tdrag97

So with all the ripe on this IC tokyo bay. Sound like if we were to stay on rewards nights. It will not be worth it to buy into the RA/A status, right?

I planning to redeem my free nights, along with 4 rewards nights. for either Tokyo Bay or ANA.. for our trip in late June early July

btw I'm currently just Platinum

mnredfox

Can't buy RA, you can buy Amb. Well, you shouldn't buy RA, just search for "Beware".

tdrag97

Correct.. i would be buy into the Amb., from Platinum status

But would it be worth buying if I only plan to use it at IC Tokyo bay on awards nights?...

Main goal is to get an upgraded room from the standard award rooms. Or/if anyone try the "$20 vegas tip" to get a better room?

Sash09

I was in the hotel this week as a PLT AMB, will post my rview soon.
I got an upgrade from lowest rate to Club floor room without club access

tdrag97

Looking forward to the review.. ^
Was your Club floor room large enough for a small family? with 4yr and 6yrs

tdrag97

any update on the review?

Chinatrvl

Awful RA treatment: Upgrade to club room, but no club access. (Booked a deluxe bay view room, and got a "high floor" deluxe bay view room!). When pointing out that this is agains the T&C of the program, the check-in agent admitted that the hotel is fully aware of this but doesn't care.
Let's see what AMB services answers.
It's a shame; I will start to come to Tokyo on a monthly basis and the hotel is in a convenient location for me - but now out of the game.

PremExecSNA

Intercontinental Tokyo Bay

What is your IHG Rewards Club status?
Platinum Royal Ambassador

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes, with exceptions noted below

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked superior room at lowest rate and reservation showed "Club Superior" prior to checkin.

How are the rooms?
Rooms are modern and comfortable. Decent mini bar and in room coffee pods/makers. Standard bathroom amenities with nice towels. Great views of Tokyo Bay.

How is the exec. lounge?
Nice lounge on the 20th floor with beautiful views over the Tokyo Bay. Good breakfast selection until 1100 daily, including an omelette station until 9:30am. Evening drinks were nice, and you could easily make dinner out of the food offerings. At 9pm, the lounge converts to a Sky View cocktail bar, with outside guests invited in for a pay bar.

What was good and what was bad?

GOOD
-Convenient location with a free shuttle to and from nearby Hamamatsucho train station every 20 minutes
-Nice views of Tokyo Bay
-RA's get 10 percent discount on hotel restaurants
-Nice amenity and fresh fruit presentation in room.

BAD
-Fitness room is rather weak, with just a few cardio machines. It requires a trip to the front desk to get a special key and sign a waiver to access.

-Upon checkout, I was informed that although I was in a "Club Room" the Club access was not included. In the future, I would be charged a discounted fee of 5000Y (approx $50 US)/day for lounge access. Knowing the history of FT reviews with this property, I specifically requested "Club IC Access rather than the upgrade as an RA benefit" on the reservation notes. I didn't receive or expect a room upgrade. The checkout agent was not fluent in English and seemed a little flustered with the explanation, so I just dropped it and will follow up with the management. They have a standard letter which they give to RA's, explaining their stance. This parting shot left a bad taste in my mouth after an otherwise pleasant stay.



Value for $ or IHG Rewards Club Points? Would you return?
The stay was a good value for the money assuming I received my RA benefits (a real upgrade and/or lounge access). If they didn't honor the spirit of RA benefits in the future, I wouldn't return.

Tim O'Brien

my understanding of the rules, is that if they give you a club room, they also have to give you club access.

Chinatrvl

The hotel makes it clear that they do not follow the rules. IHG corporate knows it and doesn't care.

nicolas75

Tim O'Brien

Hi Chinatrvl, it's a pity, because IHG jumps up and down on their end to ensure their T&C are met, for example the recent 180 degree change in strategy over using the codes as a marketing ploy, they publicly declared that strategy, and published them on their own websites, and then closing down accounts, after quietly making use of them illegal under the T&C, when they cld have just sent members a letter, outlining their change in strategy from marketing to enforcement, must have been a power shift from the marketing guys to the auditors, too many points in circulation lads, lets reign them in. When will they learn their customers are more important than their franchise/management agreements, without their customers, the owners will be going to the other groups.

mnredfox

Thanks for the update. Sadly, I still remember the glory days as an RA of getting a suite plus club access here. Preferred it over the ANA IC.

lsed

Same issue with club lounge faced at checkout today.

I will be charged 5000 JPY per pax in the future as the 'lounge is renovated', and 'we are only required to upgrade and not give lounge access to Royal Ambassadors'

Seriously?!
If it were IC Caracas I would half expect it; but absolutely not from a Japanese hotel!

PremExecSNA

Did they give you the standard form letter? I find it interesting that they do this as you are leaving the property. On one hand, it was good as I got the lounge access and they had no standing to charge me any fees without advance notice. However, I walked out of the hotel feeling peeved after what had been a nice stay. It seems like a very poor business model making the last memory of a property very negative.

Frankly, I was armed with a copy of the T and C on the way in and ready to do battle at the front desk all the way up to the GM if necessary. It's their discretion if they want to grant lounge access but they darn well better provide a real RA upgrade. Last I checked, a basic room on a club floor doesn't count. It would be interesting to see if anyone has gone toe to toe with the managers at this property.