines), it will be the first partnership of its kind between an airline and hospitality group in the Asia Pacific region.
Will it be an attractive feature? Read on for our thoughts.
A pleasant surprise for some Bonvoy members this summer will be the point savings from property re-classifications that have been deferred. There
remain opportunities with 16 properties - if you know where to look.
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There was an article in Le Figaro (later syndicated through Reuters) saying that Accor was looking closely at IHG with a view to takeover
or merger. How would that look ? Where are the overlaps? What might it mean for the respective programs of Accor Live
Limitless and IHG Rewards Club?
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2020 Freddie Awards winners - One airline swept the field in its category and one hotel chain that dominated in Europe and APAC is now
gaining recognition in the Americas.
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We look at Preferred Hotels loyalty program iPrefer. It has some weaknesses but also very attractive benefits for all members. Read on to
see why it is one to join.
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Best Western sneaks in a points devaluation - possibly related to WorldHotels | Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt all running points offers with
discounts, but do they offer value?
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Our regular update on the world of hotels and their loyalty programs. Best Western sneaks in a points devaluation - possibly related
to WorldHotels | Hilton offers a new way to redeem points (but don't) | Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt all running points offers with
discounts, but do they offer value?
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Like to stay in hotels with character but don’t want a loyalty program with peak pricing and multiple tiers? Why My Millennium may be just
right for you.
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News & views on * IHG points promotion * Meliá hotels world’s most sustainable * Four Points Gatwick * Fairmont best Luxury Hotel brand *
More Hyatt/SHL options
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News & views on * IHG points promotion * Meliá hotels world’s most sustainable * Four Points Gatwick * Fairmont best Luxury Hotel brand *
More Hyatt/SHL options
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While the benefits for elite tiers aren’t especially exciting (mainly the tier bonuses for faster points accumulation), the properties
themselves are in the up-scale and luxury range and remain attractive for that reason.
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Bonvoy, the rewards program created through merging Starwood Preferred Guest with Marriott Rewards, has had major changes announced
recently.
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Big changes to the Bonvoy program confirmed this week are more significant to members than they realise. Some key features of the program
have been weakened.
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Surprising access to luxury hotel stays following the integration of WorldHotels into Best Western. How to status-match to use elite status
from other hotel programs to fast-track.
Read More…
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