Author: Mark

Marriott Bonvoy’s free night awards just got a little more flexible—especially if you’ve got some extra points lying around. You can now “top up” a certificate with up to 25,000 points, giving you a lot more wiggle room when a hotel is just out of reach. Prior to this change, you could only add up to 15,000 points to a free night certificate. It helped, but it didn’t always bridge the gap when award prices crept just above the certificate’s limit. These certificates come in a few different denominations, for example 35,000, 40,000, 50,000 or 85,000. You can earn them…

MasterCard cardholders have access to a range of “priceless” offers. There are a range of travel offers among these, and these offers include fast tracked and/or complimentary loyalty status match membership. In the past, I have successfully obtained a fast track in the GHA Discovery program through Mastercard, and in this article I will look into some of the options available. Mastercard update these offers from time to time, adding programs or extending validity dates. Recent updates have seen the extension of the Brilliant by Langham offer, and the introduction of an IHG One Rewards Offer. Mastercard Status Fast Tracks…

Last year, Velocity shook things up with some pretty big changes to how you earn, and hang on to, elite status. For a lot of members, the new setup has made it noticeably harder to keep their tier. I’ve just hit my own review period, and under the old rules I would’ve been fine. But with the new requirement to earn a certain number of status credits on VA‑coded flights, I came up short. I’d already resigned myself to dropping down a level. Then Velocity surprised me with a lifeline: an offer to use points to keep my status for…

Last year, Accor launched its revamped ALL Accor+ Explorer premium subscription product. As an incentive to join, members signing up between 17 February and 13 March will receive 2,000 bonus Reward Points when joining. Those 2,000 Reward Points are worth 40 Euro, which at current exchange rates are worth about $69. 2,000 Bonus Points Offer Key Details These 2,000 points are valued at 40 Euro when used to help pay for a room night. In Australia, that means that you would reduce your bill by about $69. That makes the effective price of the All Accor+ Explorer membership close to…

If your Easter long weekend is looking wide open, or you’re just in the mood for something delicious, restorative, or a touch magical, The Singapore EDITION has put together a set of experiences that make the whole season feel like a proper reset. These include long indulgent meals, easygoing family fun, sunset‑soaked wellness rituals, and skincare that finally forgives you for the weather. Easter at FYSH FYSH sets the tone for the season with two very different Easter experiences. Unwind & Dine package The Unwind & Dine staycation focuses on a four‑course sharing menu built around sustainable seafood and bold…

GHA Discovery offers members the opportunity to purchase Discovery Dollars (aka D$) at a 15% discount. It’s not a permanent thing, just one of those offers that appears from time to time. The latest offer runs between 9 March through to 30 March. D$ have a fixed value of US$1, so during the promo you’ll effectively pay 85 cents for every D$. Because the value is fixed, buying discounted D$ works a lot like picking up a gift card on sale. You pay less now, and you redeem at full value later. Key Details Value of the D$ Under the…

IHG One Rewards is running a new promotion offering 15% off award nights for Diamond and Platinum Elite members. To take advantage of the discount, you’ll need to book by 9 March 2026 and complete your stay by 20 April 2026. It’s a fairly short booking window, but a good opportunity if you have upcoming travel and enough points to redeem. Key Details The key details of this offer: You do not need to register for this offer – the discount will be shown while you are booking on the IHG website. If you’re short on points, you can use…

Tokyu Hotels & Resorts is set to become the first Japanese hotel group to join GHA Discovery. It’s good news for GHA Discovery members, as Japan has been a bit of a gap in the programs coverage. At present, there are 5 GHA Discovery Hotels in Japan, and Tokyu Hotels will add an extra 42 hotels. That said, members will need to be patient. The first eighteen hotels are only expected to come onboard in April 2027. Following that initial launch, Tokyu Hotels & Resorts expects to see and additional 24 properties joining the programme by September 2027. As such,…

Starwood (yes, Starwood) is back in growth mode. Its first Japanese property has just opened, and it’s a striking debut. 1 Hotel Tokyo sits high inside the new Akasaka Trust Tower, offering a calm, nature‑driven retreat above the city. From the lobby alone, you get sweeping views of the Imperial Palace gardens, Tokyo Tower, and the endless sprawl of Tokyo. The brand’s signature mix of nature-first design, thoughtful dining, and wellness‑focused spaces lands surprisingly well in one of the world’s busiest capitals. The hotel anchors Tokyo World Gate Akasaka, a next‑generation district developed with Mori Trust. The location is prime.…

GHA Discovery gives Titanium members a pretty handy perk: daily complimentary breakfast for you and a guest when you book directly with participating brands like Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL, and Anantara. Handy, but not all brands participate. When the benefit first appeared back in 2024, it sounded great in theory but didn’t feel all that practical. Only a small handful of hotels were offering it, so unless you happened to stay at one of those, it didn’t really affect you. Fast‑forward through 2024 and 2025, and more brands steadily joined the program. As of early 2026, the breakfast perk now spans…