Le Club Accorhotels requires work to dive into all those promotions and the limited availability of hotels in the USA for this loyalty program places it on the backburner for me.

Free elite membership was passed around for the launch of Le Club Accorhotels. I was looking at my LeClub Accorhotels Platinum card and wondering if I will even sleep in a member hotel bed before the card expires.

Now if I had global travel planned, then the hotel rate discount offers would motivate me to check Accor Hotels website offers more frequently.

This post is for travelers getting beyond the USA borders. Some of these hotel prices might make you think again about going downscale from the category 6 and 7 hotels in US-based hotel loyalty programs that dot European cities and international beach resorts.

Or you might find upscaling to an Accor budget hotel room is within your financial means when that hostel, B&B or couchsurfing scene gets too social.

Current Accor Hotels regional promotions:

Europe

40% off + breakfast in France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Italy for 2 nights or more!

Looking to explore a new city in Europe? Make the most of our special rates, travel tips and a welcome gift at over 400 participating hotels across Europe!
Whether you’re visiting a big capital or small city in France, UK, Germany or other, save up to 40% on your stay of 2 nights or more – with breakfast for 2 included plus a “Let Good Things Happen” welcome gift*.

*Let Good Things Happen touch differs in each country:
For UK – city bag including snack bar and mineral water
For France – late check out until 4pm

Paris – not so great a discount for summer 2012

50% off second night at six Pullman hotels in Paris or any Pullman Hotel worldwide, a 25% overall rate discount. Pullman is listed as an upper upscale hotel chain in the 2012 STR Global Chain Scale. This is a 2012 year long brand promotion and rate includes late checkout and breakfast.

Thailand Cheap Rates

Accor Hotels has a 2012 year-long Thailand hotels discount promotion. The trouble last year with floods and civil unrest must have had some impact on Thailand.

I checked rates for some Phuket hotels that are listed at under $40 per night for June 2012. The upper upscale resorts are around $100 per night.

Rates are typically higher than shown, about 50% to double the prices in their ad for June and July travel.

Thailand, Vietnam and Japan “3 Nights for Price of 2” until June 30; must book by June 13, 2012.

New Zealand and Fiji 20% off at 27 hotels until August 31, 2012; must book by June 30.

There are several other promotions for Asia, Middle East, Africa and much of Europe for 30% to 40% off rates. These are generalized, vague discount offers with little or no published details listing dates for offer. Hard to say if these other offers are truly discount rate sales or not.

Le Club Accorhotels is a program with loads of rules for earning and redeeming points. In general, the redemption value of hotel points is low relative to the rate of earning points. Points can be redeemed for hotel credit certificates in the form of 40EUR or US$60 for 2,000 points. Le Club Accorhotels loyalty program terms and conditions pdf.

Le Club Accorhotels Members earn Le Club Accorhotels points on the following
basis:

• 1 eligible € spent = 2 Le Club Accorhotels points at Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, and Adagio (excluding Adagio Access) brand hotels.
• 1 eligible € spent = 1 Le Club Accorhotels point at ibis (excluding ibis budget) and all seasons/ibis styles hotels. At ibis (excluding ibis budget) hotels in France, only weekend stays (those stays including at least Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night) are eligible for points.
• 1 eligible € spent = 2 Le Club Accorhotels points at Thalassa sea & spa institutes if the Member stays at a Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, or Mercure brand hotel.
• 1 eligible € spent = 1 Le Club Accorhotels point at Thalassa sea & spa institutes if the Member stays at an ibis (excluding ibis budget) or all seasons/ibis styles brand hotel.
• These rules do not take point acceleration factors into consideration based on the Member’s status level.

This works out to about 2,000 Accor points for US$1,250 in hotel spend.  Even less if ibis or all seasons brands. 2,000 points can be redeemed for a US$60 voucher.

Unless your Accor points earn rate is accelerated through promotion bonus points or elite status the rebate rate is a relatively low 6% for hotel spend.

Most major hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Rewards, SPG, Hilton HHonors, IHG Priority Club and Hyatt Gold Passport regularly offer periodic opportunities for 25% to 50% rebate on hotel spend with hotel loyalty promotions.

• Chevron
• Exxon Mobil
• Sunoco

GAS Gift Card Denominations and point redemption values:

$25 Gas Card = 8,250 points (regularly 11,000 points)

• Redemption value = $3.03 per 1,000 points.

