News: loyalty podcast, 25% off at Atlantis The Palm, save 40% at Citadines

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News in brief:

Join me on the ‘Let’s Talk Loyalty’ podcast

I recorded an episode of Paula Thomas’s ‘Let’s Talk Loyalty’ podcast this week. It has now run to over 50 episodes, featuring guests from all across the loyalty spectrum, but I think I am the first media person to appear.

If you’re employed in the travel or loyalty space it is worth a listen. I cover a broader range of topics than I do on HfP, including: How should loyalty programmes work with sites like HfP? What do I think of the new Pret coffee subscription scheme? Why did I become addicted to Joe & The Juice? and much more ….

You can listen directly from the Let’s Talk Loyalty website here or via your favourite podcast platform.

Save 25% at Atlantis The Palm

If you don’t mind sitting out two weeks of quarantine on your return, there are some good deals to be had in Dubai this Autumn.

Whether or not you think the headline prices are cheap, they are far lower than you would normally pay. You usually can’t get a room at a decent resort for under £500 per night during October half term.

Atlantis The Palm, which has its own water park, is running a special sale until 10th October, valid for stays until 10th November.

Rooms are available for under £300 per night during half term – albeit your kids will be home schooling for two weeks afterwards – and drop even further after that.

The Atlantis The Palm website is here if you want to find out more.

Save 40% on Citadine aparthotels

We don’t cover aparthotels on Head for Points, except for brands such as IHG’s Staybridge Suites which let you earn and burn points.

For longer stays, or often for trips involving families, an aparthotel can work well. Citadines, probably the largest player in this field via its parent Ascott, is currently running a 40% sale on bookings made by 11th October.

The website is here. You can book for stays up to 31st March. London rates seem to start at £65 per night.

PS. If you are looking for a something similar which earns points, Residence Inn – a Marriott brand – currently has exceptionally low prices at its London properties. Rooms have always been available for £85-£90 per night when I have looked, which makes them the cheapest Marriott option in Central London. Residence Inn Kensington for example (click for details) is currently £92 per night, rising to £144 for a two bedroom, two bathroom suite.

Hotel offers update – December 2021:

Want to earn more hotel points? Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Want to buy hotel points? There is currently a special offer running with IHG Rewards (80% bonus to 4th January 2022) and World of Hyatt (30% discount, equivalent to a 43% bonus, to 30th December 2021).

Category

General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Bob says:

9 Oct9 October 07:34

I really enjoyed listening to the podcast, very interesting.
- Rob says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 08:37
  
  Thanks. Apologies for the umms and ahhs in the first half but that’s what happens when you do it totally unscripted and the questions are quite complex.
  - Reney says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 11:35
    
    I am listening to it too. Currently on the bit about Joe & The Juice. I sort of feel the same about Boots points, most of the time when I buy something I have an offer on my account which mathematically makes more sense for me to pay money compared with points. The points keep building up, I had to force myself to ignore the maths and use some points the other day!
    
    You could write an article on Joe and the Juice in the other blog if that is still going?
- New Card says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 12:28
  
  +1, enjoyed listening to this on my way to work this morning.
  - Genghis says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 13:19
    
    +1. Interesting listening over my lunch just now. So the umms weren’t edited out? 🙂
- Harry T says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 19:37
  
  I very much enjoyed the podcast during my commute. I would like to hear more podcasts from Rob – perhaps a HFP podcast could be a thing?
  - Rob says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 22:34
    
    Time consuming, hard to monetise, unfortunately. Happy to do the odd guest spot on others though.
- Sam Wardill says:
  
  11 Oct11 October 06:41
  
  Likewise I enjoyed the podcast. It is testament to your success that you were invited. I think you have made a great business that provides a valuable service. Well done! Someone needs to hold a mirror to frequent-flyer programs. You do it well. Forgive me if this is a stupid question. Is it BA that you dig at for not engaging?
  - Rob says:
    
    11 Oct11 October 10:27
    
    BA do their best, but with Avios and Exec Club bring totally separate businesses they are confusing to deal with. We do have a good relationship with the press office and they spend money with us. Can’t really complain.
Green Plastic says:

9 Oct9 October 08:28

Does the Pret subscription include deliveries on Just Eat?

