Classic Travel, a travel site that offers 5-star hotel accommodations, allows members to book special packages that offer luxurious benefits regardless of membership rank, credit card, etc.
What is Classic Travel?
This is a travel booking site that handles luxury travel packages for the wealthy.
It also handles long trips on cruise ships and tours that visit several cities, but you can also use it just to stay at a 5-star class hotel. When booking a hotel, you can get special accommodation plans that probably do not appear on Japanese travel sites at almost the same price as on the hotel's official website.
To stay at a luxury hotel with room upgrades and other benefits, you can either become a hotel member (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, etc.) and earn stays to become a senior member (something called "hotel training"), or you can use a credit card such as Amex Platinum Fine Hotels and Resorts is a well-known benefit that comes with credit cards such as Amex Platinum. However, if you book one of the following "Special Plans" through Classic Travel, you will suddenly receive luxurious benefits without having to raise your hotel membership rank or have a special credit card!
Normally, hotel members (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, etc.) do not earn hotel memberships (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, etc.) or points when booking through reservation sites such as Expedia, except when booking directly on a hotel's official website. However, if you make a reservation with one of the following special offers, you will also be credited with stay achievements and points. At least at Hilton Impresario, Marriott STARS and Hyatt Prive, they were credited. In addition, you will receive bonus points based on your membership status at each hotel.
Note that these plans basically require a paid stay. I don't think you can use them for free nights with points or for discounted nights with points.
Perks of the "Special plans"
The names of the special plans are as follows:
- Hilton Impresario
- Marriott STARS
- Hyatt Prive
- Virtuoso
- etc...
The details of the special plans are different to some extent, but in general, these plans includes the following great perks.
- Complimentary room upgrade (if available)
- Early check-in (if available)
- Late check-out (if available)
- Complimentary breakfast for 2 adults each day
- 100 USD hotel credit (not applied for accommodation fee and some items (better to confirm with the hotel))
Complimentary room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out are not always applied because they are enabled only if available. It means sometimes you cannot enjoy these perks, especially on holidays.
However, the complimentary breakfast and the hotel credits are always applied if the special plans include. Thinking that the breakfast is usually expensive, these perks are so powerful.
How to Book These Special Plans?
These special plans cannot be booked via popular Online Travel Agent such as Expedia. They are available only via some certified travel agencies.
Classic Travel is one of the certified agencies. Different from other agencies, you can book the hotels only via online without communicating the travel agents.
You might know that HoteLux is a similar smartphone app but HoteLux requires to join the paid membership. On the other hand, you can use Classic Travel for free!
Notes to Keep in Mind
These special plans are literally special! I mean that not many hotel staffs are familiar with these plans.
For example, when I booked a hotel with one of the special plans, a hotel staff at the restaurant said the breakfast was NOT complimentary, even though the plan said I could enjoy the perk of complimentary breakfast.
After that, I called the front desk and I could confirm that the breakfast was complimentary. But if it was during the busy season, it might have been difficult to communicate with proper staffs.
If you want to avoid such confusion, it might be better to use another way, such as American Express "Fine Hotel and Resorts" by holding American Express Platinum Card.