$50 Gas Card = 15,000 points (regularly 20,000 points)

• Redemption value = $3.33 per 1,000 points.

$100 Gas Card = 28,500 points (regularly 38,000 points)

• Redemption value = $3.51 per 1,000 points.

$200 Gas Card = 55,500 points (regularly 74,000 points)

• Redemption value = $3.60 per 1,000 points.

These redemption values are likely far less than you will get with a hotel room redemption where you are likely to get at least $5.00 to $6.00 or more per 1,000 points, but if you have plenty of Priority Club points and need to save cash on gas, then these values are reasonable redemption rates.

I redeemed 15,000 points for $500 in room savings this week when the new PointBreaks list came out for stays through July 31, 2012. That is $33.33 per 1,000 points redemption value for 10x the gas card rate.

I’ll pay $100 cash for my gas driving to my Priority Club PointBreaks hotel stay in July.

Priority Club Gas Cards

According to this WebFlyer post, other Priority Club retailer gift cards will be discounted each week through Labor Day weekend.

Don’t think twice, it’s alright.

These two promotions are actually nearly identical. Complete two stays at Choice Hotels from May 17 to August 15, 2012 and you will earn a total 8,000 Choice Privileges points.

The only difference in this offer from the previous Choice Privileges promotion that ended earlier this month is this time members have the option of redeeming 8,000 points for a $50 gift card that normally requires 16,000 points through Choice Privileges. You do not have to redeem your points for a gift card. These points will be available for any redemption option you choose through Choice Privileges, including that free night for 8,000 points at over 1,500 hotels.

Choice Privileges Summer Promotion May 17-August 15, 2012

• Choice Privileges promotion registration required before stays.
• This offer is only available to residents of the U.S. (including U.S. territories) or Canada.
• Discount gift cards for 8,000 points are only available to members who complete this promotion and redeem points for gift cards by September 30, 2012.
• Bonus may be earned unlimited times during promotion period.

This is a promotion that favors the low spender since Choice Privileges adds the number of points needed to reach 8,000 points after your two stays. Two stays earn 8,000 total points in your account, not 8,000 bonus points.

These are the participating gift card retailers:

U.S. Resident Options

• BP
• Chevron/Texaco
• Darden
• ExxonMobil
• Macy’s
• Sears
• Shell
• Sunoco
• Uno Chicago Grill

Canada Resident Options

• Cara Foods
• Cineplex
• FutureShop
• Esso
• Home Hardware
• Sears
• St. Hubert’s

Remember four brands require 2-night stays to count

The main thing to be aware of is Choice Hotels extended stay and budget brands require two consecutive nights to constitute a stay for the bonus. These Choice  Hotels brands include EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn, MainStay Suites and Suburban.

Choice Privileges 5,000 Points Minimum

For the past couple of years I used an example that a person who normally earns 5,600 base points from two stays will only get 2,400 additional points, whereas, a person who earns 2,000 base points gets a 6,000 points bonus after two stays.

I received an email from a Choice Hotels manager after my March 2012 post on the Choice Privileges promotion stating there is a 5,000 points minimum so the member in my example would actually get 10,600 points. There are more details on Choice Hotels in that March 2012 article I will not repeat here.

I see there is still no official wording to this effect in the Choice Privileges promotion FAQ. Can anyone out there confirm a 5,000 points minimum bonus in your account from one of these perennial Choice offers for 8,000 points?

Choice Hotels currently has 11 hotel brands:

1. Comfort Inn
2. Comfort Suites
3. Quality Inn and Suites
4. Sleep Inn
5. Clarion
6. Cambria Suites
7. Ascend Collection
8. MainStay Suites
9. Suburban
10. EconoLodge
11. Rodeway Inn

Choice Privileges also partners with Preferred Hotels Group and Barcelo Resorts where you can use Choice Privileges points for hotel stays.

Ventana Inn, Big Sur 89.7

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur 93.9

Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach 92.5

Lodge at Pebble Beach 95.0

Four Platinum Circle hotels make the grade out of fewer than 70 hotels in the U.S. This region of Monterey County, with only about 10,000 residents over a 30 mile stretch of Central California Coast, is recognized for hotel excellence on par with four Platinum Circle hotels in places like New York, Chicago and Las Vegas.

These four Monterey County coastal hotels almost always have listed rates starting at over $500 per night. Meals and experiences additional!

So what will you find with an $800 per night room getaway at a world class destination like Big Sur?

