Virgin Hotels Booking - tips for their confusing website?

Struggling to navigate the too-clever-by-half 'Virgin Hotels' website.

As a Lifetime VS Gold flyer, we are told we'll get 5x points, a free room upgrade, and breakfast, but despite being signed into 'The Know' (ick!) and updating my profile, it doesn't show any of that.
Prices also seem better at quality 3rd party websites than direct.

Anyone got a tip for navigating the over-complicated mess of their reservation system?
Wanted to book London Shoreditch in November, but... close to giving up, and going elsewhere!

Thanks

[mitchja]

Every time I’ve stayed at a Virgin Hotel I’ve had to fight to get the free FC Gold breakfast. Chicago point blank refused to honour this until I got the manager involved. The same thing pretty much happened at the (now closed) San Francisco one as well. I just got a blank ‘what’s Flying Club Gold?’ expression from the staff at both hotels.

It may be slightly easier at UK properties with better brand recognition this side of the Atlantic but I really couldn’t say?

I don’t remember receiving a room upgrade at either as well.

Not good and unlikely I’ll stay at a Virgin Hotels again because of this.

Not any easier at Edinburgh. I argued with the front desk and again the manager got involved and was still clueless.

Edinburgh is also the only property where you don't even earn any points.

I had this same problem with the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, I contacted them before my upcoming trip to ask about Flying Club Gold benefits and they said that they are privately owned and operated, and don't provide any Flying Club benefits - all of this kind of flies in the face of what Virgin say on their website:

"Flying Club Gold members also receive a complimentary breakfast, and is applicable in all Virgin Hotels.

You'll earn Virgin Points and other perks like upgrades and breakfast by staying at these one-of-a-kind places, where work and play are all at your fingertips."

I reported the issue to Flying Club and they called me back and said they weren't aware about the benefit not being available everywhere, but all the hotels have different ownership and admitted the website is therefore wrong (yet they still haven't changed it). They said if I wanted breakfast there, keep the receipt and they will reimburse me - however I have no faith they will actually honour that.

Thanks all for the info, even if it is sobering.

Seems like 'Virgin Hotels' is nothing more than a branding/ franchise operation then, - independently owned, but jointly marketed under the 'Virgin' name.

Clearly I'll look elsewhere for my hotel stays.
Thanks again

Thanks all for the info, even if it is sobering.

Seems like 'Virgin Hotels' is nothing more than a branding/ franchise operation then, - independently owned, but jointly marketed under the 'Virgin' name.

Clearly I'll look elsewhere for my hotel stays.
Thanks again

Case in point being the Glasgow hotel. Closed suddenly in late-2023 after just four months of operations and is yet to reopen.

[mitchja]

Thanks all for the info, even if it is sobering.

Seems like 'Virgin Hotels' is nothing more than a branding/ franchise operation then, - independently owned, but jointly marketed under the 'Virgin' name.

Clearly I'll look elsewhere for my hotel stays.
Thanks again

Case in point being the Glasgow hotel. Closed suddenly in late-2023 after just four months of operations and is yet to reopen.

The San Francisco one didn't last much longer either (I believe that one is open again now as a Hilton branded property). Virgin Hotels don't have a great track-record do they! It seems to be down to the way they are (poorly) managed.

We stayed in the NYC one last year - that was a decent enough hotel, status perks aside.