The Complete Guide to Accor STEP

Accor is a Europe-based resort chain with greater than 5,000 properties in over 110 international locations. Whereas a majority of its lodges and resorts are positioned in Europe and Asia, there’s a sturdy North American presence discovered within the luxurious Fairmont resort model.

You probably have an upcoming keep at one of many extra upscale manufacturers in its portfolio, it’s in your greatest curiosity to learn about Accor STEP, a most popular accomplice program. By reserving your keep by means of a certified journey advisor, you’ll profit from an elevated expertise on the identical value as for those who had been to guide it your self.

What Is Accor STEP?

Accor STEP is Accor’s most popular accomplice program. “STEP” stands for “Particular Journey Expertise Program”, and with it, you may obtain elite-like advantages at taking part Accor properties with out having to work in the direction of standing.

You received’t be capable to make a reserving by means of Accor STEP by yourself. As an alternative, you’ll should guide by means of a certified journey advisor who can inform you whether or not or not your required Accor resort participates in this system, and what the extra advantages are.

Whereas not all Accor lodges have opted in to STEP, fairly a number of have. In Canada, all the Fairmont lodges, such because the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, in addition to the Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile, will be booked by means of Accor STEP.

Of the 45 manufacturers that fall below Accor’s umbrella, there are simply 11 which have properties in STEP: Fairmont, Sofitel, Raffles, SO/, MGallery, Pullman, Mövenpick, Swissôtel, Rixos, SLS, and 21C. These completely different manufacturers fall below the Luxurious, Premium, and Way of life by Ennismore collections.

You’ll be capable to discover a sturdy footprint of Fairmont, Pullman, and Sofitel properties in lots of international locations world wide, which you’ll be able to largely guide by means of Accor STEP. Different manufacturers, comparable to Raffles, have comparatively fewer properties, whereas others, comparable to SO/, solely have a handful of properties that take part.

Inside every model, not each resort is accessible with STEP advantages, however your journey advisor can be completely happy to let you understand if the speed is accessible to your requested vacation spot.

Your greatest guess is to ship in a reserving request and see in case your keep will be elevated by means of STEP.

What Are the Advantages of Reserving Via Accor STEP?

By reserving one of many taking part lodges by means of Accor STEP, you may count on to obtain the next advantages at no further value:

• $50 or $100 (USD) credit score per keep
• Complimentary breakfast for 2
• One-category room improve (topic to availability)
• Early check-in and late check-out (topic to availability)

The 2 most useful perks listed here are the $50 or $100 (USD) credit, and the complimentary breakfast for 2.

It’s essential to notice that the $50 or $100 (USD) credit score is earned as soon as per keep, irrespective of what number of nights you guide. You received’t be capable to obtain a number of credit for those who guide a number of one-night stays, as that goes in opposition to the phrases and situations of this system.

With that in thoughts, the very best half is that the credit score can be utilized for any resort cost other than room charges, and isn’t restricted to spas or eating places, as is often the case with resort credit provided by means of different most popular accomplice packages.

As for the complimentary breakfast, recall that not even Accor’s highest-level Diamond members are assured to obtain complimentary breakfast throughout all stays. Relatively, it’s solely provided as a profit throughout weekend stays worldwide or day by day at lodges within the Asia–Pacific area.

Subsequently, having free breakfast included in your keep by means of STEP could be a substantial profit, even for those who do have elite standing with Accor.

Upgraded rooms could be a important enhancement throughout a keep, particularly at a luxurious resort model comparable to Fairmont. Room improve requests will be made forward of time, however aren’t assured till check-in, and are topic to availability.

Early check-in and late check-out are additionally perks that come topic to availability; nevertheless, so long as the resort isn’t at capability, you must count on to have it granted, and also you’ll be prioritized over others for those who guide with STEP.

It’s all the time good to have entry to your room for those who arrive early, particularly after an extended journey. Similarly, having a late check-out time is an underappreciated perk, notably for those who’re hoping to relaxation on the resort previous to a night or late-night departure.

The way to Maximize Worth with Accor STEP

Whereas reserving by means of STEP will already improve your keep, you’ll additionally need to just be sure you’re getting the very best worth by crunching some numbers. You might also luck out and additional elevate your keep by stacking different gives and promotions.

Evaluate with Public Charges

As with all most popular accomplice program, there could also be cheaper charges out there to your keep, together with company charges, pay as you go charges, or promotional charges; nevertheless, these are inclined to have a lot stricter cancellation and alter insurance policies.