My adventure was a little wilder than I anticipated for a luxury resort visit. And that was a good sign for me during my visit to Ventana Inn.

Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur

Ventana Inn & Spa sits 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean on the east side of Highway 1.

The entrance to Ventana Inn from Highway 1 reveals little of the resort that sits on two ridges several hundred feet above the main road cutting through Big Sur Valley.

Post Ranch Inn directly across Highway 1 from Ventana Inn, on the west side of the highway, is probably more famously known for its rooms perched on the edge of the cliffs dropping down hundreds of feet to the sea. You will need to shell out a few hundred dollars more per night than Ventana Inn rates to sleep across the street at Post Ranch Inn. Loyalty Traveler readers should recognize this photo from the infinity pool at Post Ranch Inn.

Post Ranch Inn infinity pool

Ventana Inn & Spa is set back from the ocean, yet there are still plenty of views to be seen from these 243 acres of hillside.

View from Vista Del Mar outside the Ventana Restaurant. A popular Big Sur hangout Nepenthe, another location on the edge of the Pacific, is visible through the trees in the right side of this photo.

The Restaurant at Ventana has a prix fixe menu currently priced at $80 per person for Dinner. The hotel website has a sample menu.

The Restaurant Path

The trail across the Ventana Inn Big Sur property is actually called the “restaurant path”.  The well-maintained gravel path is a ten minute walk from one ridge 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean with the restaurant and gift shop and the adjacent ridge with the lodging rooms, spa and pools. A narrow valley runs between the high ground ridges.

The path traverses fields and woods. Ventana Inn rooms are in the distance. Cars are corralled into parking lots away from the rooms at the Inn. Service carts whiz guests from their cars to the rooms if you do not desire walking. I walked past a woman in a motorized chair transporting herself around the spa and lodge area, so much of the resort is accessible.

Ventana Inn Restaurant and gift shop seen from the trail.

Live oak trees on the hillside.

Ventana Inn wildflowers and woods seen from Restaurant Path.

“Wild Cat trail” is the name I will affectionately remember the Ventana Inn restaurant path by for my bobcat encounter.

In the woods I noticed this cat on the trail hunting something in the brush. I watched the cat pounce, a movement so familiar to me from observing my cats play. The cat was bigger than my house cats, but not too big that I immediately sensed it was wild. Then the bobbed tail caught my attention.

We checked each other out for awhile. I stood my ground about 50 feet away. In my mind I kept thinking spring time and kittens and possibly a mean mama.

I didn’t want to be the restaurant trail meal.

Then the cat continued the hunt elsewhere. Those paws are quite a bit larger than my cats’ paws at home.

I let a minute go by before I continued in the direction of the bobcat to the Ventana Inn. And I did not see the wild cat again.

Resting place in the woods.

A few bridges truly keep the up and down to a minimum.

The Library at Ventana Inn.

Big Sur Valley looking north from Library.

Hammocks are located on room patios and on the grounds.

66 degrees in the shade on a sunny, breezy May day above the Pacific Ocean.

Big Sur is known for its winter season heavy rains and Ventana Inn & Spa is a year round resort. No problem if the weather is unsuitable for an outdoor pool swim. Heated Japanese tubs are also available for guests.

Photo Credit: Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Photo Credit: Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Ventana Inn room buildings are well designed into the natural landscape.

Photo Credit: Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Photo Credit: Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Ventana Inn Room Rates June 2012

Wilderness and privacy with all modern conveniences does not come inexpensively.

Rates over the next couple of weekends start at $716.67 per night plus 8.5% tax and a $30 per night Resort Fee is additional. Ventana Inn guestroom descriptions.

Midweek stays start at $650 per night or nearly $750 per night all-in after tax and fees.

Ventana Inn guestroom, Photo Credit: Joie de Vivre Hotels. 

Some dates even have a three night minimum stay. A 3-night stay in a Pacific House room will set you back $4,000 total for the June 15-18 weekend. The room rate and resort fee includes breakfast and a wine and hors d’oeuvres evening reception, morning yoga class and “Ventana Discovery Walk”.

Pacific House guestroom, Photo Credit: Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur

I discovered Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur in my own wild cat way before I ambled off down the Highway 1 path back to Monterey.

Note: Photos not credited to Joie de Vivre are my Loyalty Traveler photos.

Ventana Inn is a member of Joie de Vivre Hotels, a collection of about 30 boutique hotels mostly in California. Joie de Vivre loyalty program is Joy of Life Club.

