From 1 October 2025, Accor Plus will relaunch as ALL Accor+ Explorer. Though this might sound like an exciting new chapter, the changes at the core of the programme are less than inspiring. The annual fee in Australia has been trimmed slightly—from around $399 to $349—but this minor saving comes with a significant reduction in benefits. Chief among these is the loss of the iconic free Stay Plus night, which has now been restructured into a “Stay Plus Free Nights X 2” offer: two ‘complimentary’ nights per year, but only when paired with a fully paid night.
While this may sound like double the value, in truth, it’s a downgrade. The original Stay Plus was flexible, easy to use, and often enough to justify the full cost of the membership on its own. The new version is essentially a buy-one-get-one-free offer, which hinges on members spending money to unlock savings. That’s a discount, not a benefit.
To see just how much—or how little—value you’re really getting, here’s a breakdown of what this new offer looks like at various hotels across the region:
| Hotel & Location | Nightly Rate (AUD) | Total for 2 Nights | Effective Cost per Night | Saving with Accor+ | Worth the $349 Membership? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sofitel Melbourne on Collins | $400 | $400 | $200 | $400 | Yes |
| Novotel Brisbane South Bank | $190 | $190 | $95 | $190 | No. Possibly if used twice. |
| Pullman Bali Legian Beach | $220 | $220 | $110 | $220 | No. Possibly if used twice. |
| Mondrian Hong Kong | $350 | $350 | $175 | $350 | Yes |
This chart tells a clear story. A two-night stay at the Sofitel Melbourne saves you $400—more than enough to cover the membership fee with a single booking. The same goes for a night at the new Mondrian Hong Kong, where the rate sits around $350. However, a stay at Novotel Brisbane South Bank, priced at $190 per night, results in a saving of only $190. That is barely half the cost of the membership. Even if you used the second voucher in a similar setting, the total saving would probably just match the annual fee—without accounting for any other actual usage. In short, unless you’re booking more expensive stays, the numbers don’t work in your favour.
The dining component of the programme has also taken a hit. Where Accor Plus once offered a tiered discount structure—up to 50% off for two diners, 33% off for three, and 25% off for solo diners—the new model is a flat 30% off food and 15% off drinks for up to ten guests. While simpler, this approach is noticeably worse for most members. A couple dining out used to enjoy half off their meal; now they’ll get 30%. That’s a 20% downgrade masked as a streamlining of benefits. It’s a tough sell, especially when other major hotel programmes such as Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy offer dining perks to elite members at no cost.
This is particularly disappointing when viewed in the context of Asia’s hospitality landscape. Paid dining memberships used to be a hallmark of hotel loyalty in the region. Club at the Hyatt, Hilton Premium Club, and Club Marriott were widely marketed and used across Asia-Pacific, offering substantial dining discounts, stay benefits, and exclusive events. These were valued not just by frequent travellers but by locals who dined at hotel restaurants regularly. Over time, however, most of these programmes have been phased out. Accor Plus had remained a rare survivor—until now. With the dilution of benefits and shift to a less generous structure, even it is beginning to lose its shine.
Another feature that’s being advertised as a benefit—but offers little in practice—is instant ALL Gold status, granted via 30 included status nights. While that may sound appealing, Gold status in the Accor Live Limitless programme is underwhelming. There’s no guaranteed lounge access, no meaningful welcome gift, and upgrades—if offered—are often marginal at best. Compared with Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors, where mid-tier elites often receive complimentary breakfasts, room upgrades, and late check-out as standard, Accor’s Gold tier lacks substance.
To justify the $349 annual fee under this new model, you’d need to use both Stay Plus vouchers at high-end properties where nightly rates are at least $300–400. On top of that, you’d need to dine frequently at Accor venues to gain any substantial value from the reduced 30% discount. That’s a narrow use case—one that excludes casual travellers, mid-range hotel guests, or those who don’t dine regularly at Accor properties.
What made the old model compelling was how quickly you could get your money’s worth—often in just one stay. A single free night at a luxury property could easily exceed $349, and everything after that was pure bonus. That clear, upfront value made Accor Plus feel rewarding and generous. In contrast, the new model feels more transactional, with value that’s conditional and delayed.
And there’s another lesser-known loss—one that long-time Australian members will feel deeply. Under the current dining model, it’s possible to stack multiple Accor Plus memberships at the same table. In a group of ten diners, five cards could be used to split the bill between pairs, allowing each couple to receive 50% off their share. It’s a clever but widely accepted tactic that effectively brings the total discount close to 50% for the entire group. With the new flat 30% discount per bill, that stacking ability disappears. You’ll be locked into one card per table, one discount per group—yet another quiet erosion of value in the name of simplicity.
So while Accor may call this a refresh, the ALL Accor+ Explorer programme feels like a retreat from what once made the membership a no-brainer. It’s no longer about rewarding loyalty with flexibility and real savings—it’s about locking value behind spend, wrapping discounts in fine print, and quietly retiring the benefits that actually made a difference.
