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Free breakfast for Accor Gold members in China
Accor has announced a benefit boost for members staying at its hotels in Mainland China. You can read more here (in Chinese).
Amongst exclusive room rate and dining discount, the most impressive enhancement is one free breakfast for Accor Gold members. Accor’s breakfast benefit now looks like this:
- Gold: one free breakfast in mainland China
- Platinum: two free breakfast in Asia Pacific
- Diamond: two free breakfast in Asia Pacific, or only on weekends elsewhere
The gap is now huge between China / Asia Pacific and the other regions, and breakfast only on weekends for the top tier is very mean.
It’s not rare for hotel programs to offer enhanced benefits in Asia Pacific or China, for example IHG has similar arrangements too. However, the timing of this announcement is a bit weird given that many cities in China are still undergoing lockdowns and travels are not yet resuming.
My review of InterContinental Paris Le Grand
My IHG free night voucher from the Creation card was expiring in December, and there was no high-end hotel left in the UK for me to try. For practical reasons I redeemed it at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand, although at hindsight I probably should have chosen the Kimpton instead, which is a new hotel with a swimming pool.
The hotel is next to the Opera metro station, and just five minutes’ walk to the La Fayette department store. The proximity to the Opera is one selling point of the hotel.
The moment I entered the hotel, I was stunned by its beauty.
I’ve seen other properties of the same genres, e.g. Hotel Bristol in Vienna, but it’s the very first time I find one that demonstrates its abundant history and elegance, but doesn’t show a single sign of age.
The hotel is so huge that you can barely see the end of the corridor.
I’m upgraded to a King Premium Room, which is the largest non-suite rooms. However there are so many rooms at this hotel, and they vary a lot in shape and size even when belonging to the same category.
Entering the room, the first thing I see is the waldrobe.
Bathroom is on the right, with both a shower and a tub.
Bedroom is on the left.
The room is neat, but unfortunately after seeing the other areas of the hotel my expectations were very high. Although probably quite big in size, it feels like a lot of the space is just wasted.
As an Ambassador welcome gift, I’m offered a box of biscuits and some strawberries. There are three large bottles of mineral water to keep me hydrated!
There’s no espresso machine and I was just going to make peace with instant coffee, but then I couldn’t find anywhere a kettle…
I finished my toothpaste so requested one in the afternoon. It wasn’t in the room when I came back in the evening so I asked again, and still nothing arrived after one hour. I called again, and this time they finally sent someone.
At €45 per person, the breakfast price is very steep so I gave it a pass. For Ambassador members, Club Lounge access is sold at €120 per room (2pp) which I think is more than reasonable, as it includes breakfast, afternoon tea and happy hour (they’ve been serving oysters and prawns recently :)).
Spire members can choose between 600 points and a drink voucher. I asked for the latter and had a beer at the bar of Cafe de la Paix, which is the hotel restaurant.
Ambassador members also have €15 credit to use towards the bill. Before check-out I came again for a cup of coffee and a coke zero, which worked out perfectly at €15.
The hotel doesn’t have a swimming pool, and shockingly its gym is simply two interconnecting rooms put together…
Besides the toothpaste incident mentioned above, the front desk agent also made no mention of welcome drink, €15 credit or late check-out, and they very often had to confirm with colleagues to know how to do something. The staff don’t seem properly trained to me, at least not for the IHG program.
Quality of the guest room also doesn’t reflect the hotel rate. I do admire the beauty of InterContinental Paris Le Grand, but purely from an accommodation perspective I like the Renaissance Republique hotel more, evening before factoring in the price difference.
My review of Renaissance Paris Republique
I booked one night at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand hotel with my expiring IHG voucher, and was looking for another hotel to spend a couple of nights more. With the ongoing double elite night credit promotion my preference went with Marriott, and I was tempted to try the Prince de Galles hotel.
It’s very expensive though (in both points and cash), and they didn’t confirm my suite night award, so I cancelled my reservation. Seeing the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Flyertalk, I picked the Renaissance Republique Hotel instead.
The hotel is just a couple of minutes from the Republique square, which is a busy area with a lot of restaurants etc. Gare du Nord (Eurostar station) is about 20 minutes’ walk, and Pompidou (Soho of Paris) about 15.