JDV Hotels recently merged with Thompson Hotels October 1, 2011.

Seeing Frank Lloyd Wright’s first home design in Oak Park and the Robie House in Hyde Park at the University of Chicago campus motivated me to take a closer look at Frank Lloyd Wright house design for the Walker Residence, currently a private home in Carmel, California. The past few May days have been glorious around these parts. Big Sur for some more nature time is on my agenda today.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Walker Residence (1948) is on the rocks at the south point of Carmel Beach, Carmel, California.

Scenic Road, Carmel was parked up on a beautiful 60-degree cloudless evening, although about half the people stayed in their cars rather than walk the beach.

Looking north along Carmel Beach. Monterey and Pacific Grove are on the other side of the hills.

The Walker Residence house has angles.

And maybe angels too.

I photographed this place during January 2010 when swells and waves of 25+ feet were breaking all along the coast. The waves were lowest around the Walker Residence.

The southern angled sun shadows and rain clouds of winter were not present in the late May sunset last evening.

Low tide provided an opportunity to get a little closer to the house.

I couldn’t resist and I had to get closer.

Like Jack without my Rose I stood at the peaked bow of the house and looked west over the sea before me. For this moment I was the King of California.

The Walker Residence truly points west in the bowhaus style.

Sea Otter Encounter

Sea otters use kelp as a tool to float, rest and eat. I spied a sea otter only about 20 feet offshore in this bull kelp patch of Carmel Bay in front of the Walker Residence. There are about 2,000 sea otters in the central coast area of Monterey Bay to Big Sur.

This big sea otter was checking me out while I photographed for several minutes.

Pebble Beach Lodge and Golf Links are in the background across Carmel Bay.

The streets of Carmel are still pretty quiet in late May on a weeknight. Lots of hotel vacancy signs.

You otter visit.

This is a site I hadn’t seen before this week. This is The Travel Mom giveaway #43 and I bet the odds are pretty good. Emily looks like she knows how to work Facebook.

The entry period ends Sunday 5/27/2012 9am (no time zone?).

Oceania has not participated in some time and PointBreaks are offered at the InterContinental Fiji and Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise, Australia.

There are a dozen InterContinental Hotels on this list with four in Africa including InterContinental Mauritius.

United States (link)

ALABAMA

CANDLEWOOD SUITES BIRMINGHAM

HOLIDAY INN MOBILE WEST – I-10

ARKANSAS

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL LITTLE ROCK

HOLIDAY INN LITTLE ROCK-PRESIDENTIAL-DWNTN

ARIZONA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL PHOENIX-AIRPORT

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES TUCSON AIRPORT-NORTH

CALIFORNIA

CANDLEWOOD SUITES GARDEN GROVE/ANAHEIM AREA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL LOS ANGELES HARBOR HOTEL

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES BARSTOW

STAYBRIDGE SUITES SAN DIEGO RANCHO BERNARDO AREA

CONNECTICUT

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES HARTFORD CONVENTION CTR AREA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL DANBURY

FLORIDA

CANDLEWOOD SUITES CLEARWATER

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES TAMPA STADIUM AIRPORT AREA

HOTEL INDIGO MIAMI DADELAND

STAYBRIDGE SUITES JACKSONVILLE

GEORGIA

HOTEL INDIGO ATLANTA MIDTOWN

HOLIDAY INN ATLANTA-PERIMETER/DUNWOODY

IOWA

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES WEST DES MOINES-JORDAN CREEK

ILLINOIS

CANDLEWOOD SUITES CHICAGO/HOFFMAN ESTATES

HOLIDAY INN MOUNT PROSPECT – CHICAGO

STAYBRIDGE SUITES SCHAUMBURG

INDIANA

HOLIDAY INN LOUISVILLE-NORTH (CLARKSVILLE)

HOLIDAY INN TERRE HAUTE

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES COLUMBUS EDINBURGH

KANSAS

HOLIDAY INN OLATHE MEDICAL CENTER

KENTUCKY

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL LEXINGTON NEAR UK / KEENELAND

LOUISIANA

HOLIDAY INN BATON ROUGE COLLEGE DRIVE I-10

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES BOSSIER CITY – LOUISIANA DOWNS

