InterContinental Miramar Panama as an IHG Spire Ambassador
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Basic room with pts for 3 nights - Upgraded to an executive floor room with 2 beds on 20th floor facing the ocean. I didn't push for a suite but did ask about an upgrade and the clerk told me the room was on the exec floor with lounge access, high floor and facing the ocean. It seemed like they had prepared this room for me a while back as the welcome letter in my room had an older # of IHG points.
Got 1 bottle of water, some fruit, a cheap Panama pen as a welcome gift, and 2PM late checkout (not 4PM) and no mention of a free movie as I don't think they have pay movies at this hotel. (didn't even turn on the tv).
How are the rooms?
Room on the 20th floor was fine, spacious enough. No tub and a shower with half a glass partition but didn't cause any mess of water on the bathroom floor. My only sort of complaint is that the duvet/comforter is too warm, so that it's difficult to be comfortable, either you'd need to make the room freezing or if you kick off the comforters like I tend to do when it's warm then I get cold and wake up and have to put the comforters back on again. Only to kick it off when I get warm etc. etc.
How is the exec. lounge?
Only went for breakfast and the spread was fine, some variation in the 3 days (i.e. 2 days there was chicken, 1 day there was a beef dish, all days there were eggs etc). Can also go outside breakfast, evening happy hour times to get a coffee complimentary. My Ambassador letter mentioned that any guests would be charged $12 + 10% service charge but me + 1 guest weren't charged anything upon checkout.
What was good and what was bad?
Not the fault of the hotel but UberX pickup at the hotel was atrocious, they always go to the wrong side (the side of Ave Balboa not Cinta Costera where the lobby/valet pickup is) and then call me causing me expensive international phone charges. So 1 time I went to the wrong side and texted the driver to meet us there, then she went to the right side.
The car service from the hotel to anywhere in the city is very overpriced, what was a $2 ride back on UberX from a restaurant (Riesen, near the Hampton) was $7.37 using the hotel car. The hotel car to the airport was more reasonable at $35+ $2.xx tax = $37.xx. Still more than a $30 for a taxi.
Check in clerk was pretty friendly, the ckeckout clerk not so, no asking how was your stay etc., very down to business, not a huge deal.
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
I booked on a promo rate for 15k points a night, at that it's a good rate, for cash rates, it was around $150 when I booked. I would return but I'd want to check out other hotels first.