The building has a small front which isn’t very noticeable. As you can see, the street facing rooms have these quirky submarine windows.
The lobby extends deep down and there’s a nice-looking atrium.
The hotel’s busy, and I only received a one-level upgrade to a Bobo Room. The receptionist told me it’s the best room of the hotel, which I just dismissed as a business pitch. But wow he’s not lying.
Entrance:
Bathroom on the left:
It’s got a massive bathtub and they are considerate enough to provide bath minerals as well.
And finally the bedroom:
The TV set is fixated to the bed frame, but unlike Hotel Indigo Kensington I think it’s a smart design here, as it creates the separation between the bedroom and bathroom / entrance. There’s also a control for withdrawing the TV into the cupboard.
Not sure what type of design the hotel is going for, but feels Scandinavian to me and very refreshing. I estimate the room to be between 40sqm and 50sqm in size, which is the same as the suites of the hotel. It is probably one of my favourite hotel rooms in the last few years.
The room is inner facing which doesn’t bother me. I prefer quietness to any view, if I have to choose.
Espresso machine and capsules are available. There is a bottle of mineral water on the table – I have to double check to make sure it’s drinking water as the packaging looks very similar to the SKII essence I’ve been using…
Breakfast is a small buffet.
There a few things, including omelettes and pancakes to order.
I’m not a big fan of the food here.
Gym:
All staff I’ve met during the stay are very nice, and they do their job to make sure you enjoy the stay. Although breakfast is disappointing, I love the room, staff and location of the hotel, and would highly recommend it.
My review of Eurostar Business Premier Lounge, London
Eurostar is the most convenient way to travel between London and Paris, and thanks to its partnership with American Express you can transfer membership rewards points to Eurostar to redeem tickets cheaply.
Another benefit that comes with American Express is, if you hold the Platinum or Centurion card, you can access the Eurostar Business Premier lounges (but no guest allowed). The card must be issued in the UK, France or Belgium though, and the London staff do inspect it very carefully.
Unfortunately it doesn’t come with the Business Premier fast track lane, and you can only enter the station approximately 90 minutes before departure, so don’t arrive too early.
One interesting find – my ticket was booked with points which comes with one free change that has already been used, however on the ticket machine I’m able to change it again for free.
After passing security, the Business Premier lounge is on your right.
The lounge has two floors. The ground floor is long, narrow and a bit cramped.
I recommend to stay on the second floor, which is much nicer.
If I remember correctly, the bar is manned on weekday evenings.
Wireless aircharge is available, but it’s very slow.
There are quite a few drink options on offer, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
But when it comes to food the selection is very poor. A couple kinds of nut mix, popcorn, biscuits, and that’s about it. And they don’t taste good…
As you can see, the Eurostar lounge isn’t comparable to an airport lounge, and most importantly don’t expect any kind of meal here. However, if you need a place to work or want a few drinks before your journey, feel free to kill some time here.
TAP Portugal: London – Brazil in business class for £1,200
TAP Portugal has launched an Executive (business) class sale for flights from Europe to Brazil. You can depart from multiple cities (including London) and arrive at Rio or Sao Paolo.
Many dates are available from September to March.
London – Rio de Janeiro, Nov 24 – Dec 4
London – Sao Paolo, Feb 21 – Mar 1
You need to book by May 16. Stopover in Portugal (Lisbon or Porto) is possible, but your itinerary will be repriced.
My review of Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel
After one night at the Bristol Hotel to spend my D$, I extended my stay by a couple of nights at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel. The hotel has a good reputation, and it’s not every day that you see a hotel call itself Royal.
The hotel is on the other side of the canal, opposite to the Bristol Hotel. It’s a more lively area with quite a few shops and restaurants nearby. It’s a lovely weekend and the park in front attracts many sunbathers.
The hotel boasts its Victorian style, and has been welcoming guests for 150 years. The design of its public areas is very carefully curated to reflect its history and elegance, and I can’t say I’m not impressed.
Although it’s definitely not at that level, the hotel reminds me of Hotel Bristol in Vienna in a lot of ways.
Unfortunately the hotel is fully booked, and I was only given one-level upgrade to a Superior Room. Some guest rooms are located in the Royal Wing, but from what I can tell it’s not really physically separated or come with additional perks.