MASSACHUSETTS

HOTEL INDIGO BOSTON-NEWTON RIVERSIDE

MARYLAND

HOLIDAY INN COLUMBIA

MAINE

HOLIDAY INN PORTLAND-BY THE BAY

MICHIGAN

CANDLEWOOD SUITES DETROIT-WARREN

MINNESOTA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL BLOOMINGTON MSP AIRPORT / MOA

MISSOURI

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL ST. LOUIS AIRPORT

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ST. LOUIS AIRPORT- RIVERPORT

MISSISSIPPI

HOLIDAY INN MERIDIAN E – I 20/I 59

MONTANA

HOLIDAY INN BOZEMAN

NORTH CAROLINA

HOTEL INDIGO RALEIGH DURHAM AIRPORT AT RTP

STAYBRIDGE SUITES CHARLOTTE-ARROWOOD

NORTH DAKOTA

STAYBRIDGE SUITES MINOT

NEBRASKA

STAYBRIDGE SUITES LINCOLN I-80

NEW HAMPSHIRE

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES NASHUA

NEW JERSEY

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL MONROE SOUTH BRUNSWICK

HOLIDAY INN GW BRIDGE-FORT LEE NYC AREA

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS WEST ATLANTIC CITY

NEW MEXICO

CANDLEWOOD SUITES ALBUQUERQUE

NEW YORK

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL SYRACUSE

HOLIDAY INN ALBANY, NY – WOLF ROAD

HOTEL INDIGO ALBANY LATHAM

OHIO

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL CLEVELAND SOUTH – INDEPENDENCE

INTERCONTINENTAL CLEVELAND

STAYBRIDGE SUITES TOLEDO – MAUMEE

OKLAHOMA

CANDLEWOOD SUITES LAWTON FORT SILL

STAYBRIDGE SUITES OKLAHOMA CITY-QUAIL SPRINGS

OREGON

HOLIDAY INN PORTLAND-AIRPORT (I-205)

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ROSEBURG

HOLIDAY INN RESORT THE LODGE AT RUNNING Y RANCH

SOUTH CAROLINA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL CHARLESTON AIRPORT – CONV CTR

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES COLUMBIA-AIRPORT

TENNESSEE

HOLIDAY INN OPRYLAND-ARPT (BRILEY PKWY)

STAYBRIDGE SUITES MEMPHIS-POPLAR AVE EAST

HOLIDAY INN CHATTANOOGA – HAMILTON PLACE

TEXAS

CANDLEWOOD SUITES HOUSTON IAH / BELTWAY 8

CANDLEWOOD SUITES DALLAS PARK CENTRAL

HOLIDAY INN HOUSTON-INTERCONTINENTAL ARPT

HOLIDAY INN CORPUS CHRISTI-EMERALD BEACH

INTERCONTINENTAL HOUSTON NEAR THE GALLERIA

STAYBRIDGE SUITES SAN ANTONIO – STONE OAK

UTAH

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES SALT LAKE CITY-AIRPORT WEST

VIRGINIA

CANDLEWOOD SUITES RICHMOND WEST END SHORT PUMP

HOLIDAY INN VIRGINIA BEACH – NORFOLK

WASHINGTON

HOLIDAY INN DOWNTOWN-EVERETT

STAYBRIDGE SUITES VANCOUVER-PORTLAND METRO

WYOMING

HOLIDAY INN ROCK SPRINGS

Canada link.

ALBERTA

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES WEST EDMONTON

BRITISH COLUMBIA

HOLIDAY INN VANCOUVER AIRPORT- RICHMOND

ONTARIO

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL AND SUITES OTTAWA-DOWNTOWN

QUEBEC

HOLIDAY INN SELECT MONTREAL CENTRE VILLE DOWNTOWN

Mexico

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL MEXICALI-BAJA CALIFORNIA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL TUXPAN

