Hotel - Privilege Clubs
 

Hi,
I have saved a lot of money by joining various hotel privilege clubs.
e.g Sunway Absolute in Malaysia, Accor in Australia, etc.
You usually get free nights, 50% off accommodation, 50% of meals, etc. and can save a lot of money.
I'm looking for new privilege clubs throughout Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, etc).
Does anyone know of any?
Thanks.

Sheraton (SPG) Marriott (Rewards) and Crowne Plaza/Holiday Inn (Priority Club) all give free or discounted upgrades, when/where available. Sometimes, cheap drinks or two for one offers on meals & occasinally free nights. We've found if we book a room at the cheapest possible price on www.priceline.com or wotif.com or asia rooms, we can upgrade for a modest sum, to a better room or executive level, for far less than if we purchased the better room, on the discount room websites. Good luck.

I use Haytt and Starwood (Sheraton) and have gotten lots of benefits. Many people swear by the Shangri-La's program which gives you free breakfast.

Thanks for the feedback but the kind of programs you both mentioned are more like frequent guest programs. The ones I am talking about usually require about $200 to join and then you get one night free and 5 - 10 nights at 50% off plus 50% off dining. Anyone can get the benifits on their first stay (e.g no need to save points first) Take a look at http://www.accorhotels.com.au/corpor...plus/index.asp
That's the kind of thing I'm looking for.
Thanks.

The Accor Card would serve you well in Thailand as quite a number of Nvotels and Sofitels.

However, I personaly would never pay for a card, I did once, long long ago and found that the discounts being offered were off the 'rack rates', I never renewed and learnt to shop around for the best deals available. Rack rates are often up to 3 times or more the discount rates you can find.
Also 'do' remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch ( weel, there is one place but I'm not telling ! ).
Seriously thjough, their idea is to get you to commit yo use their hotels in preference to others, after all you are supposed to be getting a great deal, so their business plan is that you stick with them when you might otherwise look elsewhere, so instead of looking at other hotels you would stick with them..paying for a card, no ways.
Airline mileage can be different and hotel awards where you don't pay for a car are fine, if you use you build up mileage, but same with the mileage, if you have a favorite airline to which you can access cheap fares plus get mileage and some rewards fine, but before flying with a particular airline to get more mileage with them most would shop around to see fares on others too. I use Singapore Airlines a lot, and get reaosnable mileage and have had some free flights, but that doesn't mean I would use them if I could fly on say malaysian Airlines for $250 less.

I have to disagree with your answer because I have saved thousands of dollars by using Accor and Sunway Absolute (KL).
I always do extensive searches for discounted room rates and can never get them at the rates offered to members. You always get one night for free which covers the membership cost anyway. Then on top of that there is 50% of food which saves a lot when you stay a couple of weeks. I understand what you are saying about them trying to get us to use their hotel(s) everytime, but even if you only use them once you have saved.
Thank for your input.

Anyone else have any comments??

Shangri La's loyalty program has recently been upgraded (supposedly). You no longer get the free breakfasts but only a 50% discount. I'm looking long and hard at the new terms and am struggling to see how I will actually benefit from this new better program. I always thought the free breakfasts was a real marketing gem (particularly in pricy places like Hong Kong)- the new programme isn't so attractive.

uniopp:
Try this link to the Ameniti Travel Club, I think that is something you are descibing. Hope this helps!

http://www.ameniti.com/ac/browse/main.ac

Aloha!

Hi, I am travelling to Malaysia next month and got great rates and privileges in Pangkor Laut Resort by joining the YTL comunity and at the Pelangi Beach Resort in Langkawi by joining the Meritus Club. Hope it helps.

it was reported here that you still get the full breakfast at shangri-la in bangkok...??

uniopp-fwiw-I gave up my $220 per year Sheraton "privilege" card because I got cheaper room rates from wotif.com & priceline. I did not want to be bound to one hotel chain either. Half price meals don't really add value for me because food outside the hotel is lots cheaper & usually better. Sorry-I did not find value in something that costs so much to begin with! I did the maths and it did not add up, for me. Good you find otherwise.