InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - Would you spend more at IC hotels if you got a better Elite (RA or A) upgrade?

I just wondered how other FT members felt about this, so thought a quick poll would be interesting:

When staying at an IC property as an Elite status guest (Royal Ambassador or Ambassador) are you likely to give more revenue to the property if you are given a better upgrade?

Personally, I always spend more on F&B if I feel the hotel has gone beyond what is required by "the book", and I just wondered if others did the same? I like to give my money to hotels that recognise my brand-loyalty; If I am given good recognition then I am far more likely to have breakfast each day, pay for room service, book dinners, etc etc. Looking back, the difference on my past spends is quite dramatic between the "gives" and the "give-nots" ! :D

If you make sure that the first word of your reply is either Yes or No, then I'll update the results here as best I can! I'll start it off with my vote.

YES - 12
NO - 5

I just wondered how other FT members felt about this, so thought a quick poll would be interesting:

When staying at an IC property as an Elite status guest (Royal Ambassador or Ambassador) are you likely to give more revenue to the property if you are given a better upgrade?

Personally, I always spend more on F&B if I feel the hotel has gone beyond what is required by "the book", and I just wondered if others did the same? I like to give my money to hotels that recognise my brand-loyalty; If I am given good recognition then I am far more likely to have breakfast each day, pay for room service, book dinners, etc etc. Looking back, the difference on my past spends is quite dramatic between the "gives" and the "give-nots" ! :D

If you make sure that the first word of your reply is either Yes or No, then I'll update the results here as best I can! I'll start it off with my vote.

YES - 1
NO - 0

No, but it does have an impact on my future bookings.

I also have HH Diamond which guarantees me an upgrade, free Internet and Lounge access.

Only if the IC location is better or I need a guaranteed early check in they get my business as my upgrade and service track records is average at IC.

Globalist

If an IC provides bad service, tries to pull a quick one or even does unethical things - curtailing the minibar comes to my mind - I will not spend a penny at the hotel.
If everything is alright, it sometimes happens our F&B bill is higher than the room charges at check-out. :p But I do not spend more just because I got an extraordinarily good treatment.

I hardly ever spend anything beyond room charge in hotels. Giving good upgrades will "only" make it likely that I come back. Maybe not all hotels want me to come back, however ;)

HTB.

On a broadly similar vein...

As crew, I obviously stay in hotels... Lots of hotels... And we are lucky to stay in some IC properties too. Obviously, my status with IC does not apply... However, my general feeling on this particular subject, upgrades aside...

When a hotel in general, treats us well, I will spend my money there. One example being a HI property in a German city who really treat us well. I used to spend in the bar and the restaurant when I could.

When a hotel treats us like crap, despises the fact that they have lowly airline crew occupying their rooms, but yet still want the occupancy of an airline contract all year round, when they detest providing us with the most basic of amenities to which they have signed the contract to provide, then I will take my money elsewhere. A prime example being our old crew hotel in Milan, the supermarket and restaurants in the adjoining streets used to do very well out of the BA crew.

That tends to be my motto when it comes to both work and personal stays.

I would say that, when a hotel makes me feel good (smiling service, real willing to make guests happy), I tend to spend more (restaurant, limousine) on leisure stays. Same story for tips of course.

Upgrade is not the only factor (and generally has a counter effect: as Royal Ambassador, if I have not a nice upgrade, I will not spend a penny at the hotel, and come back only if I have to).

I would say that, when a hotel makes me feel good (smiling service, real willing to make guests happy), I tend to spend more (restaurant, limousine) on leisure stays. Same story for tips of course.

Upgrade is not the only factor (and generally has a counter effect: as Royal Ambassador, if I have not a nice upgrade, I will not spend a penny at the hotel, and come back only if I have to).

Thanks nicolas75 - I know exactly where you are coming from! On the basis that you won't spend a penny if the RA upgrade is bad, then I will put you down as a "Yes" if that's ok. Let me know if not and I'll adjust accordingly. :)

I'd say that the quality of the service, location of the property, and overall rate are what dictate where I stay. With that said, I do consider upgrade possibilities when choosing between an Intercontinental and a Marriott. For example I'd take the JW Marriott Live any day over the Intercontinental Century City because the IC Century City is very stingy with their upgrades and comes up with excuses on why upgrades are not available.

To be honest I'd value some consistency in the policy. As a Marriott Platinum Member I generally know the upgrade and benefits to expect. I'll get the best room in the next class or two available and lounge access. As a Royal Ambassador the upgrades vary widely. Yes there are guidelines, however a lot is left in the hands of the individual properties. If the consistency is there I would stay there more and consequently spend more there as well.

Edit: With the upgrade... if it is nicer I am more likely to want to spend more time in the room and maybe order Room Service or use the in-house F&B facilities. If I feel the upgrade was really nice (say I paid for a $200 room and received a $1,200 room) then I'd feel like spending more as I'd still be getting a very good deal on the "value" of the upgraded room vs. price paid.

