Earlier this year, Accor has said that it will be launching ALL only in 2020, but it seems like that has been brought forward.
The key features of the new loyalty programme is supposed to include:
Introducing new premium status to reward our most loyal members
Enriched benefits according to our augmented hospitality strategy
A worldwide connected experience to earn and burn points across the broadest range of brands in the industry, and
a New digital app delivering value across work, live & play.
So what’s really new?
To be really honest… I’m not sure.
I’ve played around with the new website. Apart from the usual booking capabilities for hotels and dining reservations, one other significant addition is probably the ability to purchase or book experiences and tours.
Limitless Experiences is essentially a redemption machine, allowing you to burn Accor points for merchandise, stays or experiences.
As for tours and activities, Accor has partnered GetYourGuide.com, a tour booking engine. When I played around it, there didn’t seem to be any difference in price for ALL members, or any other exclusive offers.
Also, it wasn’t clear to me if I’ll earn points on ALL if I book any activities.
On the other hand, Accor seem to have partnered some other brands to provide bonus points offers when members purchase with the partners.
For instance, ALL members who subscribe to The Economist through the dedicated link can earn up to 12,500 Rewards points on a 2-year Print & Digital subscription.
Has my earn rate and benefits changed?
In short – no.
A quick comparison on the ‘new’ website confirmed that at the time of writing, the earn rate and benefits remain largely the same. The only enhancement is to the platinum elite level, where there is a one-night suite upgrade available, which must be booked via phone.
The PR spiel earlier this year promised a new status level, which hasn’t seem to be available online yet.
Final thoughts
While Accor has successfully rolled out its ‘new’ loyalty programme ahead of schedule, I’m really not sure if this is merely another cosmetic change or do they really envisage that this is the answer to “deliver value across work, live & play“, as they claimed.
While large (and growing) companies across all verticals are now trying to blur the boundaries and move into other segments, I’m not sure if any hospitality chain will ever successfully move to deliver what the tourism industry call ‘experiences’, in a bid to boost bottom line. In a closed environment where there are no alternatives, this may seem like a perfect all-in-one solution, but realistically travellers typically like to compare and contrast, so options are always good for consumers.
Also, loyalty programmes can be a burden, as points are effectively currency. If not managed well, it can either be a huge financial liability to the brand, or become a single source of failure in terms of brand loyalty.
Honestly I’m not sure what is Accor trying to achieve with this change, but if there’s one thing I like: it’s the new ‘A’ logo, which all Accor property staff are wearing if you look carefully.
Having to clock a few more stays this year to qualify for Hilton Honors Diamond Elite, I did what I always resisted doing: mattress runs.
After staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Sukhumvit the previous night, I leisurely made my way to DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit, which was about 15 minutes away by car.
A little bit more about the hotel first: if you haven’t seen the property on Hilton’s list in Bangkok over the past couple of years, you are not mistaken. DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit only opened earlier this year in September 2019.
DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit
Before you get too excited, the property is not a brand new one. The hotel was previously Majestic Grande Hotel, and the deal for Hilton to manage the hotel under the DoubleTree brand was announced back in 2018. The hotel remains owned by Majestic Grande, who also runs other properties in Bangkok such as their same name property in Sukhumvit.
DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit has 251 rooms across 25 floors, although it doesn’t have an executive lounge. The hotel is also located about a 7-minute walk away from the nearest BTS station (Ploenchit), which is only two stops away from Siam and Asoke, both being popular places for tourists.
However, note that given the hotel’s proximity to Sukhumvit Road which is perpetually crawling, be sure to cater extra time if you are travelling by taxi to and from the hotel.
Checking in
I got into the hotel at about noon. The first impressions were pretty good, I had to say. Right from the moment I arrived, the porter spring into action and swiftly took over my bags and gave me a tag. I proceeded to check in, which was pretty fuss free. As usual, the agent gave me the signature DoubleTree cookie to dig in while she checked me in.
DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit lobby
I took the time to check out the lobby as well. While not the largest, the lobby was decked out in fresh and modern fittings, coupled with a very clean reception, giving the impression of a newly renovated hotel. Adjacent to the lobby was also the restaurant, which looked pretty chic.
OPEN restaurant adjacent to the lobby
The agent then told me that unfortunately, my room wasn’t going to be ready until 2pm, which was pretty common in Bangkok given the high occupancy levels across most city centre hotels. I asked if my bags will be moved into the room when I get back later, and she confirmed it.
