InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - Is this poor customer service?

Does this person really exist? As an Ambassador/Six Continents member I have a complaint or a recommendation regarding the attitude of their customer service agents. It seems that common sense, service and customer loyalty are no longer important to IHC. I have left voice mails, sent e-mails and talked to employees in various departments and no one knows who he is or how to reach him. I would like for him to know why I am reluctantly dropping my membership. Can someone out there please help? Thank you

Did you call any of the corporate offices?
http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?pageid=215

Crowne Plaza Toulouse

I stayed here recently on a Pointsbreak, which was a good bargain. It is a nice hotel.

Unfortunately, their service was sorely lacking. I am still pondering if it was intentional cost cutting or just poor service.

At check in, the desk clerk announces that we do not get breakfast with our room. I wasn't expecting it, but I'm glad they told us. Our reservation says we get access to the lounge, but it wasn't offered and I didn't ask because I didn't care to have it. If we wanted breakfast, it was 23 Euros per person, same price for the children. As enticing as that offer sounded, I had to pass.

After a few minutes, I went back down to the desk to retrieve some papers I had left down there and was standing in line waiting while she was checking in another customer. She was announcing to his that "as a valued Priority Club member, you get breakfast with your roo..." and then she looked up and saw me and immediately dropped her volume to a whisper. With a Pointsbreak reservation, I don't expect anything more than what is standard and certainly not any extra perks. As far as I'm concerned, they have the right to give away what they want to whomever they want to. I was bothered by the whisper, though. I don't know if she was embarrassed by the apparently differing treatment of customers or just afraid I was going to raise a fuss. I'm just not sure why whispering was necessary.

The first morning we had the newspaper on the door. Never again after that. They replaced empty or nearly empty shampoo or gel bottles every other day.
I was wondering by this point if it was just poor service or part of a cost cutting measure.

When I asked about the use of the business center, I was a bit shocked by the terms of using the computer. 12 Euros an hour and a 3 hour minimum. 36 Euros to pay a couple of bills online in 20 minutes? That seems more like a ripoff than customer service.

Luckily, none of these things were a problem for me. There was a nice internet cafe down the street for 1.5 euros a half hour and lots of breakfast choices. We had no problems.

In the end, I was unsure what I thought of the property. Whereas the other places we have stayed on Pointsbreaks have used our stay as an opportunity to sell us on their hotels and have been highly successful, I can't say that for Crowne Plaza Toulouse like I wish I could.

They could learn something from HI Manhattan View Long Island City, HI Gare Du L'est, and HIE Madrid Getafe.

Crowne Plaza Toulouse

I was wondering by this point if it was just poor service or part of a cost cutting measure.

When I asked about the use of the business center, I was a bit shocked by the terms of using the computer. 12 Euros an hour and a 3 hour minimum. 36 Euros to pay a couple of bills online in 20 minutes? That seems more like a ripoff than customer service..

As for the internet situation, IC is seriously starting to piss me off with all the variation and gouging being done by their hotels. I've just booked a ten day stay in Antwerp, and the 20 Euro/day charge for internet at the HI Express and Crowne Plaza were so absurd, I've booked into a Ramada. And I noticed that almost all the 3*-4* hotels in Antwerp boasted "free internet" as part of their service package.

I even wrote to the Crowne Plaza manager to confirm this, and they said "sorry but that's our current contract".

And I cannot see anything in IcHot's comments which can be considered as a bad attitude from the staff or bad service.

I don't really see anything in the OP's post that I would personally call a 'poor customer service', but it depends on one's expectations, I guess.

As for the bottles of toiletries, if they were empty and not replaced, I'd have called the housekeeping for a replacement. It wouldn't have pleased me to have to do that, but omissions happen, and being a Crowne Plaza and not a luxury hotel, it wouldn't have bothered me much.

Did you have a club room booked on Point Breaks?

I ask as I have a club room booked on PB at Toulpuse CP for two weeks time and my reservation clearly states lounge and breakfast included and I do not really see how the hotel can refuse either breakfast or lounge if that is what is stated in my confirmation.

Thanks.

- What is your Priority Club status?
Platinum Ambassador
- Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Normally yes, but this trip was average
- Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked City View Club room, upgraded to Watsons Bay View.
- How are the rooms?
Tight with a baby in a cot, but for me when travelling they are more than fine - king bed, desk but no sitting room.
- How is the Club Lounge?
Normally quite good but pathetically slow service this trip. Many guests were commenting on how bad Saturday night drinks service was.
- What was good and what was bad?
Free bottle of wine took 2 nights to arrive. Service in the Club Lounge went from good to pathetic in 4 nights. 40 minutes to get a beer at one stage! Room staff are great - even tuck my daughters doll into the cot when they make the beds each day.
- Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Excellent location - Typical Sydney prices for this sort of hotel. Will return as it's convenient for my work and normally much better service in the Club Lounge than this trip (Not that I get lounge access that often).

