The Ultimate Guide to Langham 1865 Privilege

Langham is a small but luxurious hotel chain, and while it mightn’t share the popularity of its larger competitors, its 1865 Privilege loyalty program can still make every stay a rewarding one.

Whether you’re staying with Langham, Cordis or an affiliate hotel attached to the program, here’s your introduction to 1865 Privilege.

How do I join 1865 Privilege?

Joining Langham’s 1865 Privilege program is free and easy. Here’s how to sign up:

1. Venture to the 1865 Privilege enrolment form on the Langham Hotels website.
2. Enter your information, preferred airline frequent flyer program and room preferences. You’ll also need to read and accept the T&Cs.
3. Click ‘enrol now’ to complete the process and become a member.
4. Make a record of the membership number provided, and ensure this is attached to your future reservations to earn rewards and unlock benefits.

Which hotel brands are attached to 1865 Privilege?

The 1865 Privilege program focuses on two key brands: Langham and Cordis. Compared to other major hotel chains, these have a very small footprint. Langham has just 19 hotels around the world, with seven Cordis properties.

Add in one other 1865 Privilege ‘affiliate hotel’ – Chelsea Hotel in Toronto – and that’s still only 27 hotels in total across the entire program. By comparison, it’s common for major chains to have thousands of locations around the world. Marriott Bonvoy has over 7,300 participating properties, for instance.

Given the reach of 1865 Privilege is so niche, we may as well list every hotel!

Langham: In Australia, you’ll find hotels in Sydney, Melbourne and on the Gold Coast. Langham also has a presence in Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Los Angeles and New York. In Mainland China, you’ll also find Langham in Changsha, Guangzhou, Haikou, Haining, Hefei, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Xiamen.

Cordis: While you won’t spot a Cordis in Australia, venturing over to Auckland finds one property. As well as Hong Kong, Cordis hotels are also located in Beijing, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai.

Affiliate hotels: Beyond these two brands, the program’s benefits structure allows for other hotels to partner up for points and perks. But to date, this applies to just one property: the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, as above.

What are the 1865 Privilege tier levels?

Including the entry-level tier, 1865 Privilege offers four standard membership levels. There’s also a fifth tier that specifically rewards guests staying at that affiliate Chelsea Hotel. The levels are:

• Explorer
• Gateway
• Voyager
• Chelsea Voyager
• Destiny

Here’s a look at how the benefits improve as you progress through each tier.

1865 Privilege Explorer

Requirement: given to all 1865 Privilege members upon joining

• Free in-room Wi-Fi.
• At participating Langham and Cordis hotels, gratis access to PressReader during your stay.
• At Chelsea Hotel, complimentary local calls and a free daily newspaper.
• Express check-in and check-out.
• 2 pm late check-out, subject to availability.
• No charge for use of hotel gyms and swimming pools, in properties where fees might otherwise apply.
• Only at Chelsea Hotel, discounts on limousine services and vehicle rentals.

1865 Privilege Gateway

Requirement to earn: three stays or nine room nights per calendar year.
Requirement to retain: one stay or three room nights in a calendar year.

Along with all 1865 Privilege Explore benefits, those at the Gateway tier also receive:

• Late check-out of 4 pm, subject to availability.
• Priority waitlist for room reservations at sold-out Langham and Cordis properties.
• Have your detailed room preferences noted and observed, where possible.
• Complimentary fruit on arrival at Langham and Cordis.
• At Chelsea Hotel, chocolate and bottled water on arrival instead.

1865 Privilege Voyager

Requirement to earn: five stays or 15 room nights per calendar year.
Requirement to retain: two stays or six room nights in a calendar year.

Building on the benefits of the lower tiers, 1865 Privilege Voyager members can expect:

• Late check-out of 6 pm, subject to availability.
• Complimentary room upgrade at check-in, also subject to availability. Upgrades to Club floors don’t include Club Lounge access, however.
• One extra welcome amenity at Langham and Cordis, in addition to the usual fruit.
• Fast-track to Gold status in the TUMI Exclusives Club shopping program after making an eligible TUMI purchase in Hong Kong, Macau or Mainland China.