As a Hilton Honors Gold member I had a choice of either bonus points or free breakfast. If you haven’t figured, it is often better value to take the breakfast over the points, if your room didn’t come with breakfast. If you are a diamond member, you get both.
Given I had about two hours to spare, I decided to go do a little shopping and grab a massage before coming back to the room in the evening.
When I got back, that was when everything started going downhill.
The room
DoubleTree Ploenchit has 251 rooms across 8 room types, including three suite types. For this trip, I was invested in only the entry level room, which was a King Guest Room. Unfortunately I didn’t get an upgrade even as a gold elite member.
The room categories can be a little confusing: across the basic rooms, there are Deluxe, Guest, Premium and Superior rooms. The Premium and Superior rooms are significantly larger, the only difference between Deluxe and Guest is the state of renovation. Deluxe are newly refurbished rooms while the Guest rooms are inherited from Majestic Grande.
The hotel is still in the midst of progressively renovating the rooms, so I will expect that at some point, all rooms will be minimally “Deluxe”.
Standard King Guest Room
When I first stepped into the room, the staleness of the room hit me – you could literally smell the age of the room. Adorned in dark wood and warm tones, the controls for the lights was my first challenge. After switching on all the lights, I went, “that’s all?!” The room is clearly in need of more lights.
At 28 square metres, the room was adequately sized, although it didn’t feel that spacious compared to similar rooms I have had in Bangkok. There was a standard sized work desk, as well as other standard amenities including bathrobes, bedroom slippers, complimentary coffee and tea, and bottled water.
In-room minibar
On the bedside table, there was also a set of room controls which have clearly seen better days. The room phone was also placed beside the bed.
The room was pretty well stocked out in the food department. There was a full minibar, as well as an in-room dining menu with food available round the clock if you are hungry. Only problem with the minibar? The fridge was hardly doing its job of keeping the contents cold.
In-room dining menu, with 24-hour options
Complimentary water in the room comes in glass bottles, which are cleaned and reused (yay for the environment!). If you do stay in a DoubleTree property in Bangkok, please be careful when you consume the complimentary in-room water. There are some bottles, such as the Evian and Badoit bottles on the countertop, which are chargeable. The free ones are clearly marked.
Very dated bathroom
The bathroom is where the signs of age was the most obvious. It was laid out in the classic manner, with the vanity running one side of the toilet, the toilet seat across from it and the bathtub opposite the door. There was no shower stall, so you are expected to shower in the bathtub, which some people may find it cumbersome given you need to climb in and out of the tub.
Crabtree & Evelyn amenities
Amenities remain the same set from Crabtree and Evelyn, as with all other Hilton and DoubleTree properties I have been to.
The facilities
DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit facilities
Given that the hotel was newly taken over by Hilton, most of the facilities were inherited from Majestic Grande. There was a fitness centre, which can be accessed with your key card. However, note that the fitness centre is only opened between 6am and 8.30pm, which again, is a very strange timing.
Fitness centre, open daily between 6am and 8.30pm
While the hotel states it has a pool, the swimming pool was undergoing rebuilding during the time I was there.
Swimming pool clearly under renovation, to be ready in 2020
While the former Majestic Grande had a spa, DoubleTree Ploenchit didn’t cater for one, and that also means there are no relaxation facilities such as a steam room or sauna within its premises.
Also, the hotel does not have an executive lounge, so if you are a Diamond elite member and was looking for an exclusive space to rest during the day (why though?!), this may be a point of consideration.
In terms of dining, there is only one all-day dining restaurant at the lobby, as well as a bar adjacent to it. The restaurant doubles up as the breakfast venue for all guests.
Dining& Happy Hour
For guests who has breakfast as part of their room rate, breakfast is available daily at OPEN, the ground floor restaurant, between 6.30am and 10.30am. Breakfast is provided for guests who has booked a bed and breakfast rate, as well as complimentary for Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond elite members.
Breakfast situation at OPEN
The breakfast spread at DoubleTree Ploenchit is pretty standard fare. Beyond the usual American breakfast offerings, there are also some Asian offers, including a live noodle station, along with a buffet spread of rice and stir-fried dishes.
Asian fare at breakfastEgg station at breakfast
Honestly, the food wasn’t all that great, so if you have to pay for breakfast, I’ll strongly suggest that you skip it and head out for breakfast instead. After all, you are in the land of good food.