HOLIDAY INN QUERETARO-CENTRO HISTORICO

HOLIDAY INN MONTERREY-PARQUE FUNDIDORA

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES MEXICO CITY AT THE WTC

INTERCONTINENTAL PRESIDENTE PUEBLA

Central & South America

ARGENTINA

INTERCONTINENTAL NORDELTA TIGRE – BUENOS AIRES

BRAZIL

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL BELEM

CHILE

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS IQUIQUE

ECUADOR

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS QUITO

EL SALVADOR

HOLIDAY INN SAN SALVADOR

GUATEMALA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL GUATEMALA

HONDURAS

INTERCONTINENTAL REAL TEGUCIGALPA

NICARAGUA

HOLIDAY INN MANAGUA – CONVENTION CENTER

Europe

ANDORRA

HOLIDAY INN ANDORRA

CYPRUS

INTERCONTINENTAL APHRODITE HILLS RESORT HOTEL

DENMARK

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL COPENHAGEN TOWERS

FRANCE

HOLIDAY INN LILLE – OUEST ENGLOS

GERMANY

HOLIDAY INN DÜSSELDORF AIRPORT – RATINGEN

ITALY

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL VERONA – FIERA

LITHUANIA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL VILNIUS

POLAND

HOLIDAY INN KRAKOW CITY CENTRE

PORTUGAL

HOLIDAY INN PORTO – GAIA

ROMANIA

INTERCONTINENTAL BUCHAREST

RUSSIA

STAYBRIDGE SUITES ST. PETERSBURG

SLOVAKIA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL BRATISLAVA

SPAIN

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL ESTEPONA – COSTA DEL SOL

TURKEY

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL ANTALYA

UNITED KINGDOM

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS EXETER M5, JCT. 29

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS NEWCASTLE – METRO CENTRE

HOLIDAY INN GLASGOW AIRPORT

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS GLASGOW – CITY CTR RIVERSIDE

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL LONDON – GATWICK AIRPORT

HOLIDAY INN OXFORD

HOLIDAY INN PORTSMOUTH

HOLIDAY INN STRATFORD UPON AVON

HOLIDAY INN TAUNTON M5, JCT.25

HOLIDAY INN LANCASTER

Africa

EGYPT

INTERCONTINENTAL CITYSTARS CAIRO

KENYA

INTERCONTINENTAL NAIROBI

MAURITIUS

INTERCONTINENTAL RESORT MAURITIUS

MOROCCO

HOLIDAY INN MARRAKECH – HOTEL DU GOLF

SOUTH AFRICA

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS DURBAN – UMHLANGA

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS PRETORIA – SUNNYPARK

ZAMBIA

INTERCONTINENTAL LUSAKA

ZIMBABWE

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL HARARE-MONOMOTAPA

HOLIDAY INN BULAWAYO

Middle East

ISRAEL

HOLIDAY INN ASHKELON

JORDAN

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL AMMAN

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL DUBAI – DEIRA

Asia

CHINA-PEOPLES REPUBLIC

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL ZHONGSHAN XIAOLAN

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL SHENZHEN LONGGANG CITY CENTRE

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL GUANGZHOU HUADU

HOLIDAY INN HANGZHOU CBD

HOLIDAY INN SHANGHAI SONGJIANG

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SHANGHAI NANHUIZUI

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SHANGDI BEIJING

HOTEL INDIGO SHANGHAI ON THE BUND

INTERCONTINENTAL WUXI

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL HEFEI

INDIA

HOLIDAY INN PUNE HINJEWADI

INDONESIA

HOLIDAY INN RESORT BATAM

MALAYSIA

INTERCONTINENTAL KUALA LUMPUR

TAIWAN

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS TAOYUAN

THAILAND

CROWNE PLAZA RESORT PHUKET PANWA BEACH RESORT

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS BANGKOK SIAM

HOLIDAY INN RESORT REGENT BEACH CHA AM

VIETNAM

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL DANANG

Oceania

AUSTRALIA

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL SURFERS PARADISE

FIJI ISLANDS

INTERCONTINENTAL FIJI GOLF RESORT & SPA

VANUATU

HOLIDAY INN RESORT VANUATU

I have my eyes set on a cheap multi-day stay in Oregon. A few days in the happiest place on earth in So Cal followed by a few days in the hoppiest place on earth up in Oregon seems like a good start to the first half of summer.

Then I found I really enjoyed the experience of being sweated, washed and massaged at VALEO Spa in the JW Marriott Chicago.

First you sign the form in the unlikely event you die. Standard fitness center stuff, but who reads the fine print in public?

Enter the VALEO

The male attendant handed me a plush robe and a little wool blanket looking thing he said was good for the sauna.

I sealed my goods in an electronic locker and donned a robe with only my underwear and my camera on me as I was escorted to a sauna.

Valeo Spa – steam room (glass door left and sauna wooden door), JW Marriott Chicago.

Sitting in a sauna alone all I could think of the first few minutes were New York City Italian mafia movies. I realized the underwear had to go. The little blanket thing stayed. I couldn’t help but wonder as a person who studied microbiology in college how the wooden slats are cleansed. I kept my skin on the blanket.

