I'm in Australia and I've also signed up for accor advantage plus over the past few years with the promise that for ~$260 pa you get a free night. What I find is that every time I want to book a half decent hotel it is never available but if I pay for the room (sometimes can get 15% discount - maybe save $30 but end up spending this on breakfast anyway) can always get it. For the free nights the $200 rooms are never available. Last year could only use my "free" night on a room at an ibis hotel value ~ $80-$100/night, so it was a waste - a **** room in a **** location. The room was a tiny plasticky module which my wife felt instantly claustrophobic in. My experience also supports that you need to plan at least 2 months ahead to get anywhere decent. If accor didn't let you bank an extra night each year it would hardly be worth it. better to go where you want and pay for it instead of putting up with a free night for the sake of it in some god-awful place you didn't want to go anyway! i think use the program to boost the occupancy rate at their crappier places.