Excellent location - Typical Sydney prices for this sort of hotel.

Have you posted this in the wrong thread (this is about the CP Toulouse) or were you just saying that the hotel was similarly priced to those you've experienced in Sydney?

def wrong thread. internet is so slow here in Sydney that I had 2 response windows up and during the wait I got them backwards.

I was going to say that I've had similar experiences in France in a variety of hotels both large chains and boutique and it's all part of the French way of doing things.

I've had the good, the bad and everything in-between traveling in France.

Perhaps the language barrier makes it all part of the experience - but when close to home I'm not as forgiving.

Have you posted this in the wrong thread (this is about the CP Toulouse) or were you just saying that the hotel was similarly priced to those you've experienced in Sydney?

My guess is that the answer is found in the following:
...Booked City View Club room, upgraded to Watsons Bay View...


In other words, it's Sydney being referred to (and NOT a PB stay either).

So my guess is that it is mis-posted here. Can't see the relevance to this thread! :eek:

Did you have a club room booked on Point Breaks?

I ask as I have a club room booked on PB at Toulpuse CP for two weeks time and my reservation clearly states lounge and breakfast included and I do not really see how the hotel can refuse either breakfast or lounge if that is what is stated in my confirmation.

Thanks.

Yes, I had a Club room booked. I received the room but neither benefit. I didn't know breakfast was included, but I knew I was supposed to have lounge access.

It didn't bother me whether I had it or not, but there seemed to be an edge to the attitude on their end about the whole thing, even though I didn't request it. Sometimes this is hard to convey in a post and the listing of small things does seem like a list of small things.

I'd have preferred that they contact me prior if they didn't want to offer a Club room rather than seemingly skimp here and there on simple service and assuming a defensive posture about breakfast.

One thing I didn't add was that we actually spent a 7th night there a week after the first stay. The attitude was different and the clerk called someone in the hotel during my check-in and kept referring to me by name. Unfortunately, my French is too poor to know what the call was about, but after she hung up she asked me if I had a laptop.

We're low key travelers on leisure. We just want to have a good time exploring interesting places and broadening the world for our kids. I understand hotels want to make money and cut costs. OTOH, I think they ought to remember they are in the hospitality business and if they aren't hospitable, they aren't doing their job. A Crowne Plaza should be able to handle people as well as some of the other places I mentioned that did a wonderful job. No need to create a sense of a second class customer.

Crowne Plaza Republique Paris was great. So were all the HI and HIE all over the UK, France and Spain. CP Toulouse left me scratching my head. I'm easy to impress, much less to satisfy. We were very happy with the Notre Brunch at McD's with free wi-fi for checking email and the internet cafe down the street. C'est la vie.

P.S. France is a great country to travel with children. The Foix area was full of fun and interesting places for the whole family at good prices, with a friendly attitude. The politeness, friendliness and helpful attitude exists in France in abundance.

As for the internet situation, IC is seriously starting to piss me off with all the variation and gouging being done by their hotels. I've just booked a ten day stay in Antwerp, and the 20 Euro/day charge for internet at the HI Express and Crowne Plaza were so absurd, I've booked into a Ramada. And I noticed that almost all the 3*-4* hotels in Antwerp boasted "free internet" as part of their service package.

I even wrote to the Crowne Plaza manager to confirm this, and they said "sorry but that's our current contract".

The problem is that you never know until you get there. Half of the hotel descriptions imply that internet service is one of their services rather than their revenue tools.

I was curious how many people paid 36 euros to CP for 3 hours on the computer.

I'm easy to impress, much less to satisfy.

We were very happy with the Notre Brunch at McD's. C'est la vie.