Given that the property didn’t have an executive lounge, DoubleTree by Hilton Ploenchit offers its members complimentary drinks at the lobby bar daily between 7 to 8pm.
Evening complimentary drinks between 7pm and 8pm for Hilton Honors Gold & Diamond members
When I got down at 7pm, there was already a handful of people waiting for drinks, with only two staff tending to everyone. Within 15 minutes, all the seats were taken up, so all other guests had to stand around to enjoy their drinks during the hour. The staff were very attentive though, constantly topping up the drinks proactively even without asking.
Final thoughts
While DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit is relatively new to Hilton’s portfolio, the property is relatively dated. Having stayed in both DoubleTree properties (this and the one at Sukhumvit), the other one is definitely superior, both in terms of comfort as well as location.
Lobby bar at DoubleTree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit
The hotel is in a dire need of an upgrade, as shown by the state of the room I was in as well as some of the facilities. I believe this is in progress, given how new the lobby looked. The lack of facilities may not be a major issue for most people, but if you are the type that likes to spend plenty of time in the hotel to work out or relax in the pool, you may want to avoid this property for a while.
The happy hour is a nice touch for Hilton’s loyalty members, but the space needs to be better thought given the number of guests who were eligible for it. I believe the spillover crowd usually goes to the restaurant, but unfortunately during the evening I was there, there was a private function happening at the restaurant.
At a glance: • Room type: King Guest Room • Room rate: THB2,548 + 17.7% taxes (Hilton Honors rate as of November 2019) • Executive lounge: No • On-site restaurants: Yes (one) • On-site parking: Yes, complimentary • Fitness centre: 24 hours • Swimming pool: Under refurbishment • Spa: No
Qantas has spared no effort in publicising its plans to open a new first class lounge in Singapore since last year, and finally, it’s here.
Since last week, Qantas has quietly opened the first class lounge before the official opening gala slated to happen next week. I was travelling out and was fortunate enough to be guested into the lounge. I have tried Qantas’ first class last year when it resumed the A380 service to Singapore, and was looking forward to see what the lounge here in Singapore will offer.
Qantas A380 first class seat (photo credit: Qantas)
Location of the Qantas Singapore First Lounge
The brand new lounge is located at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1, where Qantas and Jetstar operates.
For those who are familiar with the existing Qantas Singapore Lounge (which have since been rebranded as the Qantas Singapore Business Lounge), the Qantas Singapore First Lounge is located on the opposite end of the terminal, closer to the D gates. While the terminal is not huge, it will still take about a 7 to 10-minute hike to traverse between both lounges.
For those entering from immigration, turn right immediately after immigration and head up the first escalator you see, and the lounge can be seen.
Qantas First Lounge signage
Once you are at the top of the escalator, turn right. A marble facade will greet you even before you step into the lounge, with the Qantas First Lounge plated smartly in brass accents.
Lounge design
This facade, along with several other recent Qantas lounges are proudly designed by David Caon, a close partner of Qantas.
Entrance to the Qantas first class lounge
As with the business class lounge, the first class lounge is managed and staffed by the hospitality folks from Accor’s Sofitel.
A bit more about the design background to the lounge. The entire space is designed by David Caon in collaboration with Kelvin Ho of design firm Akin Atelier.
The space
Once you step into the lounge, you will realise that the space is essentially a long strip stretching from the entrance all the way to the kitchen and broken up into several spaces for work, rest and dining.
Qantas First Singapore Lounge is a long strip (photo: Qantas)
The showers and toilets are located to the left once you enter the lounge, while the first section of seating is a relaxation area, complete with an assortment of sofas, armchairs and coffee tables if you simply fancy sitting back and sinking into the comfortable seats.
Assortment of seating options in the Qantas first class loungeLounge area with LED artificial skylight
There are even these individual stall-seats for those who want to be alone, similar to a business class suite you find on some airlines. Interestingly this looked similar to some of the lounge seats available in Cathay Pacific’s lounges in Hong Kong.
Privacy armchair seats
There are power sockets and USB charging ports at every seat, so there’s no need to fight for one.
If you need to get some work done, there’s even a printer that you can connect to and get some papers printed to work on your next flight.
Working space with printing facility
There are ten shower rooms, all of which are standard fitted except that it has an extra feature: a LED-light panel that mimics natural lighting. There’s a light panel near the door that allows the user to switch to either dusk, dawn or daylight so that they can adjust to a timezone of their choice.
