An Executive Club for All

Booking the Executive Club or VIP Club at a luxury hotel might appear to be out of your league. You’d be wrong.

To some it’s an Executive Club, to others it’s just good value…

If you’re anything like me, the thought of booking a holiday can be altogether terrifying. Put aside the excitement of adventure, the lure of leisurely days or the sleepless thrill of knowing you’re soon to be anywhere but here, the depressing questions still linger. Questions like: “Will I need to eat dryer lint for the next six months?”

Affordability is a relative thing for the middle-of-the-road holiday hunters. One school of thought is to throw caution to the wind; see the world, have that dream trip and worry about paying for it some other time. You might regret going; you will regret it if you don’t. The other side is to penny-pinch, live as freely as you can frugally, and score a cheap lunch by stocking up on bread and ham from the breakfast buffet. With affordable luxury travel the balance can be particularly difficult to strike. You’re wary of saving a penny or two, but wouldn’t want to deny yourself a little pampering. After all, if you can’t indulge a little whilst on holiday, then when?

But it doesn’t have to be like this. What if I told you you could stay in style and still have enough for Supernoodles on your return? Allow me, then, to introduce you to the very understated world of The Club.

The Executive Club

It’s a misconception that luxury hotel loyalty and VIP Club schemes like ‘Executive Club’, ‘Club Access’ or the ‘Club Lounge’ are exclusive to corporate accounts or the super-loyal; they are for everybody. It’s just that most travellers neglect to take advantage of the perks. These schemes appear elitist, but what many don’t realise is that The Club often offers remarkable value for money.

That’s right – value for money. Think of it not as an expense on lavish extras, but as extra savings on complete luxury. That’s because, across many of the world’s hotels, it doesn’t actually cost very much.

It’s certainly a factor worth investigating. In many cases you can upgrade to the privileges offered by Club, VIP Club, Loyalty Club, Executive Club, Preferred Club, Prestige Club or another noble prefix for as little as an extra £16 per person per night. And not a lot of people know that.

For just that little extra per night you can indulge in some very pleasant perks like access to a private bar, lounge or roof terrace, often found in the bit of the hotel with the best views and frequently devoid of unhinged children. More importantly, you begin to see ways where you’re saving as you spend a little. Complimentary gourmet food and premium drinks might be served all day long, or you might have your own personal concierge with insider knowledge.

With all this in mind, here’s our pick of the bunch that won’t cost you an arm, a leg or any other sellable limb.

Club Level – The Ritz Carlton Dubai, UAE

People these days are booking more and more half board Dubai deals and all-inclusive holidays to Dubai. When one considers such an effortlessly lavish location, one can be sure of a little luxury even at the tighter end of the spectrum. After all even cheap Dubai holidays will generally have the necessary elements for a successful city break on the beach. But why settle for the bare minimum when you could be living it up?

The Club Level Lounge at The Ritz Carlton Dubai boasts remarkable sea views for the Club Level guest from this intimate, exclusive environment. And it’s here you’ll enjoy a full American breakfast every morning, lunch and afternoon tea, an evening presentation of hors d’oeuvres, canapés and cocktails, and the delectably titled ‘Chocolates & Cordials’ nightly presentation. A Club Concierge meanwhile is constantly at your beck and call.

The Club Rooms and Suites at The Ritz Carlton Dubai are equally enviable should you choose to stay in a little more style. Features include: a terrace with spacious outside seating, marble baths, oversized rain showers and plush bath robes, a 47” television, DVD player and complete DVD library, plus those many little things that make the big differences, like special bed linens, an honour bar or even your own prepared beach bag.

Banyan Tree Club – Banyan Tree Bangkok, Thailand

The Banyan Tree Club offers VIP treatment with total convenience at every juncture. Flights to Bangkok Thailand can pretty much arrive at any time, but whatever the hour you will be welcomed with an herbal drink. This attention to detail continues through your stay right up until your priority express checkout (also part of the package).

The massively spacious Banyan Tree Club Rooms in Banyan Tree Bangkok are designed beautifully and, located on the 15th to 32nd floors, feature striking views over the city and river. Guests can take advantage of an extra large bathtub with double headrests, rain shower, free Wifi, ample working area with state-of-the-art business facilities, up to four complimentary pieces of laundry daily and even a free neck and shoulder massage. Club guests also have priority access to Banyan Tree’s award-winning spa.

On the 19th floor, in the Club Lounge, treat yourself to an exclusive full breakfast every day and all-day snacks, free flowing alcoholic drinks all day until 8pm and complimentary evening cocktail canapés. Forget having a hangover part 2, this is what a luxury holiday to Bangkok should be.

