Publication Air Mail ran a story entitled “The Bonvoy Problem,” with the subheading being “Points programs are destroying the luxury-hotel experience. Can anything stop the freeloaders?”
While the thesis isn’t completely wrong (in terms points programs having an impact on the hotel experience, and also impacting economics), I consider this to be a very bad take, and the level of pretentiousness here is next level… let’s unpack.
“These folks showed up with coolers full of their own food, and had everything removed from the mini-bar so they could put it in there,” he said. “Their sole goal was to stay in the hotel, and spend as little as possible, making sandwiches at the breakfast buffet”—included in the rate—“then stashing them in napkins for a poolside picnic lunch.” His tirade ended with a plea, recalls Henry Harteveldt, a travel-industry analyst at Atmosphere Research, who witnessed it: Could his exclusive property be exempted from the chain’s awards program, to protect the experience for paying guests? The corporate overlords’ answer was immediate: absolutely not.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
