Westpac have launched a partnership with Ten Lifestyle to upgrade their Concierge offering on their premium Altitude credit cards.
From previous experience, the ‘concierge’ services provided with most credit cards aren’t worth the time. I’ve previously been quoted rack rates at hotels and been told restaurants were booked out, only to be able to book a table directly a few days later.
The Ten offering feels different and is the first real attempt by an Australian bank at providing a genuine Concierge service to their cardmembers.
In this post:
Which Westpac Altitude Credit Cards Get Ten Concierge Access?
While most platinum and black grade credit cards come with a ‘concierge’ service as a dot point in the brochure, the new offering is exclusive to:
- Westpac Altitude Black Mastercard
- Westpac Altitude Business Platinum Mastercard
- BusinessChoice Rewards Platinum Mastercard
The popular Altitude Platinum Mastercard no longer qualifies for access.
What Benefits Do I Get From Using Westpac Ten Concierge?
A quality concierge service is not necessarily about saving money. Benefits tend to be:
- Access to tables at restaurants and events that are otherwise hard to get at short notice
- Value added benefits that you wouldn’t receive by booking directly
Flights
There are certain situations where premium cabin airline tickets may be less expensive through a concierge service, such as American Express through their International Airline Program, but given the state of international travel at present a proper comparison is hard to come by.
Restaurants
Ten Lifestyle Group boasts priority access to over 10,000 of the most sought after restaurants around the world. With many of the most popular restaurants in global cities like London, Paris and New York booking out weeks ahead, the potential of a prime-time table a day or so in advance is worth the effort of asking.
Reserved tables at top restaurants are a feature of the American Express Platinum Charge Card, which has a hefty A$1,450 annual fee, so having a comparable program for an Altitude Black card is a great feature.
In Sydney, there are Held Tables at restaurants like Bennelong in the Opera House.
While in Melbourne, there are priority reservations at Ben Shewry’s Attica of Netflix Chef’s Table fame.
Once we are able to travel overseas again, there are some impressive restaurants on the list in the major cities.
Paris is a standout with access to tables not available to the public at Pavilion Ledoyen (where Napoleon met Josephine) and Le Cinq at the Four Season Georges V.
In New York there are priority reservations and Held Tables at Thomas Keller’s Per Se but no benefits at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
Hotels
Similar to American Express Fine Hotel & Resorts, Ten Concierge has a Global Hotel Collection with value added benefits for bookings made through the service.
Benefits vary with each hotel but generally include breakfast and hotel credit. For example, the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam has the following benefits:
While the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi offers a slightly different set of benefits:
How Do I Access Ten Concierge?
Unlike most concierge services, which require a phone call, there is a dedicated website for eligible Westpac customers on the Ten Concierge website.
Registration is easy, with the first six digits of your Westpac credit card used to check eligibility, and you’re set up in a matter of minutes.
Live Chat
Lifestyle concierge services have traditionally required a phone call or waiting for a reply to an email. With the new Ten Concierge, cardholders are able to initiate a live chat with a Lifestyle Manager from the secure portal and discuss their needs.
This is super helpful when you’ve got a special request or looking for advice on different options.
Who Are Ten Lifestyle Group?
The Ten Lifestyle Group is a leading, travel and lifestyle concierge service founded in 1998 and listed on the London Stock Exchange.
While headquartered in London, they also operate an office in Melbourne which will handle phone requests.
Westpac Ten Concierge Bottom Line
The Westpac partnership with Ten Lifestyle Group is the first genuine Concierge service provided by an Australian bank.
With a fully functional digital offering including live chat plus a strong benefits program comparable to the American Express Platinum Charge Card, the service is one that I will actually look forward to using for restaurants and hotels.
