During our 618 marketing campaign, large accounts on the platform will pick a hotel group every day for in-depth discussions. On Mondays, there will be flash sales, and Thursdays will showcase trending products. Smaller accounts typically announce spontaneous promotions.
I have covered the major hotel groups such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG, and today it’s Accor’s turn.
Among these groups, Accor is the simplest to discuss. The core offering from Accor is the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) card, and explaining this card clearly means explaining Accor itself.
The biggest change regarding the ALL card this year is that it can be refunded for free! Even after activation, you can still return it for free. As long as it hasn’t been used, you can return it anytime without any issues.
The ability to refund for free means you can buy these cards without worry. It’s worth repeating: the ALL card can be refunded for free! The ALL card can be refunded for free! The ALL card can be refunded for free!
We refrained from promoting the ALL card after last year’s Double 11 shopping festival because we were concerned about customer complaints arising from non-refundable purchases. The card is easy to use, and rightly valued, but many tend to stockpile it and then forget about it, leading to wasted benefits as the expiration approaches. Now that refunds are available, there’s no more concern.
I suggest that you stockpile the ALL cards and refrain from using any benefits initially. Just see if you can book your desired hotel; if you can, then use the card; if not, you can return it at any time without losing anything.
The greatest benefit of the ALL card is the free room nights. If you use that benefit well, everything else is just a bonus.
This year, Accor did not introduce cross-redeeming offers because the ALL card is the biggest cross-redeem opportunity. After discounts, the card can be redeemed for two free nights at any Accor hotel in the country for 2,298 yuan.
Moreover, the benefits of the ALL card have been enhanced:
1) Activation grants you 30 nights at the Gold level, akin to instantly achieving Accor’s global Gold status. Normally, one needs to stay 30 nights to get the Gold card, but this time, you simply purchase and activate the ALL card to receive it. Accor Gold members enjoy room upgrades, and hotels in mainland China provide complimentary breakfast.
2) Once you complete certain tasks, you can receive up to 3,000 Accor points and a year-long membership card for Hema X. Three thousand points equal about 60 euros, and can be directly deducted during hotel bookings. This task is quite straightforward; between May 18 and June 20, 2024, use the ALL card to make bookings at discounts of 50%, 70%, or an additional 10%, staying by August 31, with each completed night yielding 600 points, for a maximum of five nights or 3,000 points. Additionally, using a coupon to book your stay by August 31 will also earn you a Hema X membership card worth 258 yuan. Both of these incentives can be claimed after your stay, which can take place from May 19 to August 31.
There are also daily draws for room vouchers and a chance to win a couple’s trip to Switzerland in Osaka, which I won’t elaborate further on; anyone who purchases the card can participate.
Regarding products,
The Accor ALL card Super Version is priced at 2,298 yuan (after discounts). The key benefits, highlighted in the image below, include: 2 free room vouchers, 1 at a 50% discount, 2 at a 70% discount, 3 room upgrades, 4 free breakfasts, and 2 executive lounge privileges. These benefits are valid for 365 days.
The main draw is the free room nights; I believe being able to exchange for a room priced at 1,000 yuan per night more than covers the cost, especially since there are additional benefits.
Destinations worth redeeming the ALL card for include:
– Long白山 Mercure
– Hainan Raffles
– Macao Sofitel
– Hong Kong Mercure
– Mili Mercure
– Wuhan Fairmont
– Xi’an Sofitel Legend
– Beijing Sofitel
– Beijing Fairmont…
The ALL card will also see a refresh every two months, allowing zero-cost room upgrades, meaning you can use your free nights to book a suite. From May to June, available suite upgrades include: Fairmont Haitang Bay, Sanya Le Méridien, Hong Kong Ming Yi Mercure, Hong Kong Silver Bay Mercure, Kunming Sofitel, Harbin Sofitel, and Pullman Suzhou…
If a hotel you’re looking to book doesn’t have inventory available for free room vouchers, you could try using the 50% off vouchers together with free breakfast. Check the calendar; the more expensive the hotel, the greater the price advantage.
1) Purchase link: 29￥ HU9196 Zoq7WEXQhBT￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gWkPJ8p/
When purchasing, don’t forget to collect the 390 yuan exclusive voucher on the page.
