brahms77

After about 25 paid nights at this property, I had one award stay last month and it pretty much ruined my "likes" of this property.

Non of the Royal Ambassador benefits were given (including minibar).

No room upgrade.

Fruitbowl was there but didn't consider it as RA benefit as they usually provide RA gifts in addition to the fruit bowls.

So at this property, there is no elite recognition or benefits for award stays.

lucky9876coins

That's crazy, brahms77, especially since you stay there frequently! Did you speak to someone at the property about your displeasure with the situation? Not even honoring the minibar is just crazy.

turtlemichael

Perhaps it's a cultural thing but particularly at this hotel I have noticed that the staff seem to be almost fearful if you ask for anything out of the ordinary. This can be a problem in some parts of the world but IC BKK has it down to an art form! I had a couple of instances though not to the level of shortsightedness demonstated to you. I guess it comes down to staff having very little discretion, everyone wanting to keep their head out of the firing line, that rules are rules and no one actually thinks that even if the rules say you don't get the mini bar or upgrade on a points stay you would certainly make an exception for someone who has stayed there 25 times.

I would definitely be highlighting this to senior management, if you haven't already, and letting them know that such inflexibility risks your continued loyalty and generates very bad publicity in forums such as this.

boar

Perhaps it's a cultural thing but particularly at this hotel I have noticed that the staff seem to be almost fearful if you ask for anything out of the ordinary. This can be a problem in some parts of the world but IC BKK has it down to an art form! I had a couple of instances though not to the level of shortsightedness demonstated to you. I guess it comes down to staff having very little discretion, everyone wanting to keep their head out of the firing line, that rules are rules and no one actually thinks that even if the rules say you don't get the mini bar or upgrade on a points stay you would certainly make an exception for someone who has stayed there 25 times.

Very astute observation. I once asked for a bottle opener at the HI Silom and as it was something out of the ordinary ( although they used to stock them in all the rooms) it took several conversations with various levels of management to obtain one. Found similar situations in other businesses in Thailand - appears to be a complete lack of lateral thinking.

holtju2

I tend to disagree with this. It is very clear from the T&C that RA benefits do NOT apply to awards stays, although most of the hotels do give them.

lucky9876coins

Fair enough, but at the same time if someone has had 25 stays at a property, and IIRC has relations of some form with the front desk, I don't think that's a very nice way to repay loyalty. Regardless of what's in the T&C, I think it's a bad business decision and if I were disappointed I would speak to someone higher up.

HappyCheesehead

Hope you don't mind if I jump in to ask what you get for the 2400 baht access to the club level? Is the 2400 per room or per person? DH just got downgraded to gold and we have point breaks ressies for next Nov. I am not expecting any sort of upgrade, actually I am just pretty happy to get a room for 5k per night

Mr_Bigglesworth

How did you get pointsbreak reservations for next nov - I can only find pointsbreak dates avail upto about mid feb?

lucky9876coins

I am 99% sure the 2400 baht is per room and not per person.

GibSpmuh

I found previously this had happened with some hotels on the big list that came out last September, that you could book the same dates for the following year as well. I guess some of the hotels don't load the rates correctly - though you need the hotel to stay on the PointBreaks list a couple of weeks or so before you'll be able to book far enough in advance to see it happen.

brahms77

Lucky, I actually know the Guest Relations Manager very well. As matter of fact, I know most of their front desk staff and concierge. They did apologize to me about the lack of the benefits. Fortunately, I was there on a points break for 5000 points so can't really complain.

PeteW

Upgraded room - though the renovations at the moment meant there was a shortage of Club rooms, so I got a renovated Grand Deluxe room. And club access - essentially food & drink available all day on 37th floor. Very good breakfasts and a good range of snacks (hot & cold) in the evenings.

As I had a 5k pointsbreak room, I thought it was well worth the price..... (it's 2400 per room)

lucky9876coins

They apologized to you as in "it wont happen again" or apologized to you as in we just need to pretend like we're sorry? They won't know whether you paid 5K or 30K, so that really shouldn't matter. Sorry, but if you've stayed there 25 times I think that's an unacceptable way to reward loyalty unless the hotel was booked out totally (in which case the minibar should still be free, IMO).

HappyCheesehead

Hi Mr. Bigglesworth. I didn't do anything special to get the points breaks for November 08. When I went to make the ressies they were just there. I made two sets of reservations, one for 5 nights on our arrival in Thailand, and a second for the two nights before we leave. All came up at 5k a night. I went out to look now and see I can no longer make new ressies at that rate on any of the nights I looked at. It must have been some fluke that they had the point breaks available so far out in the future. I have printed out my ressies and the 5 k point deductions from the Priority Club account for proof though, just in case!

HappyCheesehead

Thanks PeteW! Since it will be a while til we go, I might get an actual club level room as they might be finished. 80 bucks seems reasonable to get brekky, an upgraded room plus snacks. Are these the kind of snacks that really can be dinner? I swear we never even ate dinner at a restaurant when we upgraded in Prague, no need to as the snacks were hearty.