The room is okay, just what you’d expect from a standard Marriott hotel, and there isn’t really anything Royal about it.
The room is back facing and very quiet.
Breakfast is served in the restaurant, which is complimentary for Platinum members and above.
Pastry offering is excellent – the croissants and pains au chocolat are very fresh, and amongst the best quality ones that I’ve had at any hotel for a long time.
However, only black coffee is free and you’d have to pay for Cappuccino etc, which is quite stingy.
I’m not a fan of hotel gyms in general, but this one is quite nicely decorated.
Some reviews I read online spoke very highly of this property, which almost made it an attraction in Bristol itself. I also agree it’s a good one, but nothing outstanding – it’s possibly one of the top accommodation choices in the city, however don’t be fooled by the Royal name, as it’s still just a four-star hotel.
My review of The Bristol Hotel
The $100 credit that GHA offered to me was going to expire soon in May, so I needed to spend it very soon. There aren’t many GHA hotels in the UK, and $100 isn’t going very far at the London ones, so I decided to use it towards one night at The Bristol Hotel eventually.
The Bristol Hotel is part of the Doyle Collection, which also has three properties in London and a few more in Ireland and the US.
The hotel is nicely located between Queen Square and the canal.
Check-in is very swift and they know proficiently how to redeem the D$ on my account. I booked a promotional rate which was available on GHA’s, but not the hotel’s website. This is a weird thing that you should keep in mind when booking GHA hotels.
I’m upgrade to a Deluxe room on the sixth floor.
The room is very plain – I’m not saying it in a negative way though.
Curiously it is one of the best sleeps I’ve had recently.
A bottle of Prosecco is waiting for me in the room. I’m also given two drink vouchers as a Titanium welcome amenity.
View from my window:
The rate I booked is inclusive of breakfast. The restaurant looks very nice by the riverbank.
Breakfast quality is decent.
Just as I had imagined, the stay and elite treatment etc. are pretty much on a par with an average Hilton or Marriott hotel. I’ll still stick with other mainstream chains unless GHA has another impressive offer, but The Bristol Hotel is a decent choice if you visit the city.
My review of London Marriott Hotel Regents Park
I was pondering about another Spa day, ideally near where I live, and Marriott Regents Park became the winning choice. I stayed here once back in 2016 and it wasn’t a great experience, but I’m only looking for a swimming pool and a club lounge so wasn’t too fussed.
Despite what the name suggests, the hotel is actually by the Swiss Cottage station, and the Regent’s Park is quite some distance away (although Primrose Hill is around the corner).
I booked a family room with two double beds (accoms. 4). Not many central London hotels offer this room type, so if you usually travel with family it’s worth keep in mind.
The hotel underwent some renovation work in 2016. Room looks okay for a four-star Marriott hotel.
It comes with a balcony, which is also rare in London.
As a Titanium member I’ve received a bottle of white wine and a box of chocolate.
The wellness centre is on the ground floor, and you can see everything from the picture below.
I didn’t visit the gym. There’s no jacuzzi but the sauna and steam room are decent. However, the pool is a disaster – half of it is extremely shallow making it extremely difficult to swim, plus there are constantly a bunch of kids plunging and throwing stuff which makes it even less pleasant. If you are just here to entertain your children it’s fine, but think twice if it’s for properly swimming.
Breakfast benefit here (for Platinum and above) is very confusing, but eventually they didn’t charge me. I’m not sure if the club lounge has breakfast offering at the moment.
It’s served at the Carluccio’s restaurant. I’m very surprised at how busy it is on a Monday morning and I didn’t manage to take any photos…
The buffet is adequate, with some egg dishes cooked to order.
Club lounge is also on the ground floor, and a bit on the small side. Evening canape is provided from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
There are two curry dishes (chicken and peas). They are quite tasty, but putting them in such tiny containers is really annoying.
Alcohol drinks are available until 9.30pm. Desserts are also available after 7.30pm.
This concludes my short stay. It’s not an outstanding hotel, but it’s got some unique features: close-ish to Regent’s Park, big family room that accommodates four people, pool and club lounge. With kids it’s possibly one of the best options in London, and the many families staying here would agree!