Qantas Singapore First Lounge shower rooms
The new shower rooms are also decked out with amenities from LaGaia Unedited, Qantas’ latest spa partner announced just months ago.
LaGaia Unedited amenities
The small number of shower rooms would be a bit tight during the relatively short layovers for QF1 and QF2. As Executive Traveller has pointed out, the 90-minute layovers for each of these flights effectively meant that you get only 60 minutes in the lounge, so trying to allocate shower time for every first class passenger and a handful of platinum members and above will pose a major problem.
Moving down you will find the dining area of the lounge.
Qantas first lounge dining areaMore dining area
Almost half the lounge’s space is dedicated to the dining area, with many two-seater tables available. Of course, if you are in well-heeled company of more than two people, the team will be more than happy to join tables for you.
For single travellers, there’s always the option of taking a table, or dining at the bar counters.
Bar table dining space facing the kitchen (Photo: Qantas)Bar counter dining is available as well
What I really liked about the lounge is the attention to details. There are even bag hooks under the bar tables for your bags, as well as charging sockets for each seat.
Bag hooks and power sockets
How does the lounge fare in terms of dining?
Similar to the other first class lounges that Qantas operates in Australia, Qantas Singapore First Lounge offers an a la carte dining experience. The menu is designed by a team under Neil Perry, Qantas’ creative director for food and beverage, who has a longstanding partnership with Qantas.
Given the lounge is only open from afternoon, the menu tended towards heavier mains, although all-day breakfast items such as eggs benedict were also available for those who were jetlagged.
The full menu running now can be found here. Note that the lounge rotates its menu every three months.
Qantas Singapore First Lounge menu (as provided by Qantas)
Of course, no Qantas First Lounge is complete without its signature salt and pepper squid.
Salt and pepper squid
We also tried the signature crayfish laksa.
Crayfish laksa
And the chicken didn’t disappoint too, with a perfectly made eggplant salad as a bed.
Chicken with crispy eggplant salad
What was most impressive was the dessert – the coconut and mango sorbet with toasted coconut flakes. While the description leaves much to be desired, the actual taste of it was amazing, although it’s a little too big to be finished by a single person.
Coconut and mango sorbet with toasted coconut flakes
The lounge is also equally impressive in terms of its drinks list. Apart from champagne, there are also an assortment of wines and cocktails available, worthy of the clientele. There is a tended bar from which you can order, but feel free to order from any of the well-trained Sofitel team members anywhere in the lounge.
One of the two bars
What’s pretty amazing is the selection of beverages, apart from Qantas’ signature range of Aussie wines, there’s also some well-known Australian beers such as James Squire 150 Lashes pale ale, Little Creatures Bright Ale and Hahn Ultra available in the lounge.
For a little surprise, be sure to check out the special Qantas x Four Pillars gin too!
Final thoughts
More seating area
The lounge definitely packed a punch for the footprint that it occupies. The decor and fittings are an amazing piece of art by David Caon, which is certainly the standard Qantas holds itself to when decking out new lounges these days.
While some may observe that the lounge is a little too small and seem a little too crowded for a first class lounge, particularly around the QF1 and QF2 transit times, the impeccable service by the lounge team makes up for it.
With the Qantas Singapore First Lounge opening, this is definitely a win for Qantas’ own platinum (and above) loyalists, as well as its own first class passengers given the upgrade in the lounge experience. The opening of this lounge will also ease the capacity off the existing business lounge, who have seen a fair share of overcrowding in the last year.
The first class lounge clearly leads in terms of its beverage offerings with a solid list of wines, spirits and cocktails. In terms of food, some Singapore Airlines loyalists may argue that the menu here in the Qantas First Lounge may not be fitting of the fare one pays for the pointed end of the plane. In my view, the menu, while simple, is sophisticated enough for those who need a quality bite before they head onto the plane.
And to top it all off, what matters is how all of this comes together: the ambience, food, beverage, and most importantly, the impeccable service, in this case all come in together to form the first class service that paying customers deserve.
Location and operating details
Location: Changi Airport Terminal 1, Transit area (after immigration), Level 3 (closer to D pier) Hours: 2.30pm to midnight daily Food and beverages: Yes, a la carte dining Alcoholic beverages: Yes (complimentary) Showers: Yes Business Centre: Yes Meeting facilities: No
Access eligibility: – Qantas first class passengers (departing) – Emirates first class passengers (departing) – Oneworld first class passengers (departing) – Oneworld first class passengers connecting from a first class flight (longer than five hours) to another oneworld-marketed flight in any class – Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum One & Platinum members travelling on a oneworld-marketed, Emirates or Jetstar flight – Oneworld emerald members travelling on a oneworld-marketed flight
*Passengers can bring a guest who must be travelling on the same flight.
