Shangri-La Circle is the five-star luxury hotel brand’s loyalty program. Members can earn Shangri-La Circle points which can be redeemed on future stays or transferred to airline frequent flyer programs like KrisFlyer.

We delve into the program details below and how you can make the most of Shangri-La Circle membership.

How do I join Shangri-La Circle?

It’s free and easy to become a member of Shangri-La Circle. Here’s how to join:

  1. Head to the ‘Join Shangri-La Circle’ page and enter your details. You’ll need a valid mobile phone number or valid email address to receive your verification code.
  2. Check the box to accept the terms and conditions of the program.
  3. Click ‘Submit’ and you’re part of the program!
  4. Log in to your account when booking directly with hotels to enjoy member rates and earn points from your stay.

There are some very lucrative welcome amenities for new members of Shangri-La Circle, including:

  • A 25% off buffet dining voucher at participating properties.
  • Complimentary breakfast for two during your first stay at a participating property.
  • Complimentary room upgrade during your second stay at a participating property.

Also read: Shangri-La Circle rolls out new welcome amenities

Where are Shangri-La hotels located?

Shangri-La is on the smaller side of a hotel chain, covering five brands – Shangri-La Hotels, Shangri-La Resorts, Traders Hotels, Kerry Hotels and JEN Hotels – at just over 100 hotels worldwide.

The vast majority are in Asia, particularly Mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and The Philippines.

Here in Australia, we have two properties – one in Sydney (which we gave a five-star rating here) and Cairns. Shangri-La Melbourne is set to open in 2023.

And the other key hotels of interest outside of our region are three in Europe (London, Paris and Istanbul), two in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver), and properties in the main Gulf stopover cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

View from Shangri-La Sydney
The view from Shangri-La Sydney.

What are the Shangri-La Circle membership tiers?

Shangri-La Circle has four tiers of membership – Gold, Jade, Diamond and the program’s invite-only tier, Polaris.

To progress through the first three tiers, you need to meet one of two conditions. Either complete the required number of Qualifying Nights or accumulate Tier Points, which we cover more on below.

Your status is valid until the end of the next calendar year (31 December) after you achieve or requalify for it.

We’ve covered some of the key benefits of Shangri-La Circle below. You can learn more about the membership tiers and view all benefits on the Shangri-La Circle website.

Shangri-La Circle Gold Shangri-La Circle Gold

Requirement: just signing up for the program

Gold is Shangri-La Circle’s entry-level tier. From the moment you join the program, you’ll begin enjoying a great range of benefits including:

  • No blackout dates when using points.
  • Priority reservation waitlist for desired room type.
  • Complimentary meal for children aged six and below.
  • The ability to earn points for up to three rooms when staying and paying for family and friends in the same hotel.

Shangri-La Circle Jade Shangri-La Circle Jade

Requirement: 20 Qualifying Nights or 6,000 Tier Points

In addition to Gold benefits, here are some of the perks that Jade members receive:

  • Upgrade to next room type within the same category.
  • Priority check in and check out.
  • Early check in (11 am)/late check out (4 pm).
  • Earn 25% more points for every US$1 spent.
  • Guaranteed room availability for reservations made 72 hours from arrival.
  • Partner stays in the same room for free, including applicable breakfast benefit.
  • Daily breakfast at cafe restaurant.
  • Choice of welcome amenity: US$10 laundry credit, US$10 dining credit or 100 points.
  • Partnership Benefits with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.

Shangri-La Circle Diamond Shangri-La Circle Diamond

Requirement: 50 Qualifying Nights or 15,000 Tier Points

In addition to Gold and Jade benefits, some of the perks that Diamond members can enjoy include:

  • Access to the Club Lounge for your stay partner + one additional guest.
  • Pressing for one suit upon arrival.
  • Early check in (8 am)/late check out (6 pm).
  • Guaranteed bed type at time of reservation.
  • Earn 50% more points for every US$1 spent.
  • Guaranteed room availability for reservations made 48 hours from arrival.
  • Daily breakfast at cafe restaurant or Club Lounge.
  • Choice of welcome amenity: US$12 laundry credit, US$12 dining credit, 150 points or special delight.

Shangri-La Circle Polaris Shangri-La Circle Polaris

The program’s invitation-only tier, Polaris, is reserved for the most loyal guests, with the VIP benefits extending beyond the offerings to Diamond members. Though the full details of these benefits – and exactly how one can attain this tier – remain a secret, here are some of the additional perks you can expect:

  • ‘Shangri-La All Access’, granting you anytime entry to hotel health clubs and pools.
  • Horizon Club Lounge access at anytime.
  • Four hours of complimentary luxury car service per stay.
  • Personal concierge.
  • Early check in (midnight on day of arrival) and late check out (6 pm)
  • The ability to gift one year of Diamond status to a family member, for every year that the registered member remains at Polaris tier.