Then I settled into the sauna vibe in a space much darker than shown in this flash photo. The sauna is heated by infrared. Normally I find a sauna unbearable. This actually was a different experience since there was no steam or single heat source. The heaters are distributed around the benches.

Twenty minutes or so in the sauna and then I was led to a waiting lounge room.

The St. Regis Monarch Beach, California spa is one of the few other inner spa sanctums I have seen. I never had any services there. All the grooming products available for guest use reminded me of the St. Regis spa. I thought to myself, I actually need a shave.

I was dropped off in this room that offered reading material, fruit and water.

Now turn the brightness factor way down and you can sense the waiting lounge. These are flash photos since the actual lighting was too dim for clear photos without the flash.

Valeo Spa has a full liquor license. I am not sure if they normally serve drinks here, but I think they might while you wait for your masseuse.

Charles, a 20-something looking and muscular local guy from Chicago, took over my spa experience just as I was about to chill out in these chairs.The lighting was so intensely moody in a mellow way that I chilled into the moment and flowed with the escort. My spa apprehensions kind of melted away.

I had no idea what was going to happen next.

Clarity Chamber A was an over-the-top different kind of experience for me.

The clarity chamber has three of these marble heated tables. This was the center table. My treatment was in a side room.

Basically I got hosed and scrubbed on this table. One of the most impressive aspects of this treatment is the care Charles took to position towels while performing the treatment. He moved towels around my body to expose most of me, but not all of me, and he held towels out in front to block his vision of me while I adjusted on the table when lying down and turning over.

The process would be much simpler if the person lying naked on the table can be directed to change positions, but in this spa experience the time was taken to carefully position towels so that the guest is not exposing himself to the masseuse.

There was washing, scrubbing the skin, and wonderful smelling scents being placed on my skin. This was star treatment which is a luxury I seldom let myself enjoy.

Hot Lounge, Valeo Spa JW Marriott Chicago

I was serious about getting hosed with water during the cleaning treatment. You have to keep your mouth up off the table, but Charles did a good job of not getting too much water near my face.

The Hot Lounge room is a heated marble room where I waited with a bottle of water. Alex at JetSetter.com joined me, another journalist from New York. I was having those mafia movie flashbacks again.

Couples Spa Room

Charles took me into the couples spa room for photos before my massage.

This room was photographed with my flash, but this photo is a much better indicator of the low lighting prevalent in the spa.

Couples spa room has infinity tub.

Couples spa room dual head shower.

I know I would have a fine night at JW Marriott Chicago if I treated Kelley to an experience like a couples massage in a room like this.

My wife has a penchant for Pebble Beach. I have to admit that now I see what attracts her to a luxury spa.

But that was not the end of my treatment. I don’t know how long I was massaged since I was nodding off while on the table during the 30 to 60 minute session. It was a full-body massage from toe to head.

I asked Charles how many people getting massaged fall asleep on him? He told me more than half. I know I drifted out a couple of times and I was on the verge of full-blown baby sleep.

BYOURBEST – Tailored to You

One thing to point out here is the customization of the massage. I was asked when I arrived at Valeo Spa what parts of my body bothered me recently.

I don’t think I ever mentioned this on Loyalty traveler, but when I went to Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas in February I had a herniated disk in my back from a prior injury.

Atlantis Resort is famous for its water rides and I was suffering intense back pain and only managed to float in a pool for about 30 minutes during the entire trip.

After returning to California I went through another five weeks of sciatic nerve pain in my leg.

Charles had my medical information and tailored much of the massage on my hip and thigh area where I had suffered the pain until about seven weeks ago.

After the massage treatment I was escorted to the VALEO Spa pool area. This is a special UV light pool without chlorine.

The new high-tech pool located within VALEO offers a spa-worthy experience with white tile enveloped in blue stucco walls. The 11.2 meter pool features comfortable seating for 7-12 people. Instead of chlorine, the pool is filtered by UV-light, where the water flows through UV-light chambers to eliminate 99 percent of all toxins and bacteria resulting in less chlorine in the pool than in average drinking water. A separate whirlpool has been custom-designed to offer therapeutic relief to guests with PSI jets as powerful as a shiatsu massage that target highly sensitive points along the back, shoulders, and neck. TravelPulse – May 10, 2012

Five journalists were treated to Godiva chocolate covered strawberries and Mimosas. I had planned to give the pool a thorough workout, but I didn’t make it back to the spa before leaving the hotel.

