Offer to retain IHG diamond ambassador for 2024

[SYD]

Some fun facts on the buy “Diamond offer”.

Since these are “Elite Qualifying Points” and you were happy say buying enough to reach/retain at least Platinum, the max purchase of 60K points (or less if you already have some EQPs) would be US$800 v $200 for AMB - which comes with Platinum gratis but obviously not the 60K reward points but does come with a free night certificate.

Although, in the current 100% bonus buy reward points offer, you can buy 60K reward points for a further US$300…
Note: I did receive 15K bonus points renewing AMB by 01 Dec.

Buying the full 120K EQS is US$1,500. The same amount will buy you 300K reward points in the 100% bonus offer (but they won’t boost your status).

Oh well, Diamond was good while it lasted…

 

[Rick93]

No. Renewing alone, did not extend my Diamond Elite status.

I received the 'offer' of buying 110k points for $US1,375. to retain Diamond for 2024.

I too, will not be accepting that particular offer.
I Renewed Ambassador, as I needed a Weekend Voucher for NYE 2023.
I'll be staying at Sanctuary Cove IC on Sat 30th. Dec., and getting Sunday 31st. ( NYE ) for free !! ( Club Lounge access ), valued at $AU975.

Booked Club Access Marina-view room ... upgraded a month in advance to Queenslander Suite.

Well, there goes that !!
It seems, that Sanctuary Cove IC like to play 'give and take' ....
I was upgraded weeks ago to a Queenslander Suite, and I booked an airfare to stay with my daughter and finance.
They have the bedroom, and me in the lounge ....
Now, they have reclaimed that upgrade, and we are back into an ordinary base room ( I don't care what's out the window ... )
Of course, they claim my 'Ambassador upgrade' is an $8. upgrade to a 'marina view' from a 'garden view' or whatever ....

I ... am ... SPEWING !!!!!

 

[drron]

Same happened to me this year. Up until January this year I had a 100% upgrade rate to the Queenslander suite plus club access.

 

[Rick93]

I have stayed there several times, and always booked 'club' as an AMB.
I too had basically, every stay upgraded to Q'lander.

But on this occasion, when they 'changed' my booking back to 'basic' .... they even lost the name of my daughter, whom I listed as a secondary booking name ( for her benefit, to stay with fiance / boyfriend on NYE ).
Reception staff claimed, my name was only one attached to booking .... despite another staff member adding my daughter's name two months ago !!
what has happened to this place ? They were once known for their consistency, honesty, and professional ethics.
NOT anymore ....

 

[drron]

And they even had me down as a gold member even though mine was an AMB rate.
They really have dropped the ball.

 

[Rick93]

Arrhhh !!!
Success !!!

They caved in, when I pushed the concept of the QCAT to them.
I mentioned, the civil standard of 'balance of probabilities', and that they published the upgrade on my logged in page etc. etc.

Whilst sitting in the Club Lounge, the Duty Manager rolled up, with a new set of key cards ..... for a Queensland Suite !!
He offered an excuse, of a last minute cancellation ....

Anyway, I stood up, and shook his hand, as I exclaimed my thanks for a successful resolution.

Earlier, I stated, that the QCAT will be presented with a claim for one million IHG Reward Points as compensation for the failure to follow through with my published upgrade.

 

[eric2011]

This also happened to me at IC Sanc but i showed check in agent a screen shot showing the upgraded room and demanded it be honoured. Needless to say I got what was on the screenshot

 

[Rick93]

My advice exactly ...
As soon as any upgrade comes through ....
GET A SCREENSHOT !!

 

[drron]

My advice exactly ...
As soon as any upgrade comes through ....
GET A SCREENSHOT !!

I certainly will from now on.

 

[exceladdict]

My advice exactly ...
As soon as any upgrade comes through ....
GET A SCREENSHOT !!

It's really frustrating that they email you saying you've been upgraded but the emails dont say the exact room type.

 

[maia200]

Well...... I have just received an email with an offer to renew my Diamond Ambassador membership until 2024 for US$200 or 40,000 reward points . It is a targeted offer. I am surprised about it but I might take it up although I've only stayed 10nights this year it seems worth it. I was really expecting to lose it.

 

[exceladdict]

Well...... I have just received an email with an offer to renew my Diamond Ambassador membership until 2024 for US$200 or 40,000 reward points . It is a targeted offer. I am surprised about it but I might take it up although I've only stayed 10nights this year it seems worth it. I was really expecting to lose it.

Is it diamond ambassador or just ambassador? That's the standard ambassador renewal offer.

 

[maia200]

I think I jumped the gun. A bit disappointed now it doesn't state diamond but it does say platinum which is not diamond .....so no renewal from me.

 

[Lynda2475]

No Updated Diamond renewal offer for me, I didn't bother buying Ambassador before year end as it didnt extend Diamond (nor take up the expensive buy points offer).

My account says Diamond until 31 Dec 2023 even though that is in the past, hasn't dropped yet. Do I go back to zilch or is there a soft landing to Platinum?

 

[maia200]

No Updated Diamond renewal offer for me, I didn't bother buying Ambassador before year end as it didnt extend Diamond (nor take up the expensive buy points offer).

My account says Diamond until 31 Dec 2023 even though that is in the past, hasn't dropped yet. Do I go back to zilch or is there a soft landing to Platinum?

Should be a soft Landing to platinum.

 

[Rick93]

I just received my 'points' from NYE stay at Sanctuary Cove IC.
AMB weekend.
Got about 14,000.
So, they 'updated' my account.
STILL shows Diamond AMB, even though my expected expiry was 31st. December, 2023.
Plus, I might add ... that I picked up COVID whilst there !!!

 

[FishFood]

Watching with interest what will happen to all the diamonds, I am still diamond despite being nowhere close to re-qualifying. I have a couple of stays in Jan that would be nice to have diamond benefits for, so I wonder when they'll start processing all the downgrades.

 

[Rick93]

You would think, it's not 'that hard' to do ....
As I said, I know my account had been updated, with the addition of newly awarded points.

They 'could' have down-graded me at the same time ...

 

[oz_mark]

FWIW, last year the downgrades happened in early March.

 

[drron]

Although I only had 42 nights I easily requalified on points. I accidentally got a great timing bonus as well. If you stay 40 nights in a year you can get an award of lounge membership so added on a final 3 nights stay in Japan to get me over the 40 nights.
I checked out on 30/12 and the stay posted on 1/1/24. The T&Cs say you have the membership for the rest of the year it is claimed in plus the next 12 months.
So I have lounge membership from 1/1/24 until 31/12/25.
So just have to aim at 40 nights in 2025 and making sure the 40th night is late December so I will have had 4 years of lounge membership. A definite win win situation.