Experience of burning Accor points for international stay

[aashish2137]

Hi I've been a silent reader of this forum and made an account today to share my experience of burning Accor points for international stay, especially amid some feedback of issues at the checkout on Twitter.

I'm an Accor plus silver member (spend 4000 points for status upgrade) and booked 2 Novotel properties in Phuket for 3 and 2 nights each.

Property 1
Booked a refundable tariff along with mykids package and paid with points. Since points can be redeemed in multiples of 2000, the remaining was held on my card. At the time of check-in, I informed them that we would pay with points at checkout. The hotel still insisted to hold a charge which I was ok with.
Accor has a running offer of 50% off on dining (2 guests) which even the front desk hadn't informed us of. Came as a surprise.
At the time of checkout, they generated an OTP. As I didn't have international roaming I was worried it would be an issue but the OTP came on email instead. Took about 30 seconds. The points were used and remaining was paid in cash. The hold was reversed after 2 days.

Property 2: booked a non refundable tariff so they charged the remaining amount to my card. I availed mykids package here too and mydrinks (2 hours unlimited hard drinks, full day unlimited soft drinks) as well since both were paid via points. This property had a souvenir shop that charged to the room and I was able to pay the room charge with points at checkout. So effectively I got souvenirs with points at the tariff conversion rate which was great. Another important difference was this property didn't ask for any OTP while burning the points. I told them I'll use points and they were able to burn them and I got an acknowledgement email. This came as a pleasant surprise. Also this means the properties have a way to burn points without an OTP so if you're not able to login to Accor account, they shouldn't refuse the points burn technically.

Overall - it was superb experience. We paid about inr 3000 for 5 nights stay, meals, drinks and gifts. Could've saved the 3000 also had I planned better to avoid rounding difference but it's fine. I've been an Infinia users but never had such a rewarding credit card experience yet.

Another important update - Accor is running big offers on dining in most of their Asian properties for Accor plus members right now. It's kind of like 100% off divided by number of members dining (except for 1 diner it's 25%). Doesn't even require a stay.

 

[anirban.choudhury]

Good Info bro
Keep sharing such experiences .

 

[SuperKnight]

Good Info bro, what is mykids package, where can I choose that while booking, and is there any additional charge for same?

 

[aashish2137]

Good Info bro, what is mykids package, where can I choose that while booking, and is there any additional charge for same?

Mykids includes a small gift for the kid on arrival, complimentary sweets, one lunch and one dinner from kids menu, free flow soft drinks, access to kids room and 1 paid activity (cooking class or thai boxing for us). All of this is applicable for 1 day per kid in one purchase. Kid needs to be less than 5 years old. So if you're staying 3 days and book 1 package, you can avail on any 1 day of your stay. For more, check accor site.

The package is approx INR 855 and you can add it to your reservation at the time of making the Booking.

Need to be an Accor member for availing it.

From my personal experience it's absolutely worth the price. The gift included a soft toy and a sipper. Kids menu for lunch dinner was a choice of 1 starter, 1 mains and 1 dessert (pizza, thai fried rice and ice cream for us). For soft drinks, they were handing out cold drink cans and we all shared them plus they sent some pastries to our room as a part of this which was sufficient for the entire family (of 3). Couldn't avail the cooking class/ boxing activity so can't review that.

 

[thedator]

Wow. Amazing experience and very nice read.

Did you prepay points while booking and then paid the remaining at checkout?

 

[aashish2137]

Wow. Amazing experience and very nice read.

Did you prepay points while booking and then paid the remaining at checkout?

Yes, prepaid. First one was a refundable tariff. So the remaining that couldn't be paid by points was put on hold on my card and as we meals in the hotel, we paid the remaining tariff + meals with points at checkout.
Second was a non refundable tariff so the remaining was charged to card before the check-in. Couldn't change that to points but I did pay for meals drinks and gifts with points at checkout.

 

[thedator]

Yes, prepaid. First one was a refundable tariff. So the remaining that couldn't be paid by points was put on hold on my card and as we meals in the hotel, we paid the remaining tariff + meals with points at checkout.
Second was a non refundable tariff so the remaining was charged to card before the check-in. Couldn't change that to points but I did pay for meals drinks and gifts with points at checkout.

Oh that means that for the non refundable booking, you would have to pay taxes via card.

 

[Harry1]

Yes, prepaid. First one was a refundable tariff. So the remaining that couldn't be paid by points was put on hold on my card and as we meals in the hotel, we paid the remaining tariff + meals with points at checkout.
Second was a non refundable tariff so the remaining was charged to card before the check-in. Couldn't change that to points but I did pay for meals drinks and gifts with points at checkout.

For non refundable booking also, when u used points for meal, did u get 2000 points = 40 euro conversion rate?

As some people mentioned like it is 2000 points = 20 euro for dining (when not staying in hotel).

 

[aashish2137]

For non refundable booking also, when u used points for meal, did u get 2000 points = 40 euro conversion rate?

