Airport car transfer included at the Leading Hotels of the World

What has your hotel loyalty program done for you lately? Top-tier members of the Leading Hotels of the World's Leaders Club are now able to boast of being "picked me up from the airport and drove me straight to the hotel."

Starting from 1 July in ten key cities -- Barcelona, Berlin, London, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Zurich -- you'll be met in the terminal and ushed into a waiting private car. From there it's straight to the hotel.

If that's ringing your "no such thing as a free lunch" -- or free ride -- bells, fair enough. The catch is that you have to be a member of the $1200-a-year Leaders Club Unlimited tier of LHW's loyalty programme.

While that's a hefty price tag for most business travellers, the Unlimited tier perks are decent if you stay at a lot of LHW hotels:

• Leaders Club Rewards, granting a complimentary night at any Leading Hotel for every four qualifying stays completed within one year 
• Guaranteed room upgrade at time of booking 
• Complimentary continental breakfast for two each day
• Complimentary Internet access
• Guaranteed 4 pm late check-out
• Early check-in (upon availability)
• Welcome gift with each stay
• Complimentary Leaders Club Access membership for up to 3 family members (worth $450)
• Complimentary Leaders Club Golf Society membership (worth $250)
• Exclusive access to members-only rates
• Invitations to one-of-a-kind specially created experiences
• Leaders Club global concierge service offering assistance and available to arrange anything a member needs before, during or after their stay with Leading Hotels.
• Priority Pass membership: 600 airport lounges worldwide

Let's face it: these are world-class hotels, and if your expense account stretches to them, a $1200 loyalty program could be good value for you. 

There are a few conditions for the included airport transfer, though: you'll need to book your room through the Leading Hotels of the World, request the airport transfer at least 48 hours in advance, and the pick-up date must be the same date that your hotel stay begins. There's no stopping en route either, and you can travel with a maximum of two companions.

What do you reckon: worth the Unlimited tier's $1200 price tag? Sound off in the comments below!

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.