Also read: Shangri-La Circle shake-up: big changes to earning status and spending points

How do I earn Shangri-La Circle points?

Shangri-La Circle points not only determine your membership tier, but can be redeemed for a great selection of rewards – including future hotel stays – or transferred to frequent flyer programs.

For every US$1 spent, you’ll earn one Tier Point. This means that to unlock Jade and Diamond tiers, you’d need to spend the following:

  • Jade – 6,000 Tier Points (US$6,000 spend over one year)
  • Diamond – 15,000 Tier Points (US$15,000 spend over one year)

Points can be earned from accommodation charges, as well as through spending at onsite facilities like restaurants, bars and spas. Consequently, you don’t need to be staying at the property to earn points when dining or spending onsite. Simply flash your membership card to have the points added to your account.

How do I redeem Shangri-La Circle points?

If you have accumulated a Shangri-La Circle points balance, you have a few options for redemption:

  • Redeeming points for stays at Shangri-La properties.
    • 15 Shangri-La Circle points = US$1 off the bill.
    • This means each Shangri-La Circle point is worth 6.66 US cents (US$0.0666).
    • A minimum redemption of 500 points applies – that’s a minimum saving of US$33.33.
  • Transfer a minimum of 2,500 Shangri-La Circle points at a 1:1 ratio to any of the program’s frequent flyer partners, and then in 500-point increments thereafter.
  • Donations to numerous different charities.
  • A variety of lifestyle awards.

How many Shangri-La Circle points do I need to book a stay?

Here’s how many points you’ll need to stay at properties in Australia.

Standard roomHorizon room Executive suite
Shangri-La Sydney3,690 points
(AU$340 = US$246)		5,580 points
(AU$515 = US$372)		6,450 points
(AU$595 = US$430)
Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns3,690 points
(AU$340 = US$246)		5,475 points
(AU$505 = US$365)		5,580 points
(AU$515 = US$372)
The rates in this table are approximate and are based on using points against a flexible room rate for an overnight stay on 28-29 April 2022.

Earning frequent flyer points with Shangri-La Circle

Every time you stay at a Shangri-La property, you can choose to earn either Shangri-La Circle points or between 500 and 1,000 points/miles per stay (not night) across a wide range of airline frequent flyer partners.

Depending on where your points allegiances lie, here are some of your options:

Shangri-La Circle points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to these frequent flyer programs, with a minimum transfer rate of 2,500 points.

If you think that you may stay at Shangri-La properties regularly, you should crunch the numbers to see whether earning Shangri-La Circle points instead will boost your effective miles earn for each stay.

Benefits of linking your Shangri-La Circle and KrisFlyer accounts

Under the Infinite Journeys partnership, which we have a separate guide about here, you’ll receive the following benefits:

  • Double-dip by earning KrisFlyer miles and Shangri-La Circle points on Shangri-La stays (see ‘Earning points’ below).
  • Fast track to KrisFlyer Gold status if you have Shangri-La Circle Jade status.
  • You can transfer your Shangri-La Circle points to KrisFlyer at a 25% bonus conversion rate of 1 point to 1.25 miles.

Is it better to earn Shangri-La Circle points or frequent flyer points?

With the exception of KrisFlyer, you won’t be able to double dip and earn Shangri-La Circle points and points/miles.

For example, with Qantas or Velocity, you can choose to earn 1,000 points per stay instead of Shangri-La Circle points.

However, the program’s current structure makes earning Shangri-La Circle points far more valuable from a cash perspective. Every 15 hotel points are equivalent to US$1 in cash off your bill. And Jade and Diamond members earn 25% and 50% more points respectively.

With this in mind, earning Shangri-La Circle points provides better value. But if you don’t plan on staying at Shangri-La properties frequently, or would rather bolster your airline points balance, it’s handy to have the option to transfer your points to your chosen frequent flyer program.

Tie-up with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts

The American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits at Shangri-La properties typically include:

  • 12 pm early check-in (subject to availability).
  • 4 pm late check-out (guaranteed).
  • US$100 food and beverage credit.
  • Full buffet breakfast for two.
  • Room upgrade (subject to availability).

You can access these benefits if you have the American Express Platinum Card.

Current offers

You can access a full list of all current offers here.

Contacting Shangri-La Circle

If you’re calling from Australia, you can use their toll-free number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1800 222 448. Or you can view the full list of toll-free numbers in other regions.

Alternatively, use this form to contact Shangri-La Circle.

Summing up

If you are looking to stay at a Shangri-La property in the future, signing up for the Shangri-La Circle program is a great way to get rewarded from accommodation, dining, spa treatments and other onsite activities. With the ability to transfer Shangri-La Circle points to airline partners, it’s certainly worth joining the program to enjoy the flexibility of earning rewards.

This article was originally written by Matt Moffit.

The Ultimate Guide to Shangri-La Circle was last modified: October 19th, 2023 by Victoria Kyriakopoulos