Instant IHG Diamond Status by Registration

[kamchatsky]

Nooooooooo ....... I was planning to renew my Ambassador on 1 December .....

IHG Platinum is useless so I cannot see renewing if I cannot keep Diamond.

 

[dairyfloss]

Looks like I have done the right thing switching most of my stays to IHG this year. Will reach 40 nights which will get me club access for 12 months and by buying the points when booking will reach 120000 base points so requalify diamond that way.
and have just been able to redeem my suite upgrade at the IC Tokyo Bay.

Do you mean buying the bonus points add-on packages like X,000 per night, or something else I'm missing here?

 

[oz_mark]

Do you mean buying the bonus points add-on packages like X,000 per night, or something else I'm missing here?

Generally, the bonus points add on packages are elite qualifying points.

 

[dairyfloss]

Generally, the bonus points add on packages are elite qualifying points.

Yes - I've done that before, but only to get to Spire, initially.......

 

[oz_mark]

Yes - I've done that before, but only to get to Spire, initially.......

It may have been how I got there in the first place as well. Mind you, back then it wasn't 120,000 you had to get to either!

 

[drron]

Do you mean buying the bonus points add-on packages like X,000 per night, or something else I'm missing here?

Yes that is what I have done. At the moment they are base points so count towards status whereas if you just buy points they are bonus points and don't count towards status.
Hope that remains the case.

 

[pauly7]

It seems that was the case up until a week ago.

Bummer if it has disappeared but I guess it was never published benefit… win some lose some.

 

[dairyfloss]

It may have been how I got there in the first place as well. Mind you, back then it wasn't 120,000 you had to get to either!

Yes - it used to be that Spire was 75 nights or 75,000 points. A big jump when it changed to Diamond and 120K points, but I guess they had to address the costs of actually adding in a tangible benefit or two, didn't they!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[SYD]

Nooooooooo ....... I was planning to renew my Ambassador on 1 December .....

IHG Platinum is useless so I cannot see renewing if I cannot keep Diamond.

Not totally useless. I’ve been treated very well as Platinum (even Gold). I must say, I’ve seen better upgrades as Diamond but not always.

 

[exceladdict]

Not totally useless. I’ve been treated very well as Platinum (even Gold). I must say, I’ve seen better upgrades as Diamond but not always.

Question is whether there's a soft landing from diamond to platinum - if so, then the ambassador benefits need to stand on their own in terms of value exchange for cost.

 

[Lynda2475]

Has this only stopped working for renewals? What about first time purchases?

 

[dairyfloss]

Has this only stopped working for renewals? What about first time purchases?

The bloggers have referenced both - I assume you now only renew Diamond after 70 nights or 120,000 points... just like it says on the tin

 

[Lynda2475]

I was going to join ambassador to keep diamond, I don't really rate IC as often over priced and very high chance of the dreaded shut.

I will monitor and see if anything changes otherwise I'm guessing better to drop and just wait for another challenge like last year where one could get Diamond with about 15 nights.

 

[oz_mark]

Question is whether there's a soft landing from diamond to platinum - if so, then the ambassador benefits need to stand on their own in terms of value exchange for cost.

Ambassador gives you platinum anyway. Without that, I believe it is a soft landing, but status can also be a bit sticky

 

[doctorstrangelove]

Sad times. Another 6 weeks or so and I could have benefited from this trick again. Still, I can't complain having obtained Diamond status via the registration link in this thread one year ago and then extending it by joining the Ambassador programme. I got some really great value out of it despite splurging that little bit more than I usually would on hotels. The highlights were staying at the Kimpton Fitzroy in London twice (although only getting complimentary upgrade once sadly) and my upgrade to a Presidential Suite at the Intercontinental Amman. I think I will still renew my Ambassador membership for next year and see if I feel Platinum is still worth it as someone who usually only spends 15-20 nights per year staying in hotels.

I've used my free weekend night at the Intercontinental Singapore next year for a weekend when Taylor Swift is in town, which as you can all imagine has bumped up the prices on hotel rooms. While I'm partial to one or two of her hits I'm no Swiftie and am in town for other reasons.


Does anyone know if I'll still be entitled to free breakfast i.e. is your welcome amenity based on your status at the time of booking the hotel, or your status at check-in?

 

[drron]

I did very well as a platinum Ambassador. That was my status when using the first 3 free weekend night benefit. On each occasion was give a suite and club access. I have used it twice as diamond. one with the same outcome and once only the standard 1 class upgrade and used the diamond breakfast benefit.
A few other suite upgrades as platinum at other IHG properties. Plus sometimes told my rate included breakfast when I definitely hadn't booked an included breakfast rate.

 

[Lynda2475]

Plus sometimes told my rate included breakfast when I definitely hadn't booked an included breakfast rate

As a diamond without Ambassador I found this to be the case on every recent stay in UK and EU, but not in AU or US.

 

[dairyfloss]

Does anyone know if I'll still be entitled to free breakfast i.e. is your welcome amenity based on your status at the time of booking the hotel, or your status at check-in?

Any benefits are based on the status at the time of check-in, so unless you have already booked a room with IC Club access, or breakfast included, then you should expect not to have it included... but of course, they might well treat you!

If your heart is set on eating breakfast at the property, It could be worth looking at the 'upgrade' options that are sometimes offered on the booking or ahead of the stay. These will sometimes include breakfast as an add-on at a reduced rate to that you would pay on the day, but not always the case. You'll also get your USD$20 F&B credit if you remain an ambassador, as well.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Ktan89]

I did very well as a platinum Ambassador. That was my status when using the first 3 free weekend night benefit. On each occasion was give a suite and club access. I have used it twice as diamond. one with the same outcome and once only the standard 1 class upgrade and used the diamond breakfast benefit.
A few other suite upgrades as platinum at other IHG properties. Plus sometimes told my rate included breakfast when I definitely hadn't booked an included breakfast rate.

Tell me do you reach out to the property before hand or anything?

 

[Ktan89]

Im an royal Ambassador this year and haven't gotten a suite upgrade. Only 1 or 0 class upgrades...
Sometimes zero welcome drinks and amenities too..
Properties that come to mind: IC Dubai Marina and IC Fiji