When evaluating costs, the quantity that you simply pay for an Accor STEP reserving will virtually all the time be the identical quantity you’ll find for those who had been to guide with the resort immediately at the very best versatile fee. In the event you occur to have entry to a less expensive fee, you’ll need to crunch the numbers to see for those who’ll nonetheless get outsized worth by reserving with STEP.

When you may save a number of {dollars}, remember that you received’t take pleasure in the identical degree of flexibility if you have to cancel or change your reservation, and also you additionally received’t get any of the Accor STEP advantages.

You’ll want to contemplate for your self how a lot the pliability and STEP advantages add to your particular keep. At instances, the $100 (USD) credit score alone can greater than make up for the distinction in costs.

Evaluate with Virtuoso and Amex FHR

Much like Accor STEP, Virtuoso and Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts are packages that provide you with further advantages for those who guide resort stays by means of them.

You may solely guide Virtuoso lodges with a journey advisor, whereas Amex FHR can solely be accessed for those who maintain the American Express Platinum Card or the Business Platinum Card from American Express.

Most, however not all, of the luxurious properties provided by means of Accor STEP will be booked by means of Virtuoso or Amex FHR. The charges are typically comparable throughout all three packages, however there are some key variations to concentrate on.

Beneath is a desk that summarizes the similarities and variations between Accor STEP, Virtuoso, and Amex FHR.

For instance, Amex FHR gives a assured 4pm late check-out, whereas the opposite packages solely supply late check-out topic to availability.

Subsequently, if a late check-out is of the utmost significance to you, Amex FHR could also be your best choice, however it’s solely out there for those who maintain one of many Platinum playing cards.

However, reserving by means of Accor STEP will definitely provide the greatest probability for a room improve or an early check-in request, as lodges will usually prioritize these requests for those who guide by means of their very own proprietary program quite than a 3rd celebration. Subsequently, even if in case you have standing with Accor already, you’ll have the best precedence for an improve for those who guide by means of STEP. 

Maximize Free Evening Promotions

Whereas it’s not out there throughout all Accor STEP properties, some will present a Third or Fourth Evening Free for those who guide by means of this system. When the free further night time is an choice, and it coincides along with your journey plans, then reserving by means of Accor STEP is an absolute no-brainer, as the worth you pay can be an unimaginable deal even earlier than factoring within the further STEP advantages.

Suppose you’re planning a visit to Whistler, and with its nice location and eating choices, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler could possibly be a fantastic alternative for a resort.

A four-night keep is listed at a median of $1,039 (CAD) per night time for a Deluxe King Mattress Room, for a complete cost of $4,913 (CAD) with taxes included.

The identical room for those self same nights may value simply $3,290 (CAD) by reserving by means of Accor STEP, if there have been to be a Fourth Evening Free promotion.

What’s extra, the free night time isn’t robotically chosen as the most cost effective night time; quite, the free night time is taken because the fourth night time throughout your keep, even when it occurs to be the costliest night time. So, if in case you have flexibility, you may construction your dates in such a manner that the free night time lands on the costliest night time in your keep, in an effort to get the very best deal.

It’s essential to notice that these offers aren’t all the time out there, so that you’ll have to get in contact along with your journey advisor to see for those who can profit from a fantastic supply like this.

Amex Provides

Once you make a reserving by means of Accor STEP, your bank card can be charged immediately by the resort. Subsequently, although you guide by means of a journey advisor, you’ll in the end pay on the resort as for those who had been to have in any other case booked the keep your self.

Up to now, American Express has had Amex Offers that include Accor properties. For instance, one such supply was to spend $350 (CAD) at Fairmont and Sofitel Lodges and get $70 (CAD) again as an announcement credit score. 

There’s no draw back to making the most of an Amex Supply like this, because you’re charged immediately by the resort if you guide by means of Accor STEP, which might set off the assertion credit score. 

Ebook Shorter Stays

The $100 (USD) credit score is just given as soon as per keep, irrespective of the variety of nights. Subsequently, the credit score can be comparatively extra invaluable on shorter stays quite than on longer stays.

Once more, notice that reserving separate consecutive nights on the identical resort by means of an Accor STEP fee can be handled as a single reserving, and also you’re solely eligible to obtain the credit score as soon as per keep.

Conclusion

Reserving by means of Accor STEP affords you with elite advantages for a similar value you’d pay for those who guide a keep by yourself, with out having to earn elite standing to start with.

What’s extra, Accor STEP bookings can usually be the very best deal out there when factoring within the complimentary breakfast, property credit score, and free nights, when relevant.

So, whether or not you favor a keep at one of many many luxurious Fairmont lodges in Canada or overseas, or for those who’re seeking to discover one of many many different upscale Accor lodges all through the world, you’ll want to get in contact with a journey advisor to additional elevate your keep.