Please excuse the non-miles and points question!
- Rob says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 08:34
  
  Unlikely as you need to scan a bar code to pay.
  - Green Plastic says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 08:41
    
    Damn! Thanks 🙂
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 08:39
  
  Instore only.
- Jack says:
  
  10 Oct10 October 01:46
  
  That would be an absurd money loser for Pret. I don’t imagine the regular inshore version will be a money maker, frankly. It’s more about getting people back into the habit of going in there.
ChrisC says:

9 Oct9 October 09:56

If your Accor account was wiped out because of inactivity between January and mid May of this year doing the Accor offer will get those reinstated.

It’s specifically listed in the T&Cs of the offer and requires only a single 2 night stay for this to happen.
Jay says:

9 Oct9 October 10:16

I guess there isn’t an ibis in the UK with nights available for under €20 ?!
Alex says:

9 Oct9 October 10:36

A good podcast, which is very interesting! Needs to work on the audio quality a little bit though – guessing it was done over zoom or something similar?
- Rob says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 11:34
  
  One of those. Paula was in a studio though which is why it is odd her sound quality is worse, at the start, than mine.
AJA says:

9 Oct9 October 10:43

A few months ago someone wrote here that they read Live in the Accor live limitless slogan as rhyming with hive instead of give and ever since then I now do the same! I so wish I hadn’t read their comment 🙁 Sorry if that ruins it for others too but I had to get that off my chest.

I was not aware Raffles was part of the Accor chain, I nearly booked a trip there for earlier this year as I’ve always wanted to stay there. Am glad I didn’t as it would have been cancelled along with all the other trips that have been too. Oh well here’s hoping I can do it in the future.
- Peter K says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 12:55
  
  I think that was me, sorry 😳
  - AJA says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 13:26
    
    That’s ok 🙂 I am amazed I never read it that way before.
- Lady London says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 13:12
  
  Oh, thanks :-). I had only just got rid of calling it “Live” like “hive’.
  
  Now it’s back again.
  - AJA says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 14:02
    
    Oh no – sorry LL
- Gormlesstraveller says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 17:48
  
  Well, it’s a French brand and they pronounce it “leave”!
  
  (1:39)
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMnOtyVVN8I
Dubious says:

9 Oct9 October 13:09

Can anyone confirm if the 2night stay will still trigger the offer if each night was booked separately?

I have night booked and will add another to start it one day earlier but only worth it if the promotion gets triggered.
Dubious says:

9 Oct9 October 13:09

Can anyone confirm if the 2night stay will still trigger the offer if each night was booked separately?

I have 1 night booked and will add another (at the same hotel) to start it one day earlier but only worth it if the promotion gets triggered.
- Lady London says:
  
  9 Oct9 October 13:24
  
  Book as one booking.
  Accor does have in their conditions on most ‘stay’ driven promotions, that checking in for a new stay on the same day as an earlier stay ended, they will count it as only one stay. I cant recall if it”s in the ts and cs in this promo but it would only work against you not for you.
  
  Accor does not have clean hands on ethical behaviour and sorting out problems caused by Accor themselves or by Accor hotels. Basically their customer aupport is close to useless and just doesnt follow up to resolve problems and doesnt have the power to resolve anything based on my many years experience.
  
  So the short answer is book your stays as 2 night single staya if you want them to qualify whether thats technically necessary or not.
  - Erico1875 says:
    
    9 Oct9 October 20:27
    
    About 10+ years ago I tried to claim their “double the difference/ or if you find it cheaper stay for free guaranteee” . I cant remember the exact deal.
    I found it impossible to get them to honour it.
    However years later, got our own back with their Happy Mondays promotion.
    Regularly stayed a Saturday night at Edinburgh South Bridge IBIS for £25 (inc breakfast)