Accor ALL Card Delight Version, starting at 1,298 yuan (after discounts).
The Delight Version is cheaper but has slightly fewer benefits, primarily: 1 free room voucher, 1 at a 50% discount, 2 at a 70% discount, 3 room upgrades, and 1 executive lounge privilege.
1) Purchase link: 09￥ HU9196 4lxfWEeq9vu￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gdsA4FA/
Also, be sure to collect the coupon on the page first. Both the Delight and Super versions can be purchased in multiple quantities. While I previously suggested buying as needed, now that refunds are possible, I recommend using the benefits as needed instead. Don’t return arbitrarily; once you use them, you can’t refund without a loss.
Next, here are the blockbuster products for Accor’s 618 festival:
1) Fairmont Sanya Haitang Bay Garden View Room for 2 nights with breakfast + buffet for 2 adults and 2 children for 1 time, 1,588 yuan; luxurious suite or family suite for 1 night with breakfast + a lunch set at Yue Xuan restaurant + Golden Lounge privileges + a dragon boat experience, 988 yuan; Valid until August 31, 2024, with the garden view room priced the same throughout, while the suite incurs an additional fee of 400 yuan per night during summer (July 16 to August 20).
The highlight is that the Fairmont Haitang Bay garden view room incurs no additional costs throughout! This includes the summer period, which is worth stocking up on. I have stayed at this Fairmont, which boasts a prime seaside view and beach.
This hotel has many activities. Every evening there is an iron flower performance lasting about 20 minutes. The night ceremony is also quite creative, with substantial interactions with guests. The garden view room package includes a complimentary buffet, making it perfect to enjoy while watching the performance.
Fairmont Huan has a canal, and guests in this package can take boat rides for free. It’s also a popular project for kids.
For families, there are also courses in tree climbing, pottery, and surfing, along with evening bubble parties, all completely free. My last stay there (during last year’s National Day) was mostly spent in the hotel.
The garden view room is 65㎡, each room has a balcony with a round bathtub. The room design is quite traditional Chinese.
If you want to stay in something nicer, choose the luxurious suite or the family suite, with the former 100㎡ and the family suite 110㎡.
1) Purchase link: 57￥ MF6563 PiivWE29EI4￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gWPNmwB/
This time for 618, if you stockpile for Sanya, focus on summer pricing that does not incur additional costs.
2) Sofitel Haikou Deluxe Room for 1 night with breakfast + unlimited dim sum for 2 at Le Xuan restaurant, 889 yuan; 2 nights with breakfast + unlimited dim sum for 2 at Le Xuan restaurant, 1,599 yuan. Valid until August 31, 2024, with a 100 yuan nightly surcharge during summer (July 15 to August 20).
I’ve stayed here and loved it thoroughly. I can responsibly say that in Haikou, other than the Sofitel, there’s no better choice for a seaside hotel.
Although the Sofitel Haikou is a city hotel, it offers stunning sea views. The hotel is tall enough to provide unobstructed ocean views from anywhere, thanks to large floor-to-ceiling windows on each floor, with an outdoor terrace on the top floor for incredible sunset views.
The rooms are great too; the basic room is 65㎡ with an Hermes orange color scheme. Opened in 2020, the hardware in the rooms is definitely not an issue.
It’s tech-savvy too, featuring a wall mirror embedded with weather indicators and a control panel by the window to operate lights and curtains. The TV is 55 inches and has a BOSE sound system.
1) Purchase link: 68￥ HU9046 zVF8WE2Onue￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gdquhx4/
Stockpile this; the 1,599 price is for two nights and includes a proper meal.
3) Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay Myanmar Pool Villa for 3 nights with breakfast + a lakeside barbecue buffet dinner for two, 2,599 yuan; Thai ultra-luxury pool villa for 2 nights with breakfast + couple’s spa + couple’s Italian pizza package, 1,999 yuan; Valid until August 31, 2024, with price increases during the Dragon Boat Festival (June 7-9) and summer (July 9 – August 26).
