IHG Hotels that recognise status

[Beano]

IHG seem to be offering bonus nights to speed your way on to higher loyalty levels.. Has anyone benefited.

 

[bussyboy]

Nothing here, only on 6 qualifying nights thanks to woag bookings not counting, and 2 more nights booked this CY

 

[jakeseven7]

Anyone happen to know the latest Kimpton word, and is it working at the Margot?

 

[kerfuffle]

Anyone happen to know the latest Kimpton word, and is it working at the Margot?

Too early. They only do it around Summer/Winter. It does work at the Margot (the one time I tried it anyway)

 

[The-Aviator]

Hotel: Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders
When: October 2024
Status: Platinum Ambassador
Rate: $220/night for three nights (IHG Member Book Now, Pay Later rate)
Booked: 1 King Standard City View
Received: 1 King Premium (two-category upgrade, received an email the night before my stay)

Somewhat surprisingly this was my first time ever staying at an Indigo and I was pleasantly surprised! For those unfamiliar with this property, it's relatively new and is a rebranding and full refurbishment of the old Holiday Inn on Flinders.

Arrived just after 10pm, check-in was quick and efficient with one drink voucher provided as the welcome amenity. The receptionist proactively asked if I would need a late check-out and was able to confirm a 2pm departure straight away.

My King Premium room on the 6th floor was excellent with a huge almost floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Flinders Lane and Spencer Street. Everything in the room is very modern with a large TV, plush King bed, plenty of storage space, really good air-con, lots of power points, electronically controlled blinds, a decently sized table and lots of different seating options. TV only had free-to-air channels but did come with Chromecast functionality. A welcome card as well as bottles of still and sparkling water had been left in the room prior to arrival. The bathroom was surprising as not only did it have a double vanity, it also had a double shower! Certainly in the playful style one would expect from an Indigo

Some small disappointments with the room were the lack of a coffee machine, basic tea/coffee options with no hot chocolate, an empty minibar and the relatively small size of the towels. All things the hotel can address for minimal cost and bring it into line with what I would expect from a hotel that sits in IHG's luxury tier. Some other points to note were that the heated mirror was exceptionally hot (to the point you didn't want to stand too close to it!) and some minor cleanliness issues such as a small stain on one of the chairs.

The hotel restaurant and bar is Bistrot Bisou, a partnership with Luke Mangan that serves a French-influenced menu. The restaurant serves breakfast as well as having some all-day options available for both dine in or room service. I visited the bar to use my free drink voucher and was offered only house beer or wine, however a ramekin of chips was also included. The bar has a happy hour from 4-7pm although I'm not sure what's included in that.

Unlike other IHG properties in Melbourne, the Indigo doesn't have a pool. The gym is fairly small and in my view seemed to prioritise form over function, there was a small amount of equipment and they seemed to care more about how it looked rather than how useful it would be to a guest. One cool and unique feature is the photo booth in the lobby, which is free for guests to use and lets you print or email yourself some mementos of your stay. Would expect no less from a hotel which is inspired by one of Melbourne's most famous photographers Helmut Newton! There is also a lot of art in the lobby and dotted around the property which adds some colour and luxury to the experience.

The location is extremely convenient, it's a five minute walk to either Southern Cross Station or the Yarra River / Crown and there are multiple tram stops within the same radius. Having the main entrance on Flinders Lane is nice as it is a leafy, calm street to step out on and if you turn to the right there are lots of great places to eat such as The Hardware Société and Grain Store - I visited both for breakfast on separate days and can recommend both!

Last but not least the staff at the hotel were great, everyone was very friendly and welcoming.

Overall a solid option for visitors to Melbourne, I'd be happy to return.

 

[Lynda2475]

Indigo is my favourite of the IHG brands but unlike the many others I've stayed in the location of the Melbourne one is a a huge turn off to me so I favour the Voco when there.

Indigo and Voco reliably have a decent sized walk in shower, no shub nonsense. It's a shame that Intercontinental and Crown Plazas so often have shubs, given the price point it is nuts to me to not do separate bath/shower or if not room then just a nice walk in shower.

 

[NM]

Hotel: Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders
When: October 2024
Status: Platinum Ambassador
Rate: $220/night for three nights (IHG Member Book Now, Pay Later rate)
Booked: 1 King Standard City View
Received: 1 King Premium (two-category upgrade, received an email the night before my stay)

Overall a solid option for visitors to Melbourne, I'd be happy to return.

Thanks for your comprehensive review. I look forward to my stay there in a few weeks time.

 

[Beano]

Hotel: Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach
When: October 2024
Status: Platinum Elite
Rate: $367/night for one night. Full cancellation
Booked: 1 King Standard
Received: 1 King beach view ( received an email the night before my stay)

First time visit. Offered 2 x drink vouchers or points. Bottle of fizz and choc truffles in room.

Couldn't accept the fizz because of international HLO next day. Exchanged for a drink voucher.

The beach view was to the side but as the hotel is at one end of the beach I did have a nice view.
Nice restaurant with a beach view, if you are lucky, and wonderful breakfast (half avocados and Nuttella, not together). Nutella is getting rare in IHG hotels.
Expensive carpark at $50.00, but limited on-street parking.

The goodies are the best I've received. Crowne Plaza Surfers was a room upgrade to sea view but only one drink voucher offered and nothing else. Oh! two free bottles of water.

The place has a resort feel to it.

 

[SYD]

Hotel: Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach
When: October 2024
Status: Platinum Elite
Rate: $367/night for one night. Full cancellation
Booked: 1 King Standard
Received: 1 King beach view ( received an email the night before my stay)

First time visit. Offered 2 x drink vouchers or points. Bottle of fizz and choc truffles in room.

