InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - IC RA Reward Nights

Having amassed over 600k Priority Reward points, I've been looking forward to planning a holiday to Singapore, Sydney and Fiji which conveniently all have IC properties. Naively, I just assumed that I would get my regular RA benefits on reward stays similar to what I have experienced with Marriott and Hilton in the past. Having researched this, I was pretty shocked to see that all I will be given is a basic room, and nothing extra! Its a pretty lousy way for IC to treat the loyalty of its top customers. I emailed the ambassador contact centre and they responded with the usual fluff of we will pass this on the corporate etc etc but then they also wrote:

' When staying on Reward Nights, all Ambassador and Royal Ambassador privileges apply with the exception of upgrades, free Pay TV film per stay, 24 hour guaranteed room availability, 8:00am early check-in and complimentary mini bar beverages. '

What does that actually leave? A 4pm check out?! The response made me laugh! Still, its a very unfair process, and I for one will be moving my business to other chains where they will treat my loyalty with more respect.

I always get a kick out of their disclaimer as well.

All RA benefits will apply except everything of value. :confused:

I always get a kick out of their disclaimer as well.

All RA benefits will apply except everything of value. :confused:

Exactly. It would be much better for them if they just said no benefits apply!

wow, they also took away the free movie. But hey, you still get a newspaper :rolleyes:

I guess they still have the disclaimer since it's the descretion of the hotel. If the hotel is at 95% or eligible to receive full value for room from Coporate, then I can see them honoring benefits...

Fine print or not, most hotels will honor RA benefits on a points stay. The room is often a suite or a view. The Internet and minibar are often free. Early check in and check out are often honored. InterContinental reward stays for w/ RA status requires a bit of extra flexibility. The hotels will often state the RA benefits associated with a reward stay at check in. Better not to expect club access at London Park Lane or the panoramic view at Times Squre; but otherwise...

Maybe we should have the list of places that he should not stay at using points
the hotels that honor the "Dont give them anything" list.
like the IC Rome( one class upgrade and nothing else)
IC Sydney( you get a city back of hotel view and nothing else)
feel free to add your worst hotels.

With IC Singapore. You will get nothing at all : ). An empty minibar and an old worn out room. But you will save a lot of $$$ since the cheapest room there is about $300/night.

With IC Singapore. You will get nothing at all : ). An empty minibar and an old worn out room. But you will save a lot of $$$ since the cheapest room there is about $300/night.

Gosh! you were unlucky!

Though you're certainly right about the upward movement of hotel prices in SIN-city

IC group are totally confused about this programme.

They reward all of their customers loyalty with free nights and then penalise their very best customers by withdrawing their normal benefits for those free nights. So in a quirky sense of logic ..... their RA's get less of their normally expected benefits than their less valuable customers on their free nights if you get my argument. Their ordinary customers get their normal experience, their best customers get less of their normal experience. Is this a sensible approach to the way you should treat the customers you are most desperate to retain? If you were clever wouldn't you be going in the opposite direction with RA free nights and make them truly memorable by way of a "thankyou" and incentive rather than nickle and diming and demostrating pathetic meanness of spirit? What could be a more valuable incentive to their very best customers to stay loyal than providing the RA experience+ on all of their free night stays?

Anyway I'm not an RA anymore ...... :)

IC group are totally confused about this programme.

They reward all of their customers loyalty with free nights and then penalise their very best customers by withdrawing their normal benefits for those free nights. So in a quirky sense of logic ..... their RA's get less of their normally expected benefits than their less valuable customers on their free nights if you get my argument. Is this a sensible approach to the way you should treat the customers you are desperate to retain?

What could be a more valuable incentive to their very best customers to stay loyal than providing the RA experience on all of their free night stays?

Anyway I'm not an RA anymore ...... :)

Exactly why it is no not worth it any longer to chase RA for me. I had it for years, but honestly on biz trips I usually have breakfast & internet included in the corp rates and don't spend so much time at the properties so the suite or Club isn't the real clincher to me and even AMB gets me a slightly better room which is all I need.

However, when one goes on leave and uses his/her PC points for a nice trip an RA often gets nothing other than 4PM checkout, fruit & mineral water and a newspaper (which AMB also get). So what is the point? When the benefits really would make for a great experience they are officially withdrawn (though some IC properties are noticeable exceptions). Go figure. :rolleyes:

I think we all reached the same conclusion and moved on. The great minds at ICH may find it useful to go back and retake a marketing 101 course assuming they ever did. Really enjoying SPG right now - thanks ICH!

