Your unofficial guide to Accor ALL Diamond status

I think it is worth pointing out that €10,400 is the absolute minimum spend required to reach Diamond, and for 99% of customers they will need to spend substantially more than this to reach Diamond. Taxes and service charges (which are typically 10-20%) don't count towards this spend which means for most people the real spend is going to be closer to €12,000. Additionally, redeemed points don't count. If you are spending €12k you will almost certainly have a lot of points to redeem. So you could probably add another €500-1000. And the spend required when staying at Ibis is double so you can add another €1,200 (or so) if 10% of your stays are at Ibis. I estimate the average spend required to reach Diamond will be closer to €13,000-14,000 (for some guests it will be a little lower and for others it could be substantially higher).

When taking into account the spend required versus the underwhelming benefits it is clear that for most travellers with this budget they would be better off booking hotels through a 3rd party website where there is a lot more flexibility/good deals, and paying extra for breakfast or premium rooms when required - rather than being a slave to a loyalty program.

In particular, the breakfast benefit is so disappointing. And what it demonstrates is that Accor is a slave to their franchise agreements and they are incapable of making the necessary reforms to meet customer expectations and to be competitive with other loyalty programs. At the end of the day my partner and I stayed 120 nights in 2017, 60 nights last year, probably around 30 nights this year, and maybe a dozen nights next year. If that trend is replicated by other guests it is going to hurt Accor.

My experience of Accor Platinum status to date has been largely disappointing. Most recently was booked into premises in Auckland to find that I was put on a floor being actively refurbished outside the door (with workmen, their radio, the smells of paint and adhesive and cables across the floor), and when complained told "oh there are other floors without work". What sort of loyalty scheme means that some of your hotels treat the top tier of status holders as if they are just everyday clients, and no the free complementary drink and bottle of wate aren't enough to make it worthwhile. The experience is so varied, as sometimes it is excellent, other times I may as well have booked elsewhere. I'm not going to be Platinum next year, but besides missing lounge access at Swissotels, I doubt I will notice the difference.

Hello. I‘m Platinum and ended up with around 22,000 status points last year which according to this article should be credited towards Diamond status this year (“ Status points earned in 2019 will also count for the qualification of ALL Diamond status in 2020“). So far these points have not been allocated towards Diamond this year. Has anyone else had this happen? Thanks

Rob I did get Diamond status but so far it has been incredibly disappointing as there's nothing different to platinum. The five or six hotels (outside Australia) that I want to stay in aren't part of the suite upgrade program. Two hotels I have looked at so far in London don't offer the weekend breakfast!!!

Oh - and even though I am ACCOR plus this did not apply:

Complimentary Accor ALL Gold status for a friend. If you have the separate paid AccorPlus membership, then that friend will get it as well, minus the free one-night stay perk

Hi Rob - yes I figured the soft landing was a perk ( I too am primarily a leisure traveler) - although given the other benefits have not materialized I am abit nervous as to whether this will actually happen!

I did contact ACCOR re the Accor plus with the Gold gifted membership and they said it wasn't correct. I have followed this up again though although am not holding my breath.....

Hi again! I like the terminology you use (“soft landing”). I have found with Accor Plus (whom I have been with as a paid up member, not via AMEX, for over 10 years since they were Advantage Plus), that they are actually quite reasonable to deal with over Issues such as this, however persistence and talking to the right person is definitely the key (so definitely keep at it). Good luck and please keep me posted...thanks

Having been awarded the luxurious status of ALL Diamond and having stayed 16 nights away this year at different hotels In Australia ( Sofitel, novotel, mercure & Sebal) i can certainly say it has been very very underwhelming to the point of disappointment.

I have a few trips coming up overseas so maybe it will get better.

Hopefully I would have actually received my physical card by then. If it continues I certainly wouldn't be chasing Diamond status.

Thanks Lmc! I hope you fare better overseas .

With my ALL Diamond status I cannot understand why the stated benefit of weekend breakfast does not apply in the two London hotels (including Sofitel St James) where I plan to stay. Nor that the suite upgrade is not available at so many hotels.

Any ideas of the best process (or an email address) to provide my feedback/ frustration!??

I too have not received my physical card! Underwhelmed is an understatement!

Hello. Have you tried [email protected]. I have found their team to be very helpful!