I recommend the Thai ultra-luxury pool villa (1,999 for two nights, including a couple’s spa). Pullman Yalong Bay is primarily a villa-focused hotel with three types of one-bedroom pool villas: Nanyang Villa (150m²), Myanmar Villa (150m²), and Thai Villa (270m²). Notice how the Thai Villa is significantly larger.
So, follow my advice; you won’t regret it.
The Thai villa boasts a 60㎡ pool — larger than many rooms at other Sanya hotels.
I stayed in the Thai villa before. You can swim right when you open the bedroom door, and after swimming, you can easily wash up from another bathroom entrance without making a mess in the room.
The living room appears as follows.
Additionally, the Pullman Yalong Bay is perfect for photo shoots. Its outdoor pool area, along with Moroccan-themed spots, yields a wealth of Instagram-worthy photos.
1) Purchase link: 29￥ CZ0001 GVeGWE2lyXq￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gWXMMJH/
As for the downside, the hotel isn’t on the beach; you need to cross a road to reach Yalong Bay. Many of Sanya’s pure villa hotels are like this.
4) Swissôtel Beijing offers a luxurious king room for 4 nights, including breakfast + a 500 yuan dining voucher, at 3,999 yuan; valid until August 31, 2024; with a 100 yuan surcharge from June 27 to August 10 per night.
I’ve stayed here too. The Swissôtel Beijing Hong Kong Center opened in 1991 and is the first Swiss hotel in the Greater China region.
It’s an older hotel but in a great location, sitting on the Eastern Second Ring Road at the Dongsiqiao Bridge, a landmark building quite near the Sanlitun shopping area.
The hotel has many notable features; as you can see in the picture, the can used during the grand opening, and the Swiss clock received when it opened in 1991.
Don’t let its age deter you; since 2019, it has been undergoing a transformation, with almost everything gutted and renovated, and the significant investment was only completed last year; thus, your experience feels on par with that of newly opened hotels in 2023.
Rooms are from 26 to 33㎡, with options for double or king beds, some featuring bathtubs, accommodating requests for baths. The décor is distinctly Swiss, gorgeously simple, yet thoughtfully detailed, offering five different pillow materials to choose from, and the natural essential oil amenities are a nice touch.
1) Purchase link: 88￥ CZ3458 BRnOWE2kUe7￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gWXOH5q/
So, at an average of 1,000 per night, including breakfast and a 500 yuan dining credit, I think it’s quite worth stocking up during summer in Beijing for not much additional cost.
5) Novotel Beijing Pinggu 2 nights with breakfast, 1,698 yuan; valid until August 31, 2024, with a 200 yuan surcharge during summer (July 10 to August 20).
I haven’t stayed here but have visited. On a trip to Beijing, I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria on Jinyu Hutong and noticed the Novotel Pinggu right across the road.
Since it’s advertised numerous times, I made a point to check it out. Its close proximity to the Waldorf speaks volumes about its excellent location.
1) Purchase link: 57￥ H U0854 Sy8qWE7YLTD￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.g3ehLxh/
The hotel’s deluxe room averages 32㎡.
6) Sofitel Beijing offers 2 nights with breakfast for 2, priced at 2,288 yuan; 2 nights without breakfast for 1,988 yuan; valid until August 31, 2024, with a surcharge of 200 yuan per night for the Dragon Boat Festival (June 8-10) and summer (July 15 – August 15).
I’ve been to this Sofitel too, and the location is outstanding.
Located at the intersection of Chang’an Street and the East Second Ring Road, it is in close proximity to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the National Museum of China, and the National Grand Theatre, with convenient access to Subway Line 1, directly leading to Universal Beijing Resort.
Additionally, it has a very trendy design. The Sofitel Beijing was formerly the W Hotel, which was already stylish. I personally find this current Sofitel to be the trendiest one in China.
Basic rooms stretch 50㎡, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, spotlights, and round bathtubs. In terms of aesthetic appeal, the rooms at this Sofitel are top-notch.
1) Purchase link: 19￥ HU9196 5PFJWE2k1nA￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.g3eihbz9/
Sofitel provides a slightly better brand and staying experience than the former two properties, though it might have a style that not everyone can appreciate.