Hilton is running a flash winter sale for the rooms in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Guam for four days only, from 26 November 2019, 1pm (Singapore time) to 29 November 2019, 1pm (Singapore time).
While the marketing spiel reads 50% off, bear in mind that this discount is off the flexible rates and not the sale rates. Also, non Hilton Honors members will only enjoy 40% off. On top of that, you will be slapped with other terms, such as non-refundable terms.
While the sale period is tight, you have some flexibility in your travel dates. You can stay between 26 November 2019 and 30 June 2020, giving you quite a fair bit of dates to play with if you haven’t lined up any plans for the first half of next year. Obviously black-out dates do apply, and I will expect that the sakura season will be excluded given the traditional high footfall.
What’s good?
Tokyo traditionally has one of the most expensive hotel rates in Asia, so this is a good time to check out the properties if you have been hesitating. For instance:
If you are looking to book a ski holiday, Hilton Niseko goes from SGD125:
Conrad Tokyo is another exceptionally property that can command more than S$700, but for this sale you can grab rooms from S$356:
If you are looking at some other luxe properties in Japan, Conrad Osaka can be booked from SGD260, down from the usual SGD500+:
Elsewhere in Asia, Conrad Hong Kong is also on sale, from SGD180!
Are the rates really available?
I did a quick search for the rates for Conrad Tokyo (which I’m dying to check out), but it seems like the really low rates are quite hard to find.
For instance, during the Chinese New Year season in early February, you are quoted about JPY32,000 (JPY40,800 after taxes, or about SGD511) per night:
Conrad Tokyo availability during Chinese New Year 2020
As for March school holidays, the lowest pre-tax rate is JPY25,000, which works out to about JPY31,825 or SGD400 per room per night, which isn’t shabby at all.
Conrad Tokyo availability during March school holidays
I tried the same with some other properties around Japan (and even Conrad Hong Kong!), while you may not always get the lowest advertised rates, the discounts are still significant.
In any case, do try your luck and play around with the dates if you have some time. Remember, sale ends 29 November 2019 at 1pm (Singapore time), so you might want to just lock in your plans quickly. Book here.
New collaboration the UK brand will see new amenity kits and bedding in first class and business class
Cathay Pacific has refreshed its service offering in its first and business class cabins with a series of enhancements. In its PR, the airline promises the changes are geared towards “indulging passengers with an elevated premium travel experience”.
Expectedly, the enhancements ride on the current wave of health and wellness focus by airlines, ranging from providing in-seat exercise videos to healthier options for in-flight menus.
First class enhancements
In first class, passengers will be treated with a personalised welcome note along with a hot towel and a glass of refreshing sparkling jasmine silver needle tea from their current tea partner, JING.
I’m personally not a big fan of JING teas, but I’ll be curious to see how this sparkling tea will be like.
New wellness dining in Cathay Pacific first class
In the food department, Cathay Pacific cater a range of lighter (which are supposedly healthier) options for the main and breakfast meals as well as healthy alternatives such as superfood bowls and lighter protein side dishes. Notably, Cathay Pacific will provide cold-pressed juice from Hong Kong brand Bless for its most premium passengers.
For the ultimate comfort for first class passengers, Cathay Pacific will offer a cosy 600-thread-count, 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton mattress and duvet, as well as a soft full-size pillow in the cabin, all by Bamford. Coupled with a turndown service (essentially setting up your bed in the air), there’s also a pillow mist that promises to put you to sleep.
Each passenger will also receive a Bamford amenity kit, which will include natural skincare products presented in glass bottles.
Business class enhancements
Cathay Pacific has also amped up the business class offering with some updates to its bedding.
In terms of comfort, Cathay Pacific will be offering a soft mattress topper along with a larger, plusher sleeping pillow and premium-quality slippers. While the pillows have always been there, the mattress topper and slippers will be new to the cabin, which are very much welcomed additions. There will however still be no pyjamas offered to business class passengers.
New mattress topper and Bamford amenity kits
The business class amenity kits – only available on long-haul flights – will also be refreshed. The new amenity kits are unisex and also designed by Bamford, available in four colours and rotated around the year.
Shanescape 