Preferred Club – Secrets in Cancun, Mexico

Secrets in Cancun, the first choice of travellers seeking 5-star, quality and nevertheless cheap holidays in Mexico Cancun, includes: Secrets Aura Cozumel, Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun, Secrets Maroma Beach, Secrets Silversands Resort & Spa and Secrets The Vine. Ironically it’s no secret as to what this luxury Caribbean hotel group is all about: secluded adults only resorts and arguably the best all-inclusive hotels in Cancun and Mexico. All-inclusive options like Secrets’ very comprehensive signature scheme ‘Unlimited-Luxury’ include such lovely extras as complimentary non-motorised water sports, complimentary green fees at local golf courses, a private concierge on call 24/7, unlimited premium drinks, gourmet dining at a choice of restaurants, even free Wifi and international calling with the ‘Unlimited Connectivity’ scheme and all this not to even mention the usual, ample benefits of all-inclusive at Secrets.

Slightly more secretive, however, is the Preferred Club. This additional level executive club enjoys daily continental breakfast service, afternoon hors d’oeuvres tastings, incredible desserts and particularly fine liquors from the restaurants and bars, extra concierge services and premium views from your Preferred Club room. Upgrades to things like the mini-bar service and bathroom amenities also apply.

Here’s a little extra secret: book the Unlimited Luxury package at Secrets Capri Riviera Cancun and you’re rewarded with an automatic upgrade to Preferred Club. At this hotel you don’t even need to opt into the club to be preferred, which would indeed be preferable.

The Club – Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa Resort, Mauritius

Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa Resort is an extraordinarily pretty beach hotel in amongst the beautiful scenery of Mauritius. It is quite simply amongst the best of the best hotels in Mauritius, located at the westernmost tip of Black River Gorges National Park in the shadow of magnificent monolith Le Morne Brabant.

But then why not make your luxury Mauritius holiday exactly that, by upgrading to Club? Its exclusive level, The Club, is based simply on whether you are a guest of the Club Suites or not. Club Suites enjoy early check-in and late check-out (both of which are a veritable godsend when they’re really needed), the closest proximity to the beachfront, and little perks like iPod-docks, Nespresso coffee machines, a dedicated concierge, newspapers, a library and unlimited Wifi.

Members of The Club can dine and drink to their hearts’ content. Indulge in continental breakfast in the morning, sandwiches, coffee and canapés all day until 6.30pm, when the coffee is subtly switched for cocktails, and selected unlimited drinks until 8pm.

It should be noted that these Executive Club services are limited to Dinarobin and cannot be used in other members of the Beachcomber Hotels family on the island. Though quite frankly with all this at your fingertips, why would you bother?

Grand Club – Grand Hyatt, New York, US

Whether you’re the primand proper holidaying type or prefer last minute trips to New York, here is a city where you’ll invariably be disappointed if you don’t return feeling utterly pampered. Much like Dinarobin, the Grand Hyatt operates a scheme for those in the newly renovated Grand Club Level rooms at this iconic luxury hotel in New York. The Grand Club Level is designed to offer the level of privacy and luxury one would expect of a 5-star roof terrace – a luxury haven in the clouds, hidden from the streets below. Once you’ve experienced these kinds of holidays to New York, anything less just can’t cut the mustard and salt beef bagel.

The Grand Club features a residential-style block on the 16th floor. Each room is decorated with contrasting touches of wood and stone surfaces, earthy tones and retro-industrial metalwork, resulting in a warm and inviting room that is imaginatively stylish. The Hyatt Grand Beds that come as standard perhaps need no introduction, suffice to say they’re pretty ruddy comfortable. Additionally you’ll get Wifi internet access, a 37” HDTV, a Geneva Sound System with iPod docking station, and marble and granite bathrooms complete with June Jacobs bath products and Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste amenities. Until now we weren’t sure there was such a concept as ‘toothpaste amenities’, but upgrade to the Grand Club at the New York Grand Hyatt and you too can join the revolution.

There are several seating areas in the rooms and around the floor, the very elegant Grand Club Bar, picnic terraces with views over the famous skyline, conservatories saturated with sunlight which make for excellent meeting spaces, and complimentary food is served daily including breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres.

Of course, you don’t necessarily want to be stuck in a room when there’s a whole world out there to explore, experiences to be had and caution to be thrown. It’s just there are ways and means of throwing it with a little more aplomb. Ultimately, when it comes to booking a luxury holiday it’s the little things that make all the difference, and everybody likes a little extra special treatment.

Do you ever feel like you don’t indulge yourself enough whilst on holiday? Yeah, join the club.