Yes and many times I have stayed at the same locations when on vacation.

No.

My spend at the hotel is not influenced by whether they honour all of the RA benefits.

mxm135 :)

Yes.

If a hotel cares for me, I care for them.

Yes, where I feel I am being treated well it is likey to influance my choice on whether to eat at the hotel resturant and/or use room service or have a drink in the bar etc.

Some answers really surprise me. People are not just punishing but also rewarding a profit-maximizing organization. It doesn't make much sense. Why would one do that? Does it have to do with trying to compensate for the treatment beyond your expectation (or what you actually deserve)? Do you hope to get an even better treatment next time? May I ask why do you spend more when you get a great upgrade?

Interesting marketing psychology... and any insight appreciated ;)

For example, the IC Bali always made me feel so welcome that on numerous stays I seldom left the place.

Others, recently at the IC KL - the F+B prices at certain of the restaurants were totally unrealistic for Malaysia, even for KL and for a 5* hotel - so we walked to KLCC and ate at 789 at The Ascott.

Generally - no.

Other factors are more dependant than if I were to get a better upgrade. This applies also to business as well as leisure stays.

Some answers really surprise me. People are not just punishing but also rewarding a profit-maximizing organization. It doesn't make much sense. Why would one do that? Does it have to do with trying to compensate for the treatment beyond your expectation (or what you actually deserve)? Do you hope to get an even better treatment next time? May I ask why do you spend more when you get a great upgrade?

Interesting marketing psychology... and any insight appreciated ;)

This is exactly why I thought it would be interesting to take a poll from other frequent travellers. I come from a sales and marketing background, and I find the emotional aspects involved in our purchasing/spend decisions quite fascinating.

From a sales and marketing point of view I actually think it makes perfect sense; at a very basic level, humans like to be treated nicely and have their custom recognised, acknowledged, and rewarded. If I am treated well as a customer and given a very good upgrade at a hotel, then my emotional response is that I instinctively want to give something back to recognize that positive decision, and reward this behaviour. After all, someone at the hotel has made a decision to do this for me (and maybe others of similar status too). Importantly, I don't view this as a decision that has been made by a "profit-maximising organization", but rather a human one that has been made by the GM or by reservations management somewhere down the line, as it has gone beyond the usual standard of what is demanded by the terms and conditions.

Conversely, if a hotel treats me poorly (bad/no status upgrade and/or bad treatment) then I will take a completely reverse emotional view and penalise them by restricting my spend and maybe never returning. At these times I consider that the GM, or management, have taken an active decision NOT to reward me.

The middle ground here is obviously hotels that "go by the book" on the terms and conditions. I DO consider that I am dealing with a "profit-maximising organization" at these properties, but that's fair enough. Could be better, could be worse, but I tend to make less emotional decisions in this scenario. They certainly could get more spend from me with a little effort!

So by my own admission, I WILL spend more at a hotel if I am given a great elite-status loyalty upgrade; it's not to do with expecting better treatment next time, purely that I am happy to give something back for my current treatment, and invest again in the future in the hope of more of the same.

Please keep the answers rolling in! ^ YES or NO as the first word really helps - otherwise it's down to my intepretation of what you mean.

Yes.
For the simple reason, if I feel good at my room, I will order good food and drinks from the room-service and do not go out to much into the city to hunt for food.

Yes. If treated better we tend to spend more in hotel and are more likely to return.

One hotel I go to often (not IHG) nearly always upgrades me to a suite (from standard room). I keep going back and I often buy room service breakfast or go to the restaurant. A different hotel (IC Park Lane) left a bad taste in my mouth after a couple of stays where they gave the absolute minimum - 1) booked on Virtuoso and told the Virtuoso upgrade was to a deluxe room, and RA upgrade to exec (when RA upgrade from standard room is to exec), 2) booked exec room, received studio suite (1 level upgrade), 3) requested one of 9 particular rooms a year in advance and told it wasn't possible to request a room. Now, I wouldn't go back unless the rate was much cheaper or staying on points (these stays we didn't pay for any extras, but did obliterate the minibar).

Some answers really surprise me... May I ask why do you spend more when you get a great upgrade?

That has been researched many times. Same reason why you tend to buy more if you're offered a coffee, tried the sausage at the butcher etc. People feel in debt and try to compensate.

HTB.

That has been researched many times. Same reason why you tend to buy more if you're offered a coffee, tried the sausage at the butcher etc. People feel in debt and try to compensate.

HTB.

That's what I was getting at. After you have got more than you deserve you feel bad about it and try to make up for it. At the butcher and at Starbucks, it's a direct interrelation and I follow that theory. At a 'faceless profit-maximizing organization' it's oblique I have a problem to follow, though.

How about most hotels are independently owned and\or operated?

Yes.

If a hotel cares for me, I care for them.

This

If youre are felling good and get upgrades so I will be paying more for some extras like restaurant eg.