IHG Hotels that recognise status

[Deleted member 29185]

Property: Holiday Inn Potts Point
Status: Platinum
Booked: Queen Non-Smoking
Received: King Harbour View
Other: A fairly standard upgrade at this property with no other benefits offered. I was initially given a "harbour view" room that offered more of a view of the living room of someone in the apartment building opposite than the harbour. After a call to the Duty Manager I was moved to the top floor to a room with a great view of the city and harbour. This property is far from my first choice when staying in Sydney but I need a few nights to retain WP for another year and this stay will trigger about 30k of bonus points so the "sacrifice" is probably worth it.

Hey DGW.........is the sacrifice worth it? I was under the impression bonus points with IHG don't count toward status anymore. Am I missing some "back door" key here?

 

[anat0l]

Hey DGW.........is the sacrifice worth it? I was under the impression bonus points with IHG don't count toward status anymore. Am I missing some "back door" key here?

I suspect that the two stated "closers" are mutually exclusive. That is, the stay is required to get Platinum again. The bonus points will not count to elite requalification, but 30k points isn't little to sneeze at anyway.

 

[DGW]

I suspect that the two stated "closers" are mutually exclusive. That is, the stay is required to get Platinum again. The bonus points will not count to elite requalification, but 30k points isn't little to sneeze at anyway.

Spot on. 30k points will get me 1.5 nights at the new HIX on Orchard Rd on my next trip to Singapore, which is a pretty good return in my books.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Spot on. 30k points will get me 1.5 nights at the new HIX on Orchard Rd on my next trip to Singapore, which is a pretty good return in my books.

Yes, thanks I should read with both eyes open! I was getting all excited there for a minute.

 

[jetlagger]

ANA IC TOKYO
Status: Platinum
Booked: Classic Room
Received: King Executive Deluxe

Welcome gift pack consisting of: Kimono fabric, rice crackers, sweets & Japanese paper dolls.
H2o replenished daily
Though not large (as expected in Tokyo hotels). It was a nice, comfortable well appointed room on a high floor with a gorgeous view over the Akasaka area.
This is a lovely hotel in a desirable Tokyo location with consistent impeccable service.
There is a very spacious Club Lounge on 35th floor with an optional Y10,000 per day admission fee which I facilitated as there is no unpaid CL access granted, no matter what room category or status one has.
Check in & out procedures facilitated by the luxurious CL & guaranteed 4pm check out.
Rating: 8.5/10

 

[Deleted member 29185]

ANA IC TOKYO
Status: Platinum
Booked: Classic Room
Received: King Executive Deluxe

Welcome gift pack consisting of: Kimono fabric, rice crackers, sweets & Japanese paper dolls.
H2o replenished daily
Though not large (as expected in Tokyo hotels). It was a nice, comfortable well appointed room on a high floor with a gorgeous view over the Akasaka area.
This is a lovely hotel in a desirable Tokyo location with consistent impeccable service.
There is a very spacious Club Lounge on 35th floor with an optional Y10,000 per day admission fee which I facilitated as there is no unpaid CL access granted, no matter what room category or status one has.
Check in & out procedures facilitated by the luxurious CL & guaranteed 4pm check out.
Rating: 8.5/10

Y10,000 each seems a tad over the top. I hope it was a great lounge?

 

[jetlagger]

Y10,000 each seems a tad over the top. I hope it was a great lounge?

I duly considered the rate was fair. It is Tokyo & it had a plentiful amount of quality constantly replenished F & B offerings complemented by attentive staff & divine views.

It was a great lounge..



Would put the HSP & others ELs' to shame..

 

[anat0l]

Would put the HSP & others ELs' to shame..

Definitely would, but this is Japan (let alone Asia).

And... how many would be willing to pay an extra $105 on top of their room rate per day to access such a lounge? OK I'm sure some people would (notwithstanding elite access to lounges for Hilton HHonors and rooms with rates that include lounge access in the Hilton system)

How much was the rate on the room you were booked for (if available and willing to disclose)?

I suppose if the total rate (with taxes, and add on the "lounge access") came to around $350, that would not be completely bad and there would be people willing to pay that kind of money, especially in Tokyo.

 

[jetlagger]

Definitely would, but this is Japan (let alone Asia).

And... how many would be willing to pay an extra $105 on top of their room rate per day to access such a lounge? OK I'm sure some people would (notwithstanding elite access to lounges for Hilton HHonors and rooms with rates that include lounge access in the Hilton system)

How much was the rate on the room you were booked for (if available and willing to disclose)?

I suppose if the total rate (with taxes, and add on the "lounge access") came to around $350, that would not be completely bad and there would be people willing to pay that kind of money, especially in Tokyo.

Worked out around the $380 mark per night with lounge access. It is Tokyo & that doesn't buy much quality in premium hotels these days.
Sure there are cheaper options.. I'm not interested.
I budgeted to $450 per night so I came out in front & the stay & experience was memorable.
I still prefer the Hilton Tokyo Shinjuku though.

 

[NM]

One of the published benefits of Platinum status with IHG Rewards is the 72 hour room availability guarantee. Until now, I have never made use of such a benefit. However, for an upcoming trip I found that every major (and most minor) hotels at my destination are sold-out for at least 2 of the 7 nights I need to be there. So I called the IHG Rewards Service Centre and asked about the room availability guarantee (2 weeks out from planned arrival date).