That was my spa experience at VALEO Spa JW Marriott Chicago.

VALEO Spa recently opened an Express Spa. There is a Father’s Day special for three treatments for $109.

Coincidentally I came across a 2011 TimeOut Chicago review of the VALEO Spa regarding the personalized spa treatments.

I looked at the current VALEO Spa menu and as best I can tell I received a 30 to 45 minute Clarity Chamber treatment and Hot Room and a 30 to 45 minute massage. The whole spa session was two hours start to finish.

Disclosure: The VALEO Spa sessions at the JW Marriott Chicago were complimentary as part of the Spring Media Tour for the hotel.

Hilton HHonors officially launched Points & Money Rewards in late 2011 and the FAQ briefly included a table showing the cash co-pay for each hotel category level. The Hilton Points & Money copay table was removed from the Hilton website within a few hours of my October 3, 2011 post on Hilton HHonors Points & Money Rewards.

The table was replaced by this wording: “The number of points required to redeem Points & Money Rewards varies by room, hotel, and booking date.”

These Points & Money copay amounts originally published by Hilton HHonors and quickly removed have been observed for Points & Money rewards over the past year – until now.

Points & Money Reward Nights on the Rise at Conrad Hong Kong and Bali

Conrad Bali June 13-14, 2012

• category 5 hotel = 35,000 points per night.
• Category 5 Points & Money = 17,500 points + $90.

The table above shows the Points & Money co-pay as $60 for a category 5 hotel. $90 copay at Conrad Bali is a 50% higher copay rate than typical for a Category 5 hotel.

I have checked a dozen other hotels in Europe, South America, Asia and the U.S. and the co-pay rate is $60 or within a couple of dollars of that amount with foreign currency exchange rates. All the hotels I checked are in line with the HHonors Points & Money table shown, regardless of hotel category, except for the Conrad Hong Kong.

Conrad Hong Kong

HK$1,009 = US$129.95 for this HHonors category 7 hotel.

Other category 7 hotels I checked all showed $85 or very near that copay rate with currency exchange fluctuations. $130 is a 53% copay increase over the typical $85.

Is this a sign of coming co-pay fluctuation for HHonors Points & Money Rewards?

This is an issue where crowdsourcing data can be handy. I checked more than a dozen hotels in different brands and countries and these two hotels were the only anomalies I located.

Please leave a comment if you have noticed other hotels deviating from the common HHonors Points & Money copay amounts shown in the table.

This FlyerTalk thread also discusses examples of HHonors Points & Money Rewards.

Thanks to Loyalty Traveler reader Jo C. for bringing this issue to my attention.

After all the high finance maneuvers Accor will be left with about 330M EUR to invest in emerging Asia-Pacific and Latin America markets where most new hotel development globally is happening.

Motel 6 and Studio 6, an extended stay brand, is the largest budget hotel chain in the U.S. and Canada with 1,102 hotels and 107,000 rooms.

These ownership changes might have a limited impact on the operations of the Motel 6 chain when the deal is completed around October 2012.

Blackstone is like the WalMart of the hotel industry.

Will Blackstone attempt a loyalty program marketing strategy to re-image Motel 6 for the American traveler?

In the back of my Loyalty Traveler mind I am wondering if the new owners will try and implement a hotel loyalty program for the Motel 6 brand now that this ubiquitous Cinderella of the American budget traveler is out of the step-sister role it played with Accor.

The budget chains of Accor Hotels are not participants in Le Club Accor loyalty program. Motel 6 comprises almost 25% of Accor’s global properties and there is no points earning system in place for Motel 6 stays. Only a couple of promotional opportunities allowing summer month redemption of Accor cash certificates (2,000 Accor points = US$60) for Motel 6 stays were offered in the past few years.

Blackstone may just bring Motel 6 to the hotel ball. And even if Motel 6 does not dress up too pretty, obviously Blackstone sees something of value behind those doors.

A Motel 6 loyalty program is just my speculation, but that would be interesting news for the budget traveler. I’ll be watching Motel 6 in 2013 for changes.

News Sources: Bloomberg Financial – Accor to Sell Motel 6 to Blackstone for $1.9 Billion (May 22, 2012)

Financial Times – Accor sells US budget chain to Blackstone(May 22, 2012)

Hotel News Now – Blackstone buys Motel 6, Studio 6 for $1.9b (May 22, 2012)