Platinum Elite benefits apply when booked through third party?
May 26, 2015, 3:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 875
Platinum Elite benefits apply when booked through third party?
Hello,
I have some expiring credit at HotelTonight that I am thinking of using to book for a stay at a HIX. Will I be able to use my Platinum Elite status when I check in? It will be nice to have room upgrade and extended checkout. Will I also get additional points for things I charged to the room? (Parking fee, drinks at the bar etc)
Thank you.
I have some expiring credit at HotelTonight that I am thinking of using to book for a stay at a HIX. Will I be able to use my Platinum Elite status when I check in? It will be nice to have room upgrade and extended checkout. Will I also get additional points for things I charged to the room? (Parking fee, drinks at the bar etc)
Thank you.
May 26, 2015, 4:04 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: IHG Spire Ambassador, Club Carlson Gold, HHonors Gold, Best Western Diamond Select, BA Blue
Posts: 1,335
If the booking is in your name then you should get the benefits of Platinum Elite. Room upgrade may not happen as I've found it's entirely down to the hotel (although I have been very, very lucky over the last couple of years with room upgrades).
I would call up the HIX in question after the booking is made and quote your IHG membership number to them so that they can link the booking to your IHG account - that is, if you cannot do so at the time of making the booking.
And, yes, your tier bonus points will be applied to the final bill.
I would call up the HIX in question after the booking is made and quote your IHG membership number to them so that they can link the booking to your IHG account - that is, if you cannot do so at the time of making the booking.
And, yes, your tier bonus points will be applied to the final bill.
May 26, 2015, 8:59 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,531
Most likely you will NOT get regular points but YMMV. There are many threads on this such as this one.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...rty-sites.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...rty-sites.html
May 26, 2015, 9:06 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: IHG Spire Ambassador, Club Carlson Gold, HHonors Gold, Best Western Diamond Select, BA Blue
Posts: 1,335
Most likely you will NOT get regular points but YMMV. There are many threads on this such as this one.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...rty-sites.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...rty-sites.html
All of my business bookings for IHG properties are through my corporate travel agent (which is a third-party site). I've never had an issue with getting points or my tier status recognised. I always make sure that my IHG membership number is linked to the booking.
All of the bookings via the third-party corporate travel site show up in my IHG profile when I log in to the IHG site.
I've never booked a paid-for IHG property directly on the IHG site.
May 26, 2015, 9:41 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
Hotel Tonight is be classed as an OTA similar to Expedia/Lastminute etc and is openly available.
You corporate website isn't openly available to the public and will earn.
Thankfully I just get a budget for the year for hotac and can do what I want with it as long as I don't overspend and file the receipts. That is how I normally end up in a Premier Inn in February or end up doing 4,000 miles in the last quarter! #needtolearntobudget
You corporate website isn't openly available to the public and will earn.
Thankfully I just get a budget for the year for hotac and can do what I want with it as long as I don't overspend and file the receipts. That is how I normally end up in a Premier Inn in February or end up doing 4,000 miles in the last quarter! #needtolearntobudget
May 27, 2015, 12:01 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
Interesting.
All of my business bookings for IHG properties are through my corporate travel agent (which is a third-party site). I've never had an issue with getting points or my tier status recognised. I always make sure that my IHG membership number is linked to the booking.
All of the bookings via the third-party corporate travel site show up in my IHG profile when I log in to the IHG site.
I've never booked a paid-for IHG property directly on the IHG site.
All of my business bookings for IHG properties are through my corporate travel agent (which is a third-party site). I've never had an issue with getting points or my tier status recognised. I always make sure that my IHG membership number is linked to the booking.
All of the bookings via the third-party corporate travel site show up in my IHG profile when I log in to the IHG site.
I've never booked a paid-for IHG property directly on the IHG site.
As such they are generally qualifying rate stays, and usual bennies such as upgrade accrue and most , uselessly these days, say internet access is included! The odd corporate company shaves a few GBP/USD off corporate nightly rate by agreeing with IHG/Hilton chains that their individual company rate is non-points earning though
That is why booking agencies used as travel booking/management companies eg Carlson Wagonlit, Amex etc are paid fees direct by big companies such as IBM etc for providing the service.
May 27, 2015, 12:17 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
Hello,
I have some expiring credit at HotelTonight that I am thinking of using to book for a stay at a HIX. Will I be able to use my Platinum Elite status when I check in? It will be nice to have room upgrade and extended checkout. Will I also get additional points for things I charged to the room? (Parking fee, drinks at the bar etc)
Thank you.
I have some expiring credit at HotelTonight that I am thinking of using to book for a stay at a HIX. Will I be able to use my Platinum Elite status when I check in? It will be nice to have room upgrade and extended checkout. Will I also get additional points for things I charged to the room? (Parking fee, drinks at the bar etc)
Thank you.
It would be very rare to earn points on room rate booked through an OTA and has only happened for me at a regular hotel of mine when I booked through lastminute.com when no rooms available to book direct on ihg.com site
Yes you usually still can earn points for f&b food/drinks but parking is excluded from being points earning as are some other extras and associated fees like vat, room-service fees etc.... Just the same as earning for f&b on nonqual stay such as an award night.
Jul 13, 2015, 12:42 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 875
I thought I'd post an update.
I didn't see points posted to my account after my trip. When I used the Submit a Missing Points form on the site, I got this reply:
So, no, I did not get points for stay. However, as I used my IHG credit card to pay for parking and beverages, after my credit card statement closed, I could see that I did get 5 points per dollar spent on the extra charges.
As for room upgrade, there was none available since there was only one type of room at this HIX. For the welcome gift, I was offered a choice of 300 (or was it 500?) points or a free beer coupon. I chose the later.
Thank you to everyone whom has replied!
I didn't see points posted to my account after my trip. When I used the Submit a Missing Points form on the site, I got this reply:
Thank you for contacting IHG Rewards Club regarding your Platinum Elite account. We appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your account discrepancy.
After further review, our records show that the stay in question was booked using a third-party website. Unfortunately, we are unable to issue IHG Rewards Club which include the amount paid for incidentals per section 12 of the IHG Rewards Club Terms and Conditions.
For your reference, third party websites such as Booking.com, Expedia, Orbitz, Hotels.com, and Travelocity are all net wholesale internet booking sites. As such, they purchase deeply discounted rates from the hotels in order to pass the savings on to their customers. We suggest booking future reservations through www.ihgrewardsclub.com to ensure the stay qualifies for credit.
We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused you. Should you require further assistance, please feel free to contact the IHG Rewards Club Service Center again.
After further review, our records show that the stay in question was booked using a third-party website. Unfortunately, we are unable to issue IHG Rewards Club which include the amount paid for incidentals per section 12 of the IHG Rewards Club Terms and Conditions.
For your reference, third party websites such as Booking.com, Expedia, Orbitz, Hotels.com, and Travelocity are all net wholesale internet booking sites. As such, they purchase deeply discounted rates from the hotels in order to pass the savings on to their customers. We suggest booking future reservations through www.ihgrewardsclub.com to ensure the stay qualifies for credit.
We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused you. Should you require further assistance, please feel free to contact the IHG Rewards Club Service Center again.
As for room upgrade, there was none available since there was only one type of room at this HIX. For the welcome gift, I was offered a choice of 300 (or was it 500?) points or a free beer coupon. I chose the later.
Thank you to everyone whom has replied!