The IHG Rewards agent was very helpful, noted my preferred hotel (there are two IHG properties, both not showing any rooms available for my dates) and called the hotel while I was on hold. She came back to me stating that the hotel manager wuld not be available for another hour and she would call me back then. She gave me a reference number in case I needed to call back. True to her word, an hour later she called me back saying the hotel is indeed sold-out but has agreed to confirm a booking for me and she conferenced the hotel manager into the call for me to provide credit card details and confirm dates etc.

Within minutes of the call I received a confirmation email from the hotel manager, not only confirming my reservation but stating that I would also be upgraded to an Executive room even though the booking is for a "Standard" room per the 72 hour room availability guarantee. And the rate offered is actually reasonable and way cheaper than even the most basic room available at unknown properties in the city that week.

So a big thumbs up for recognising Platinum status and honouring the 72 hour room availability guarantee even though they could have said it was a period of abnormal demand (which would have been accurate) and not provided a confirmed room.

 

[jetlagger]

One of the published benefits of Platinum status with IHG Rewards is the 72 hour room availability guarantee. Until now, I have never made use of such a benefit. However, for an upcoming trip I found that every major (and most minor) hotels at my destination are sold-out for at least 2 of the 7 nights I need to be there. So I called the IHG Rewards Service Centre and asked about the room availability guarantee (2 weeks out from planned arrival date).

The IHG Rewards agent was very helpful, noted my preferred hotel (there are two IHG properties, both not showing any rooms available for my dates) and called the hotel while I was on hold. She came back to me stating that the hotel manager wuld not be available for another hour and she would call me back then. She gave me a reference number in case I needed to call back. True to her word, an hour later she called me back saying the hotel is indeed sold-out but has agreed to confirm a booking for me and she conferenced the hotel manager into the call for me to provide credit card details and confirm dates etc.

Within minutes of the call I received a confirmation email from the hotel manager, not only confirming my reservation but stating that I would also be upgraded to an Executive room even though the booking is for a "Standard" room per the 72 hour room availability guarantee. And the rate offered is actually reasonable and way cheaper than even the most basic room available at unknown properties in the city that week.

So a big thumbs up for recognising Platinum status and honouring the 72 hour room availability guarantee even though they could have said it was a period of abnormal demand (which would have been accurate) and not provided a confirmed room.

Quite a beneficial concept toward Platinum prospective guests at certain times as described.
I'm just curious, If the hotel was truly fully booked & you are guaranteed a room allocation, I'm guessing someone would get 'walked" presuming all guests arrive for their reserved rooms?

 

[NM]

Quite a beneficial concept toward Platinum prospective guests at certain times as described.
I'm just curious, If the hotel was truly fully booked & you are the guaranteed a room allocation, I'm guessing someone would get 'walked" presuming all guests arrive for their reserved rooms?

either someone will get bumped/walked to some unknown property, or they are hoping someone will cancel sometime in the next 2 weeks.

 

[bass_ke]

Property: Crowne Plaza Auckland
Status: Platinum
Booked: King club
Received: King executive suite

After a 5 hour delay at OOL and getting to the hotel at 0230 local time the upgrade was a very welcome surprise! This is my first night in but if tonight is anything to go by I look very forward to tomorrow!

I knew we had scored a bigger room when we checked in but didn't realise it'd be 2 stories!

 

[bass_ke]

A couple of shady iPhone snaps of the room and the view from the club, not bad at all

 

[docjames]

HI Darling Harbour
"Basic" room --> single upgrade ( to executive room)
Free wifi (30GB limit/day)
Late checkout offered (not required)
2 bottles water / day
Welcome letter (non personalised other than handwritten name, handed to me at checkin)

Status: Plat Amb

 

[markis10]

30gb per day seems very generous!

 

[docjames]

30gb per day seems very generous!

Pretty sure it was that.

I assume its designed to not be restrictive for "fair use". I guess sending business docs etc would use a fair chunk of it.

Was reasonably fast too!

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

Property: Crowne Plaza Lovedale Hunter Valley
Status: Platinum
Booked: King Bed Deluxe
Received: King Bed Spa suite

Quite surprised - stayed here 3 times before never anything. I sent my wife up and bingo she gets upgraded. Nice surprise.

 

[Shudai]

Holiday Inn Bastille Paris - Upgrade to a larger room, 500 bonus points

Intercontinental Berlin - Nothing whatsoever, as usual.

 

[dairyfloss]

Property: InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong
Status: Platinum Elite
Booked: 1 KING BED PREMIER SIDE HARBOUR VIEW
Received: 1 KING BED PREMIER FULL HARBOUR VIEW
Rate Paid: HKD 1,980.00+ per night

Welcome letter on arrival (attached below) clearly detailing benefits. Got the hard sell for the Club InterContinental at 30% off rack (HKD 800+ / AUD 120), but the club (where not included) is not worth it for me unless very close to the cost of a full breakfast & internet, as the company won't fund it. I was planning to be out both nights I was in residence anyway. Good quality included internet for IHG Elite. OK location, but not as good as the other IC HK at Tsim Sha Tsui.


Cheers.