As some people mentioned like it is 2000 points = 20 euro for dining (when not staying in hotel).

Same redemption 2000 points = 40 eur. We had meals, drinks and gifts from souvenir shop in the bill.

 

[aashish2137]

Oh that means that for the non refundable booking, you would have to pay taxes via card.

Not taxes, I paid the rounding difference. Since points are used in multiples of 2000, I paid by card the amount that fell outside the 2000 point multiple. Only the tariff portion of the bill was paid by card as for non refundable rate, entire billing is done before check-in. For consumables, I still paid by points during checkout

 

[kuku1687]

Not taxes, I paid the rounding difference. Since points are used in multiples of 2000, I paid by card the amount that fell outside the 2000 point multiple. Only the tariff portion of the bill was paid by card as for non refundable rate, entire billing is done before check-in. For consumables, I still paid by points during checkout

From where can I opt for mydrinks package. I didn't see any such option while booking.

 

[aashish2137]

You'll see it on the hotel booking page once you confirm the room, assuming your choice of hotels has this option.

From where can I opt for mydrinks package. I didn't see any such option while booking.

 

[kuku1687]

You'll see it on the hotel booking page once you confirm the room, assuming your choice of hotels has this option.

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 9785]

Hi I've been a silent reader of this forum and made an account today to share my experience of burning Accor points for international stay, especially amid some feedback of issues at the checkout on Twitter.

I'm an Accor plus silver member (spend 4000 points for status upgrade) and booked 2 Novotel properties in Phuket for 3 and 2 nights each.

Property 1
Booked a refundable tariff along with mykids package and paid with points. Since points can be redeemed in multiples of 2000, the remaining was held on my card. At the time of check-in, I informed them that we would pay with points at checkout. The hotel still insisted to hold a charge which I was ok with.
Accor has a running offer of 50% off on dining (2 guests) which even the front desk hadn't informed us of. Came as a surprise.
At the time of checkout, they generated an OTP. As I didn't have international roaming I was worried it would be an issue but the OTP came on email instead. Took about 30 seconds. The points were used and remaining was paid in cash. The hold was reversed after 2 days.

Property 2: booked a non refundable tariff so they charged the remaining amount to my card. I availed mykids package here too and mydrinks (2 hours unlimited hard drinks, full day unlimited soft drinks) as well since both were paid via points. This property had a souvenir shop that charged to the room and I was able to pay the room charge with points at checkout. So effectively I got souvenirs with points at the tariff conversion rate which was great. Another important difference was this property didn't ask for any OTP while burning the points. I told them I'll use points and they were able to burn them and I got an acknowledgement email. This came as a pleasant surprise. Also this means the properties have a way to burn points without an OTP so if you're not able to login to Accor account, they shouldn't refuse the points burn technically.

Overall - it was superb experience. We paid about inr 3000 for 5 nights stay, meals, drinks and gifts. Could've saved the 3000 also had I planned better to avoid rounding difference but it's fine. I've been an Infinia users but never had such a rewarding credit card experience yet.

Another important update - Accor is running big offers on dining in most of their Asian properties for Accor plus members right now. It's kind of like 100% off divided by number of members dining (except for 1 diner it's 25%). Doesn't even require a stay.

people say you cant burn points on non refundable rooms which are cheaper by 20% than flexible

 

[aashish2137]

people say you cant burn points on non refundable rooms which are cheaper by 20% than flexible

I didn't face any such issue. I was able to burn points for both refundable as well as non-refundable during the booking itself. As I said before, only the non-rounding portion was charged to the card incase of non-refundable and was held to the card incase of refundable.

Incase of non-refundable, I wrote to the hotel asking if they can reverse the charge and let me burn points but they said they can't. See screenshot.

 

[R!ppEr]

have booked a non-refundable room through points. even the tax portion i was able to pay through points

people say you cant burn points on non refundable rooms which are cheaper by 20% than flexible

 

[Oksiva]

Can you let me know the names of properties? I have enquired two properties in phuket and they are asking to pay taxes by cash and rest can be redeemed by points. The tax portion is itself coming around 10k.
Also have you booked any activities In hotels and can they be paid via points?

 

[Oksiva]

Same redemption 2000 points = 40 eur. We had meals, drinks and gifts from souvenir shop in the bill.

Hi Ashish, which property is this? If even souvenirs can be redeemed by points that's a good deal. Have you booked any activities or taxis using hotel and tried reedeeming by points?

 

[yahnit]

Hi Ashish, which property is this? If even souvenirs can be redeemed by points that's a good deal. Have you booked any activities or taxis using hotel and tried reedeeming by points?

I booked taxis through points. However, the tariffs offered by hotel would be on the higher side as compared to the market.

 

[Oksiva]

I booked taxis through points. However, the tariffs offered by hotel would be on the higher side as compared to the market.

I find in phuket it almost standard when going through online taxi booking and accor app. However the hotel replied that it should be paid separately to my email. But in accor app I could find option of booking and paying through points.