GordonGordon

Want to book a room in Japan for a stay in February next year but shows no availability on the date I want. Is it a hassle to use the platinum benefits for getting a room? I've never done this in the past although i'm a frequent traveler. Who should I talk or email to directly to get guaranteed room availability? What's the success rate?

BlondeBomber

100% success -- you have to phone in -- use the number for Priority Club on your card. They arrange with hotel. You will pay a premium rack rate likely!

thecoldhandoftechnology

As I'm sure others will tell you, properties can exempt themselves from honoring this benefit during special events or periods of high occupancy. They do have to declare those events on Holidex, and in theory there are limits, though I am aware of at least one property that had declared a period of high occupancy for all of 2013. So if it happens to be a random busy period, you might get a room, if this is during some type of special event it is likely the property has exempted itself and they need not provide a room.

Best of luck.

Cheers

GordonGordon

Thanks for the feedbacks. Yes, I will email to the Ambassador desk to get a room since I'm not in a hurry. Btw, I have just realized that RA gets guaranteed room availability with 24hrs advance notice and IHGRC platinum member gets it with 72hrs advance notice. Let's see how long it is going to take to get me a room by sending a request by email.

sultanbinaber

I see you are RA - in case you want to book it should most likely work due to a recent change:

soitgoes

This is not new, but bear in mind the RA benefit applies only at ICs.

Thumper

I think you got excellent advice and insight. Barring a "Special Event" you will get a room, albeit at top dollar.

olouie

It works, but the pricing can be insane. Was looking for a room at an IC that was sold out. Pricing regularly runs $200-300 per night and hits $400-500 at peak times. They said they could get me a room at $900 and would "try" to get me a upgrade to something with a view/suite. Its a nice feature if you absolutely have to stay there and don't mind paying, but for the same price I could have stayed at much fancier local hotel in one of their suites. Sometimes the points are just not worth it.

BryanGriffin

I've attempted it three times.

I live in Indianapolis and tried to use it during Super Bowl week. Didn't work.

Used it in Manhattan at a HI and had good success, not an outrageous rate.

Attempted to use it in LA, was quoted an over the top (rack rate for special event weekend). It was just too much.

scubaccr

Sometimes hotel not really sold out, just enforcing multiple night bookings !
Can invoke over Xmas/New Year, when you want a single night and hotel IHG site online booking looks for minimum 3/5 night stay.

Really annoying as I'd already booked and wanted to extend stay in run up to new years even. I simply rang hotel's own reservations dept (usually only open 9-5pm after which one is transferred to global reservations). They manually booked me the room for the 1night I wanted.

YYBGrinder

I've used it a few times in the past with success, although as others state it's usually at an outrageous rate. I try to form a quasi-relationship with the management at most of the hotels I stay at now and in the event they're 'sold out', they'll usually find a way to accommodate means at a better rate than I get from calling into Priority Club. Staying in IHG rooms for 200+ days a year doesn't hurt I'm sure lol

GordonGordon

It finally took me 8 days and total 3 emails for Ambassador Services to get to contact with ANA Sapporo to get me a cheapest room (Suite room) on Saturday, 8 Feb 2014 for the room rate of 100,000 Yen(950USD)/night due to the Snow Festival in town. The room rate is about 10-16 times more expensive than usual. I've checked the room rate for the other Saturdays, it costs only 6,000Yen(57USD) per night on the Sat on 4 Jan, and the other Saturdays cost like 8,550(81USD)-16,500(158USD)Yen the most. I can bear the room rate if it is doubled or even trippled due to a special event in town, but what the hotel can offer is outrageous! Of course I rejected the offer without even to have a second thought.

What is the point to have 24 Hour Guaranteed Room Availability benefit when the hotel can only offer you the most expensive room which is 10-16 times more expensive than a usual standard room?! This so-called benefit is not a benefit at all!

Dave Noble

The suite is also 84m2 rather than 21m2 so comparing price of a standard room vs a suite isn't a fair comparison

The benefit is that you can get a room should you be prepared to pay for it

skibum7732

The one time I needed it I was unsuccessful. They CSR will call the hotel and if they are fully booked then they will tell you...sorry you are SOL. Its a joke of a benefit

NWIFlyer

I've only tried once - for something in Birmingham, UK. I explained to the agent that I'd like to stay either in the Indigo or the Staybridge, and asked if she could check both for availability. The Indigo quoted me a fairly ludicrous rate which I declined, at which point the agent then (and only then) told me she could not check the Staybridge because I had already made a request at another hotel for the date.

Not just a useless benefit, one bordering on the dishonest as well.