Looks like I will be joining you, I'm not going to chase RA again. Their approach just defies logic

The daft thing is a few years ago they went to the trouble of asking many of us (many or most of us were RAs) to help them by joining a special forum to provide feedback. I don't think they really benefited.

If they don't understand that to many RAs their leisure stays are much more important and precious to them than their business stays - then they neither understand their customers or human nature.

If they got it into their heads that making a real fuss of their RAs on their leisure stays would cost little incrementally but have a disproportionate effect on loyalty as they would genuinely see the sometimes horrible number of work nights at ICs as being worthwhile for the great welcome they get on their downtime.

I had a very good run at RA and managed to help around 20 people experience it by giving away certs ... and indeed I had two years where FT'ers gave me one which I was really greatful for. Now - the only real benefit seems to be the mini-bar. But as we always have club suites and travel on leisure when we eat and drink out .... and we have great relationships with the properties we go to - RA seems so limited in value.

But what do we - the customers- know of such things!:)

Besides the fruit and newspaper, don't forget these benefits:

"earn points, instant check out..." :p

Yes, this was what I was told by the front desk...

Fine print or not, most hotels will honor RA benefits on a points stay. The room is often a suite or a view. The Internet and minibar are often free. Early check in and check out are often honored. InterContinental reward stays for w/ RA status requires a bit of extra flexibility. The hotels will often state the RA benefits associated with a reward stay at check in. Better not to expect club access at London Park Lane or the panoramic view at Times Squre; but otherwise...

Absolutely true. I don't see a point of contacting the hotel in advance and inquire about the benefits if on a points stay. Most likely the person replying to inquiries goes by the official line.

I have been positively surprised few times this year.

I only use my points for emergency or pointbreak

Absolutely true. I don't see a point of contacting the hotel in advance and inquire about the benefits if on a points stay. Most likely the person replying to inquiries goes by the official line.

I have been positively surprised few times this year.

For the couple who travels 2-3 times a year for non-business reasons, you have to plan for everything. I can't leave it to chance that the front desk person might honor elite benefits, especially when the other major chains (Hilton, SPG, and Hyatt) will guarantee those same elite benefits on an award stay.

I think Sydney is a good example...I had to choose from the Westin, Hilton, IC, or PH. To be honest, b/c of the poor elite benefits reported both officially and anecdotally, IC Sydney was our 4th choice.

That is the point of contacting a hotel in advance.

For the couple who travels 2-3 times a year for non-business reasons, you have to plan for everything. I can't leave it to chance that the front desk person might honor elite benefits, especially when the other major chains (Hilton, SPG, and Hyatt) will guarantee those same elite benefits on an award stay.

I think Sydney is a good example...I had to choose from the Westin, Hilton, IC, or PH. To be honest, b/c of the poor elite benefits reported both officially and anecdotally, IC Sydney was our 4th choice.

That is the point of contacting a hotel in advance.

Different approaches works for different people in different situations ... and whilst if you are traveling by yourself on business weekly it makes less sense for advanced contact ..... it is perfectly good sense to contact the property as you do in advance if you do not want to leave things purely to chance. This is even more true if you are traveling with a person you like to "spoil" and suprise!

The reason why this approach can only be helpful was summed up by the IST GM a few years back when we were upgraded way above our expectations having had some advance contact with him about the arrangements. I asked the GM why we'd done so well and his reply with a smile was "the squeeky wheel gets the oil ........." Hotels often genuinely like to respond if you are making an effort to make a stay special and will regularly make a note of your advanced contact. There's no downside. There's only potential upside. And once your profile buiilds a picture over time about you your stays will get even better. The other thing is always to send a thankyou note to the GM mentioning staff who were particularly helpful. Some people I'm sure also never think this important either .........

It's great news for you that others don't contact the hotel in advance and think it a waste of time ...... it wouldn't help your contact if they all did it ..........;)

Next time you go to Sydney look at the Quay Grand right on Circular Quay and forget about your status with any other chain .......

I'm just back from a work-related paid stay of two nights + a couple of weekend redemption nights at a relativley new IC. The paid part was sweetness and light, but when it came to the swtich they graciously allowed me to keep my club room but ripped away the club access: no doubt other, un-tested, benefits also disappeared with the downgrade.

It's quite unsettling to shift seamlessly from being treated as a valued guest, to being down-graded mid-stay.