In a country like Toulouse well known for the quality of its gastronomy (and cheap prices compared to Paris), I do not doubt that you could have been impressed AND satisfied when having a brunch in the numerous cafés/brasseries/restaurants downtown

Jardin des thés
16, Place Saint Georges 31000 - Toulouse

L'Autre Salon de Thé
45, Rue des Tourneurs 31000 - Toulouse

Au coin de la rue
2, Rue Pargaminières 31000 - Toulouse

Bois et Charbon
64, Rue de la Colombette 31000 - Toulouse

Le Gallery
8, Rue Maury 31000 - Toulouse

Vert Caramel
45, Rue des Paradoux 31000 - Toulouse

Sorry about your bad experience. I recently completed a Pointbreaks stay at the Toulouse Crowne Plaza and had also booked a Club room. I was told the same thing about breakfast not being included, but when I pointed out that I had Club access they promptly apologized, mentioned that they were having problems with their computer system, and confirmed that indeed, lounge access provided me with free breakfast.

As the lounge is closed during week-ends and on Mondays, I was also given vouchers for breakfast in the restaurant and drinks at the bar.

I do agree with you that housekeeping is a bit lax, but the personnel I interacted with was perfectly pleasant. Internet was available in my room for 12 euros per day.

All in all, for 5000 points, I was very happy with my stay. My room was probably the shabbiest Club Room in the universe, but everything worked and you can't beat the location of this hotel.

Sorry about your bad experience. I recently completed a Pointbreaks stay at the Toulouse Crowne Plaza and had also booked a Club room. I was told the same thing about breakfast not being included, but when I pointed out that I had Club access they promptly apologized, mentioned that they were having problems with their computer system, and confirmed that indeed, lounge access provided me with free breakfast.

As the lounge is closed during week-ends and on Mondays, I was also given vouchers for breakfast in the restaurant and drinks at the bar.


It wasn't a bad experience and it is a bargain for 5000 points.

However, I distrust them. They knew very well we were in a Club room. They're just trying to discourage/eliminate activities which raised costs and didn't increase revenue. They probably would have buckled under confrontation or the threat of it, but it wasn't worth it to me. If you have to argue for customer service, it really isn't good service.

Hopefully they get their computer problems fixed or notice the print out of the reservation I presented them says CLUB ROOM and lists the benefits.

In a country like Toulouse well known for the quality of its gastronomy (and cheap prices compared to Paris), I do not doubt that you could have been impressed AND satisfied when having a brunch in the numerous cafés/brasseries/restaurants downtown

Jardin des thés
16, Place Saint Georges 31000 - Toulouse

L'Autre Salon de Thé
45, Rue des Tourneurs 31000 - Toulouse

Au coin de la rue
2, Rue Pargaminières 31000 - Toulouse

Bois et Charbon
64, Rue de la Colombette 31000 - Toulouse

Le Gallery
8, Rue Maury 31000 - Toulouse

Vert Caramel
45, Rue des Paradoux 31000 - Toulouse

The kids prefer Flunch and picnics. I'm happy using the savings to support historical and cultural sites in your country as well as many small food stands.

Yes, I had a Club room booked. I received the room but neither benefit. I didn't know breakfast was included, but I knew I was supposed to have lounge access.

Now I can see the problem.

If you booked a Club room and they told you breakfast wasn't included, when you could have had a breakfast in the club lounge, that's pretty poor communication. They should have said 'Breakfast isn't included in your room, but because you are in a Club room, you can have your breakfast in the Club Lounge' or something to that effect.

In any case, during my only stay ever in the CP Toulouse the breakfast in the lounge was absolutely not worth it. It had been raided before I got there by other guests and nobody ever showed up to refill the buffet. But I got into the lounge because of an upgrade so didn’t feel like complaining.
Better to go outside and get breakfast somewhere near the hotel I think...

Now I can see the problem.

If you booked a Club room and they told you breakfast wasn't included, when you could have had a breakfast in the club lounge, that's pretty poor communication. They should have said 'Breakfast isn't included in your room, but because you are in a Club room, you can have your breakfast in the Club Lounge' or something to that effect.

But that's not the problem at all. I didn't want breakfast there or to go to the lounge.

The best analogy I can give you is that I'd prefer the hotel staff not act like a lady clutching her purse tightly when a man enters the elevator and the lady turns out to be of dubious character herself.

One of my stays has been incorrectly marked as a non-qualifying stay. Over two weeks ago I filled in the online Points Discrepancy Form to highlight this. I've also emailed the Priority Club European email address (as I'm based in England) and upon receiving no response, the US email address (again, no response).

Whenever I've dealt with Starwood and Hilton in the past, they've responded within 24 hours. How is IHG's customer service so bad?? Does anyone have individual email address(es) for people at IHG who might actually be able to sort this out..?

Had the same problem a couple of weeks ago, they responded about three weeks after my first mail :td: They really have to improve this...

However, I think Ambassador Service is much faster.