7) Sanya Le Méridien Luxury Sea View Room for 3 nights (no breakfast, can be split) at 1,988 yuan; luxurious garden view suite for 1 night with breakfast + executive privileges at 888 yuan; luxurious room for 2 nights with breakfast at 1,588 yuan; valid until September 29, 2024, with a price increase during summer (details on the page) and a surcharge of 100 yuan per room per night during the Dragon Boat Festival.
I’ve also stayed here and it has its own highlights. The ratio of outdoor pools is extremely high, perfect for water play.
In addition, the largest indoor kart racing venue in Sanya can be found at Le Méridien. The indoor children’s playground is quite spacious.
The current package includes a luxury sea view (1,988 for three nights, excluding breakfast), which is a high-end room type, sized 55-70 m², featuring unobstructed ocean views.
The garden view suite (888 one night with breakfast) is more highly recommended, as the suite is larger than its counterpart, with 108-127 m², making it more suitable for family stays. My recommendation is also to select a suite; when vacationing, having a spacious room is essential.
1) Purchase link: 88￥ MF7997 ickPWE2lHnM￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gdqtaba/
Before redeeming products in Sanya, be quite attentive to price comparisons, as this year’s Sanya pricing is unpredictable. It is wise to compare rates while booking and redeeming to ensure you don’t make mistakes.
8) Pullman Yuxi, Yunnan, for 1 night with breakfast + two tickets to the Ancient Salt Official City, 799 yuan; valid until August 31, 2024, with no price increase on all dates.
Yuxi is regarded as a natural and cultural epitome of Yunnan, with mountainous areas representing 90% of the total area, a forest coverage of 64.06%, and a rich tapestry of high mountain lakes and historical legacies. Fuxian Lake is located here, warranting a visit alongside Kunming.
It’s a hidden gem near Kunming, offering many undiscovered paradises.
Our editor has visited this hotel and mentioned that the hotel is quite new (opened in 2022), with impressive hardware and several popular Instagram spots. For instance, there’s a poolside seating area with stunning city views.
A beautifully designed, curvy spiral staircase is another highlight.
The luxury skyline room offered in the package is their second-tier room type, at 40㎡.
1) Purchase link: 69￥ CZ8908 7VkJWE2leMK￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.gdqHvY1/
The package includes a lunch set for two, which holds considerable value.
9) Swissôtel Changbai Mountain exquisite suite for 1 night with breakfast + resort privileges, priced at 699 yuan; exquisite suite for 2 nights with breakfast + afternoon tea for 2 + resort privileges, priced at 1,499 yuan; valid until August 31, 2024, with a surcharge of 200 yuan per night during summer (July 11 – August 31).
The current offering features the suite, which is 65㎡. The Swissôtel Changbai Mountain offers a choice of large or twin bed suites.
Furthermore, the Swiss hotel at the Lunen Resort provides resort privileges, specifics of which can be seen in the image below.
The summer season is peak for Changbai Mountain, making it an excellent time to escape the heat. Additionally, late June to early July signifies the blooming season, showcasing expansive fields of flowers across nearly 20,000 square meters.
1) Purchase link: 09￥ CZ0012 JWABWE2OF9C￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.g3eSs0c/
There are primarily two resorts in Changbai mountain, Lunen and Wanda. Wanda features more recreational activities, while Lunen maintains a high cost-performance ratio.
10) Mercure Changbai Mountain mountain view room for 1 night with breakfast + floating afternoon tea + resort zone privileges, 1,299 yuan; for 2 nights with breakfast + floating afternoon tea + French selection set meal for two + resort privileges, 2,999 yuan; valid until August 31, 2024, with a surcharge of 100-200 yuan per night during summer (July 11 – August 31).
The Mercure is the flagship hotel of the Lunen Resort in Changbai Mountain, having opened in 2017 with only 49 rooms. From the lobby and each room, you can view Changbai Mountain (weather permitting). Additionally, it has an outdoor hot spring pool, making it a popular Instagram spot.
Basic rooms are 45㎡, an average size. A highlight is that every room faces Changbai Mountain directly. When it comes to hotels with the best views of Changbai Mountain, I assert that Mercure undoubtedly stands out. Other hotels in Lunen or Wanda don’t offer unobstructed, direct views of the mountain from every room.
