RA benefits when combining paid and reward nights
 

I have booked both paid and reward nights on multi night stays in an attempt to maximize my upgrade and benefits. For example, I will pay for an executive king room for the first two night and then book a few subsequent nights with points on the assumption that once I have an upgraded suite, they won't move me to a smaller room for the reward nights. I have never been asked to move to another room when I've tried this. In fact, in some cases, I have been offered Royal Ambassador Minibar benefits for the entire duration of my stay (the Willard Washington IC was very generous). I am curious what others have experienced as I'm sure I am not the first to come up with this idea.

Same at IC Fiji: two nights on BOGO and then five on points, all in Club Suite with plunge pool and with full RA benefits.

I was requested to move the room at IC Samui and once at IC Singapore

Move?!? :confused: I'm really surprised that they would do that to a RA.

The simplest and shortest answer is YMMV. Some hotels are nice, and some are not so nice.

in Singapore their treatment was absolutely fair, as I've booked a higher category for one night paid followed by three free nights. it was clear to me that I couldn't stay in the ambassador suite

at Samui the situation was different... booked the first two nights on bogo second cheapest category, followed by 3 nights on points and followed again by a paid night (second cheapest). I've moved during these six days twice the room. So, be prepared, when you are going to Samui

Samui isn't the only one! BKK and HKG are pretty chintzy in this regard too.

If the hotel is full and they need the upgraded room, I can understand it. But why move a high value customer if the room would otherwise be empty? Whats the marginal cost-in both cash and customer satisfaction- in having a customer stay in a larger room vs a smaller one?
It seems like bad business to make a customer move- especially a RA- if the room would otherwise be vacant.

totally agree with you. Concerning Singapore it was clear, also as they needed the room. Samui wasn't full, I also haven't appreciated that. In some aspects, they were anyway not that accomodating, but I wasn't in the mood to negotiate or argue with them.

I cite here the user Rambuster: Never argue with a fool, he will drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience.

I've had the same experience at the Willard twice combining paid and points stays within the past year (after they tightened up their award night benefits).

Also had good luck at De La Ville Roma where I booked one night in their Junior Suite w/ Terrace followed by six award nights. I was given the option at the front desk of upgrading to the Penthouse for one night and then their Classic room for the rest of the stay or remain in the junior suite for the entire stay. I took the latter and couldn't have been happier with full benefits throughout.

i have had both experiences also, but i expect that will be the case when i use points for a room. Cheapest room in the hotel normally expected for a reward night.

i still want an option for a nicer room, with more points... some place to use my points

I've said this time and time again, IHG just needs to suck up and offer same benefits on awards as paid stays, just like Hilton and other chains do.

And when they do, they'll get a lot more of my business.

True, but it must be repeated that *some* IHG hotels offer much more than Starwood and Hilton do on reward stays. Some offer free mini-bar, club, suite upgrades, etc. You just have to make sure you are going to one of those hotels for your leisure reward stays. ;)

Of course there shouldn't be any difference how they treat you at Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott ,Fairmont, or Starwood chain whether it is a paid or an award stay. At least I haven't noticed.

But this is IHG and it is their program. Most of the IC's do go above and beyond the minimum required by the program when it comes to award stays.