Additionally, Voyager members who stay at least five times or 15 nights per year will receive one ‘suite upgrade voucher’ per year. This is valid for a complimentary upgrade to a suite for a stay of up to three nights, and should be redeemed at the time of making a reservation directly with the hotel.

1865 Privilege Chelsea Voyager

Requirement to earn and retain: 15 stays or 45 room nights per calendar year at Chelsea Hotel, Toronto.

This tier specifically recognises guests who regularly stay at the program’s sole ‘affiliate hotel’, Chelsea Hotel in Toronto. Qualifying for this 1865 Privilege tier only considers nights and stays at this one location. Unfortunately, stays everywhere else don’t make the cut.

So are the benefits worth it? Yes and no.

When staying at hotels across the 1865 Privilege portfolio, late check-out is only until 2 pm, subject to availability. That’s no better than what’s provided to the program’s entry-level Explorer members, so is hardly a real ‘benefit’.

The TUMI fast-track benefit given to regular Voyager cardholders also doesn’t apply to Chelsea Voyagers, and nor does the choice of extra welcome gift. But most of the tier’s other perks align with the standard Voyager tier, including room upgrades and suite upgrades.

So what do Chelsea Voyager members get instead? Complimentary daily breakfast. But this only applies at Chelsea Hotel – not at any Langham or Cordis properties. It’s a nice extra for those regularly visiting Toronto and staying at this one specific hotel, but for most travellers, it’s far from a game-changer.

1865 Privilege Destiny

Requirement to earn: by invitation only.
Requirement to retain: your travel pattern under which you were invited should ‘remain the same’.

This top tier of 1865 Privilege exclusively rewards those who ‘show the highest level of commitment while staying in our premium category rooms and suites’. In other words, it’s for travellers who spend big, stay often, and are already booking the hotel’s best rooms – or thereabouts.

So what do you give travellers like this, when their bookings already buy the hotel’s best experience? As it happens, Destiny cardholders enjoy all the benefits of the full Voyager tier, plus:

• A ‘special joining executive gift’ when you become a Destiny member.
• Late check-out of up to 8 pm, subject to availability.
• Reservations handled via the Managing Director’s office at each hotel.
• Complimentary one-way limousine service with every stay, either on arrival or on departure.
• Select two additional welcome amenities at Langham and Cordis, in addition to fruit.
• Book a guaranteed room at sold-out hotels, when reserving at least 72 hours before arrival.

But even at this invitation-only tier, there’s no access to hotel Club Lounges, or even daily breakfast at any hotel. That’s a bit disappointing when you consider such amenities are common in other premium tiers such as Accor Live Limitless Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond and Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite.

That said, 1865 Privilege Destiny membership is only bestowed upon guests regularly booking a hotel’s best rooms. These will most likely include perks such as Club Lounge access anyway, so it may not be a sore point among the tier’s target travellers.

How do I earn points via 1865 Privilege?

Again setting itself apart from other hotel loyalty programs, 1865 Privilege doesn’t have its own points system. That is, guests can’t earn and spend ‘hotel points’ via 1865 Privilege.

Instead, 1865 Privilege members can earn airline frequent flyer points when staying at hotels across the Langham and Cordis portfolio, as well as Chelsea Hotel in Toronto. Members are asked for the details of their preferred airline program upon joining 1865 Privilege, and can update that preference at any time.

But in an interesting twist, frequent flyer points aren’t provided on any advance purchase rates or long stay rates. As you’d expect, nor are these earned on any other discounted packages, such as government rates.

Frequent flyer partners

It’s also worth pointing out that Cathay Pacific’s elite frequent flyers may enjoy additional perks at participating hotels. This occurs when the traveller’s Cathay number is linked to their hotel reservation. It also requires having at least Silver status in the Cathay program. Benefits can be explored here.

How do I contact Langham’s loyalty department?

If you’re specifically looking to contact customer service for the 1865 Privilege program, there’s a dedicated page on the Langham Hotels website.

Through this online form, you can make enquiries about reservations and membership details. If you haven’t received frequent flyer points after your stay, you can use the same form to follow those up.

Frequently asked questions

Feature image and membership card graphics courtesy Langham Hotels.