Firstly I thought I’d draw your attention to my latest Forbes article. I’ll admit to being a snob about Tenerife for a long time. I recently returned from a trip having experienced the more luxurious side of the island and it’s amazing how many things I never knew about. It’s a great option for a winter sun break.
You can find my article here:
In this post:
The Luxury Side Of Tenerife
When many people in Europe think of Tenerife, they think of the mass market resorts full of package holidays tourists. Irish bars, full English breakfasts, and restaurants with picture menus also spring to mind rather than fine dining. However, there is a far more luxurious side to Tenerife, which many people are unaware of.
New Hilton LXR Abu Dhabi
Hilton’s LXR BRand which consists of independent luxury properties has announced the signing of an agreement for a very unique new resort surrounded by lush greenery and stunning landscapes on the private Al Nawras Island in Abu Dhabi.
Expected to open in 2023, Al Nawras Island, LXR Hotels & Resorts will mark the brand’s entry into the UAE capital. The resort will offer an exclusive escape on a private, secluded island, while still providing seamless access for those who wish to explore the vibrant city and its cultural experiences.
The all-villa resort will offer 80 expansive and elegantly designed beach and water villas as well as a 450-square-meter, two-bedroom Royal Villa surrounding a state-of-the-art golf course.
Now, this is one hotel that looks well worth saving up the Hilton points for!
Allianz offer free lounge access for delays
I like this next idea from Allianz insurance. There’s nothing worse than being delayed without lounge access, so this could make the wait far more bearable!
Collinson, a global company that offer lounge passes such as Priority Pass, and Allianz Partners, who offer travel insurance and assistance services, have joined forces to give Premium and Freemium members of Allyz complimentary access to airport lounges worldwide during flight delays. Thanks to the partnership, Allyz members whose registered flights are delayed by more than 60 minutes or 120 minutes depending on their membership will automatically receive a notification for complimentary access to one of over 1,200 lounges in 500+ airports in over 100 countries. This benefit can be enjoyed by Allyz members and up to five guests.
Allyz is the new digital platform from Allianz Partners that gives travellers a one-stop shop with safety, security, health and travel services from different partners to facilitate the customers’ journey before and during their travels. Travellers can sign up as Allyz members on the dedicated website available in three countries: Germany, Spain and France.
With SmartDelay, Allyz Premium and Freemium members will be able to relax in the comfort of an airport lounge as they wait for their delayed flight, regardless of their type of ticket.
Allyz Premium customers will have access to the lounge if their flight is delayed for an hour or more, while Freemium customers will get access if their flight is delayed by two hours or more. Members can also bring up to five accompanying guests with them to enjoy the same benefits, so family and friends can stay together while they wait for their flight.
Marriott Bonvoy Flexible redemptions live
Marriott’s new Flexible redemptions that I wrote about here are now live. While inevitably some properties will be more expensive, it should be like Hilton where if you book in plenty of time and not for the busiest days of the year, prices should still be reasonable.
Members will have more rates to choose from and more travel options. Flexible Redemption rates will more closely align but not necessarily move exactly with hotel rates especially at peak travel times.
More than 97% properties will continue to offer redemption rates bounded by their old categories for stays in 2022. The rest, less than 3%, will be adjusted based on business conditions similar to annual category changes. Among those properties, about 40 will occasionally offer rates up to 120,000 points per night.
The good news is that you can still get the free night with 5 nights. This is when members book a five-night or longer stay, the member can take advantage of Stay 5, Pay for 4 which saves the member 20% in points and increases the above valuations by 25%.
Initially, redemption rates for stays in 2023 will fall within the range of 2022 redemption rates, however, this could change in the future as demand becomes more clear.
2 comments
Our hotel has already dropped by 10k pts, not a fortune but less points needed to make up the booking .
That’s good news!
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