alexr_ft

For whatever reason, I haven't been getting any emails from the IHG folks in over a year.

I've got two upcoming Intercontinental brand stays, so I checked the site and see that they've got me downgraded to "Gold Elite" (whatever that means isn't relevant to me as an Intercontinental guest).

So I called in to ask them to renew my Ambassador status using points, as I've done in the past when there was less business travel that year.

They just took 32,000 points for the renewal, which was previously 24,000. I'm not finding this change/devaluation anywhere.

As an added bonus, the CSR who processed the renewal told me that I'd be expiring in mid-November, but the site says October.

This program seems pretty broken these days.

alexr_ft

Called up again and spoke with a native English speaker. She said that they charged 32,000 because my Ambassador status had lapsed too far back (more than one month). I guess me telling them that they failed to notify me didn't sway their opinion.

We'll see if they send me any promotions this year, but there are other hotels I could be staying at that actually want my business.

Bloobell

Same if you renew with cash, it's $50 cheaper if you renew than if you re-join

jedicat666

I've got 3 options to renew :

$150usd = Bonus 10,000points
$200usd = Bonus 15,000points & 10% rewards nights rebate 12-mths
24,000points = 5,000 points rebate

Should i bother to renew as a spire ?
Will there even be any additional benefits for me other than the BOGO cert ?

Not sure right now

submonte

I have got the same options and took no. 2.

Well Spire I will be soon, too, but Ambassador should grant me more benefits at ICs, right?

jedicat666

-Ambassador receives upgrade, but spires do too, as well as late checkout. And propably gift too.
-Previously ambassador was great because it bumped you up a tier, but since im at spire, there is no bump.
-Additionally I only stay at ICs 30% of the time, and HIs and Crowne Plazas the other 70%

Though for option #2... 15k points, a BOGO cert, and around 15k worth of savings from the 10% rebate might be more than worth 200usd.

For option #3 on the other hand, i get a BOGO cert for 19k points which is quite good as well.

Maybe it all comes down if i want to burn my points in 2016 ^

Bloobell

This year I have burned around 500,000 Points so Option 2 was a no-brainer

cathyng912

24000 for my renewal, and then they give me 10000 for renew bonus, which means it's just 14000 for renewal, it's a pretty good deal

davrossuk

edit:wrong read

Qwkynuf

Since I may have an opportunity to stay in an IC later this year, and I have a ton of points anyway, I signed up for Ambassador back on March 26th.

I received an email confirmation almost immediately, welcoming me to Ambassador benefits. But... the points that I used to "pay" haven't been deducted from my account, nor have I had any communication from them since then.

My Profile on the IHG website still shows me as "Spire Elite", with an expiration of 12/2016, though I will earn my status through '17 by the end of this week.

Does this seem normal, or should I reach out to them?

Carel1

No, this is not normal. Points are deducted almost immediatley and the status should show Spire Ambassador.

pcx999

I signed up back in March as well and have the same issue. I just emailed them and will let you know what's the outcome.

Qwkynuf

I reached out to IHG on Twitter yesterday and got a response from @IHGService asking me to email the details to [email protected]. Within an hour or so of my email, I received an email from them, indicating that the information had been forwarded to the Ambassador Service Center, and they would be contacting me.

Haven't heard anything more yet, but I am hopeful that this will get things moving.

Qwkynuf

While working on Friday, I received several (>5) calls on my cell phone from a Salt Lake City area code. I wasn't able to answer, and didn't recognize the number, so I let it go, but no voice mail was left. I tried calling the number back at lunch time, but got a message that it was an invalid number, so I figured Telemarketer.

Apparently they called again while I was on my flight home, and finally left a message - turns out that it was IHG calling about my Ambassador membership.

On Saturday they sent a follow-up email, to verify that I wanted to join, and asking me to verify my mailing address for my Ambassador pack (which would arrive in 3 weeks - LOL).

I replied to the email Monday morning, and this morning (Tuesday) received an email welcoming me to Ambassador status, and pointing out that 3 weeks wasn't going to happen, but look for it in 7 weeks (which seems randomly specific).

On the IHG website, my status has updated to Spire Ambassador, with my Ambassador status expiring Jun 2017 and my elite status extended from 12/2016 to 12/2017. I also now have another Choice Benefit available.

This winds up looking like a pretty decent deal to me. 32k points to join, with a 5k point rebate - that's just a little more than the points cost of a night at your average HIX, and it comes with a free weekend night at an IC?

pcx999

I finally got a respond and was asked to reconfirm enrollment, and I am Spire Ambassador now.

Same as you, my ambassador status is valid until Jun 17, and Spire until Dec 17. I also received a new choice benefit, which I selected the 25K points.

It seems a great deal, so 32K to enroll, but received 25K choice benefit + 5K certificate, and potentially 3200 more due to the 10% rebate with the IHG Visa.