Last September 2009 A|Club celebrated its first birthday as a hotel loyalty club program. There was a big party with free gifts. Party crashers from around the world ravaged Accor A|Club’s first birthday celebration last year by coming to the party and walking away with a 40€/$60USD A|Club gift without bothering to stick around Accor Hotels and give the guest of honor anything in return.
In September 2009 A|Club celebrated its first birthday by giving new member enrollees a 2,000 points bonus. The points were immediately deposited into the new member’s account. The new member then could immediately redeem 2,000 points for a 40€/$60USD A-Club gift voucher good at thousands of A|Club hotels worldwide. My wife even received a 500 points birthday bonus when her birthday came around a couple of weeks later in September and she was suddenly A|Club Silver elite for having accumulated 2,500 points.
A|Club party organizers have come up with a more subdued celebration this year. New members this year will receive 1,000 bonus points upon completion of first hotel stay by December 19, 2010.
This year’s 2010 party requires existing members to enter information by September 19, 2010 and build a three part birthday cake online based on the individual’s selection of Accor and A|Club prize choices.
356 winners will be chosen in 12 random drawings from among the entrants for those prizes. The drawings will occur October 22, 2010.
a)     Bonus points (25 gifts) – up to 100,000 bonus points (5 prizes); double points for stays in one month (10 prizes – winner must choose month for points doubling within six months of prize); triple points for stays in two weeks (10 prizes).
b)     A|Club advantages (215 gifts) – status upgrade (200 winners will be promoted to next higher elite status in A|Club); double airline miles for points (5 winners will be allowed to receive double miles for up to 10,000 A|Club points into 20,000 miles); 10 A|Club vouchers (400€/$600USD) valid for six months.Â
c)Â Â Â Â Â Â Win a free weekend for two in the region of the world you choose (116 gifts)
- North America (9 prizes)
- South America (19 prizes)
- Asia (14 prizes)
- Europe (58 prizes)
- Middle East/Africa (11 prizes)
- Pacific region (5 prizes)Â Â
Accor Hotels is the largest hotel chain in Europe by far. Anyone planning to spend much time in Europe, particularly France, should seriously look at A|Club and possibly A|Club Favorite Guest, a paid membership loyalty program with room rate discounts and other benefits.
Accor Hotels have triple the rooms at around 250,000 rooms in Europe than the second place hotel chain (Best Western 87,000 rooms) and third place (InterContinental Hotels Group 86,000 rooms).
Related Loyalty Traveler Post: Sep 13, 2009 – A|Club program