Couldn't accept the fizz because of international HLO next day. Exchanged for a drink voucher.

The beach view was to the side but as the hotel is at one end of the beach I did have a nice view.
Nice restaurant with a beach view, if you are lucky, and wonderful breakfast (half avocados and Nuttella, not together). Nutella is getting rare in IHG hotels.
Expensive carpark at $50.00, but limited on-street parking.

The goodies are the best I've received. Crowne Plaza Surfers was a room upgrade to sea view but only one drink voucher offered and nothing else. Oh! two free bottles of water.

The place has a resort feel to it.

Hopefully no tar balls in the rooms!

Did get the bus there? The 350 bus from T3 passes right by...

 

[Beano]

Hopefully no tar balls in the rooms!

Did get the bus there? The 350 bus from T3 passes right by...

But couldn't get on the beach as it was closed. Bondi too! Ha-ha!

 

[Gold Member]

Hopefully no tar balls in the rooms!

Don’t give them anymore ideas @SYD. They’ll add them to the list to justify a new Resort Tax.

 

[SYD]

Don’t give them anymore ideas @SYD. They’ll add them to the list to justify a new Resort Tax.

“We’re so beach front, look what the tide bought in….”.

Totally OT, I was in the 350 passing by the hotel the evening the tar balls arrived. Blissfully unaware of the sh$t going down just metres away.

 

[#flying]

Hotel: IC Grand Stanford Hong Kong
When: November 2024
Status: Platinum Elite Ambassador
Rate: $366/night. Confirmable suite upgrade applied to booking
Booked: Classic Room
Received: 1 King Classic Club Lounge Access Victoria Harbour View

I stayed at this hotel to use up a confirmable suite upgrade that was due to expire at the end of the year. Upon phoning IHG to apply the CSU to the booking, I was advised that no suites were available but that I could be upgraded to a club room. That was fine by me as I considered access to the club facilities to be just as valuable as a suite upgrade.

I attended the club lounge on my first night at the hotel which was rather disappointing. The club facility itself is not a private room but a mezzanine above the lobby which is shared with a restaurant that serves the breakfast buffet. The furniture and interior design were dated ('1990s luxury' would probably be the best way to describe it, similar to the Langham Melbourne) and it wasn't a particularly enjoyable space to relax. In addition, the champagne (which I didn't get the name of and may have been sparkling - although I did ask for champagne) was not properly chilled and the dumplings (one of the hot food options) were lukewarm and had clearly been sitting out for a while.

Things would take a turn for the worse the next day when I was denied access to the club lounge at breakfast on the basis that my booking was an upgrade and not eligible for club lounge access. This was odd as I had been the previous night and the IHG app clearly stated 'club lounge access'.

Ended up speaking to reception staff and someone who I presume was the duty manager who all confirmed that I was not able to access the club lounge, which really defeated the purpose of staying here in the first place and made it unclear what I was actually receiving for the confirmable suite upgrade, as the room itself was seemingly no different to a standard room aside from the Victoria Harbour view (which is the type of upgrade you would normally get as an Ambassador anyway). The duty manager said he would arrange for the CSU to be returned to my account, but this has not yet occurred.

The room itself was quite small and dated, but admiteddly did have a fantastic view. I also found the housekeeping at this hotel to be excellent so credit where it's due. Note that turndown service is 'on request', so you need to call up and ask for it which I haven't seen at an IC previously.

The breakfast was disappointing, with crowded tables, a fairly average offering and a broken toaster. The toaster issue was quite funny actually - the machine was a conveyor style and had not been set up properly which meant that rather than slide down the chute to the front, the bread would simply fall out the back of the machine. Guests who used the machine before me appeared bemused when the bread they had placed into the machine apparently disappeared into the ether, never to be seen again. I raised the issue with staff who took 5-10 minutes to fix the machine. This happened two days in a row!

90s vibes in the lobby:



The room and view:



This hotel uses Byredo Blanche amenities rather than the traditional Bal D'Afrique:

 

[kerfuffle]

Note that turndown service is 'on request', so you need to call up and ask for it which I haven't seen at an IC previously.

Sydney IC is by request. Adelaide is automatic (with complimentary FruChocs at times). Melbourne's is also automatic. Can't remember Perth's turndown service

 

[FishFood]

Sydney IC is by request. Adelaide is automatic (with complimentary FruChocs at times). Melbourne's is also automatic. Can't remember Perth's turndown service

Haven't got turndown at Perth so must be on request

 

[Beano]

I'm doing a run of Crowne Plazas; Canberra, Adelaide and Surfers. All have different approaches to rewards. So far Canberra was a drink voucher and snack, with an upgrade to a suite, Adelaide upgrade to higher floor and drink voucher. (PS. Adelaide has reception on level 10 of a 20 floor.)
Surfers will be a possible room upgrade and drink voucher, or points in all case. I usually have the lowest room type booked.

 

[ols]

I'm doing a run of Crowne Plazas; Canberra, Adelaide and Surfers. All have different approaches to rewards. So far Canberra was a drink voucher and snack, with an upgrade to a suite, Adelaide upgrade to higher floor and drink voucher. (PS. Adelaide has reception on level 10 of a 20 floor.)
Surfers will be a possible room upgrade and drink voucher, or points in all case. I usually have the lowest room type booked.

I seem to always ask for the drink vouchers and still get welcome points.

 

[Beano]

I seem to always ask for the drink vouchers and still get welcome points.

Me too. Enjoy! Already planning on using them in Madrid, but only Crowne Plaza at the airport so far. In Europe once invited to raid the fridge, but only two bottle of fruit juice and two cans of Coca cola and a couple of choc bars.