If they don't understand that to many RAs their leisure stays are much more important and precious to them than their business stays - then they neither understand their customers or human nature.


They just don't get it. They've been told over and over at events in Park Lane and everywhere. Their properties may complain about the extra incidental cost for lounge access but I am sure they would be happy to oblige if they sent more cash in their direction for each reward night.

As far as I'm concerned, it's their program and they can do what they want, just as we can decide whether we participate in it or do business with IHG.

My problem is this. The whole concept of "All your RA benefits will apply except" and then individually listing virtually all of the benefits is very poor wording at best and misleading and insulting at worst.

In my eyes it would be the same as me saying "I agree to pay my entire hotel bill except the room, bar bill, parking, room service, internet, pay per view movies...."

If they were honest and open wouldn't it be better to say "On reward nights RAs will receive the following benefits: Fruit, mineral water and newspaper. Individual properties may extend further benefits at their sole discretion."?

If they feel their policy is fair and just, they should state it in plain terms. If they feel the need to disguise it with semantic games this is probably an indication that they know it is wrong.

If they were honest and open wouldn't it be better to say "On reward nights RAs will receive the following benefits: Fruit, mineral water and newspaper. Individual properties may extend further benefits at their sole discretion."?

If they feel their policy is fair and just, they should state it in plain terms. If they feel the need to disguise it with semantic games this is probably an indication that they know it is wrong.

I don't see how it is an indication of anything; I prefer the terms this way round since it specifically lists the exceptions; any other benefits introduced for Ambassador/Royal Ambassador members would still apply rather than being excluded; e.g. free internet for Royal Ambassador members

I think most people want to know what's in the box rather than what isn't.

I think most people want to know what's in the box rather than what isn't.

They do ( assuming that they can read ) . Terms 9 and 10 detail the benefits for Ambassadors and Royal Ambassadors as well as listing the exceptions

There is a list of benefits and then a list of exclusions for awards

This is better than specifically listing what is included for award stays ; e.g. internet access which is now a benefit would have had to have been specifically included , however since it is a list of exceptions, internet access should be available since it hasn't been excluded

OP, this is a VERY interesting topic. Why?

Because regardless of what you posted or what any other RA has heard from the AMB center, IC's seem to enforce this to varying degrees. Result, some very happy people, some very annoyed people, and threads about which hotels respect RA benefits on award stays.

In my mind, I've shown hotels evidence of what the Amb service center says til I've been blue in the face. Result, very frustrated me with a non-happy stay and then I have to complain post stay to get any sort of comp.

What IHG needs to do is make benefits irrespective of award or paid stay for RA's (like Hilton). This would strengthen their program in a huge way.

[QUOTE=
What IHG needs to do is make benefits irrespective of award or paid stay for RA's (like Hilton). This would strengthen their program in a huge way.[/QUOTE]

I think we are all agreed on this

With IC Singapore. You will get nothing at all : ). An empty minibar and an old worn out room. But you will save a lot of $$$ since the cheapest room there is about $300/night.


Singapore IC will permit you to chose a suite upgrade or access to the lounge. If you want lounge access, contact hotel in advance of stay. Otherwise, they will default to the upgrade and not advise you that you have this option.

Singapore IC will permit you to chose a suite upgrade or access to the lounge. If you want lounge access, contact hotel in advance of stay. Otherwise, they will default to the upgrade and not advise you that you have this option.

Certain IC's try to make Reward stays as painful as possible, so people use them for Paid stays only. IC Sing is one and IC ANA Tokyo is another. I would boycott them, but in case of Sing there is but one. :td:

Certain IC's try to make Reward stays as painful as possible, so people use them for Paid stays only. IC Sing is one and IC ANA Tokyo is another. I would boycott them, but in case of Sing there is but one. :td:

As has been mentioned before, this is a very common policy in Asia, where you get exactly what you pay for (ie nothing in this case).

As has been mentioned before, this is a very common policy in Asia, where you get exactly what you pay for (ie nothing in this case).

Thanks BH. If points were gifted and not earned it sure would be a good way to look at it.
there are exceptions even in Asia, IC HK and IC Tokyo Bay both honors all RA except double upgrade.

If you have stayed in Sing before, contact Tash and let her know you are coming..... I think the treat RA's and general Ambassadors well.... I will be back again this week, club going to ambassador suite in advance. Anyway, if you have a prior relatshionship, it will go a long way.

Anyway, if you have a prior relatshionship, it will go a long way.

True in all things in life. :)