sweets61250

What I understand is that the benefits of Ambassador or RA does not depend on the rate. It may not be honored for a Points stay but should be honored for any rate stay.

We should email the Ambassador id asking a clarification.

stephen77

I booked a Club room on the F&F rate. They honored the minibar and room upgrade as I had evidence in email from the hotel prior to making my reservation. The duty Manager made it clear that the policy had changed for the F&F rate and you would only get what you booked on this rate. He said if you make a booking on an advance rate or flexible rate full RA benefits would apply. Just thought I would provide the info as it might decide which rate you want to book at this hotel especially if you want a nice upgrade and minibar.

torcross

Just had a reply to an e mail regarding my upcoming stay in November, I have 3 separate bookings, one on points, one on Flexi and one on F&F 2 nights for each rate. I'm now an RA BTW.

The e mail from the hotel stated I could keep the same room for the 6 day stay and they have upgraded me to a one bedroom deluxe suite so top marks for that
^^^)

but they have said no other RA benefits will apply apart from the 2 day flexi booking. So the change in policy on the F&F rate is consistent, I did however email them back as they agreed a while back that they would give me free club access as opposed to a further upgrade, I also have the e mail confirming this.

On the 2 day flexi booking if I was that way inclined could I empty the mini bar at 8AM the morning the flexi rate starts and each time until 4 pm 2 days later. When does the official time start before I can have something from it without being charged is it 8 AM ?

docklander

I've always got&used RA minibar benefits while using points here along with suite upgrade etc.Last stay was about a week ago.Haven't a clue about F&F but logically that would follow too.....

torcross

Thanks for that Docklander, I know my brother got full RA benefits about 6 months ago so maybe it is just a recent thing, I am really happy with the upgrade and sure I will get the free club access sorted as they have already said they would do it even though the Friends and Family change seems like it has just happened.

Not being funny if we want a few drinks I will just take out of the minibar on the days we are the flexi rate and save them for the days we aren't, seems a bit ludicrous but there you go....or I could always pay for them.

NYCbustravelguy

The hotel confirmed in an email to me this morning that on a 2 night stay, first night paid, second night on points, I would need to change rooms and that no RA benefits applied to the second room. I really needed the 8 am RA check-in, but I emailed the Grand Hyatt (I am Diamond) and asked them if they could confirm a room for an 8 am check-in. At the GH for a two night all points stay, the hotel confirmed back the room upgrade to Club room, and airport transfer by BMW and the 8 am check-in.

I am surprised at the IC. No benefits on the award night I can understand, but making the guest move, please.



Text of email from hotel:

Dear Mr. Nycbustravelguy,



Greetings from InterContinental Festival City Dubai.



Thank you very much for the inquiry. Kindly find below the upgrade grid for the Royal Ambassador members.



Royal Ambassador


Booked Upgrade to

Superior 1 bedroom suite

Club Room 1 bedroom suite with Club Access

1 bedroom suite 1 bedroom Deluxe (with view)

2 bedroom suite 2 bedroom suite with Club Access

Please be informed that regarding the information and reservation under priority club rewards night, you need to contact priority club directly :- [email protected].

Moreover with regards to the benefits being Royal Ambassador member of InterContinental during your stay under rewards nights, you need to change the room as per the policy which is by default a superior room and no other benefits will be provided as it a complementary night reservation.

Should you need any other assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Best Regards,



________ ____________ | Reservations Agent

IHG | Dubai Festival City, PO Box 45777 Dubai, UAE

Phone: 00 971 4 701 1110 | Fax: 00 971 4 7011105

email: [email protected]

Chinatrvl

Dear Mr. Reservations Agent,
CC: Revenue Manager
CC: Marketing Manager

thank you for your reply.
Please be informed that we have shifted our business to the Grand Hyatt, due to your unnecessary enforcement of T&Cs that would have made us change our rooms and therefore our stay unnecessarily complicated.

Kind regards...





A hotel running at abysmal occupancy shooing away a (somehow) paying customer. Oh well.

NYCbustravelguy

I did write back to the hotel, informing them I would be staying at another hotel given their posstion with respect to the room change.

As it turned out, I was able to book the Grand Hyatt at AED 600 ++ per night for the 2 night stay (so I can save my Hyatt points). Interestingly, I would have had to pay AED 1,200 ++ at the IC for 1 night for a club room for the first night and then use points for the second. So, in the end, I am paying the samething, and was able to use a suite upgrade at GH. No free minibar.

It is a shame, since I did want to check-out the IC.

Shareholder

Suites are not available as free night awards (though may show as a fluke from time to time) so that is the likely reason they said you'd have to move rooms...though I highly doubt if you were there they would actually enforce this unless all suites were fully booked. That said, I noticed that my 1-night award at the IC Grand Stamford in October now shows as a Harbour View Suite! So it appears this property does extend RA upgrades on award nights contrary to what the "official" policy may be.

I'll keep all this in mind next winter when I do an MR to Dubai...

NYCbustravelguy

I guess I will never find out as I will be staying at another hotel. Others should report their actual experienece. Perhpas I just got a bad agent.

docklander

All rather strange - i very recently had a 7 night stay @the IC DXB which consisted of 1 paid night and 6 on points.As noted before ,i got great RA treatment.It would be a great shame if this decent hotel became more restrictive and needless to say,rather pointless(pardon awful pun).

mtresc

I have a booking for October, my reservation online shows already an upgrade to a suite (as RA). I would prefer a Club Room with Club access instead of the suite.

Do they offer the choice between suite OR Club access? Any recent experience?

Savage25

When I stayed a couple of months ago, I was given a choice at checkin. Chose the Club.

mtresc

I contacted the IC Dubai by mail and asked, if it would be possible to change my (already upgraded) reservation as RA from Suite to Club Room with lounge access (price of both room type is the same) and received the following reply:

" Dear Mr. mtresc,

Greetings from InterContinental Dubai Festival City!

Kindly note that as A Royal Ambassador your reservation was upgraded to a Superior Suite , However. We can`t upgrade your reservation to Club Room with Club Lounge access. If you like to have a club access you should make the booking at club room or you can pay for the club access AED 550.00 for club lounge access.

Please let us know if you need any further assistance. Otherwise we do look forward in welcoming you at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.

Best regards,

XXX | Reservation Agent "

I have to add that my corporate rate only allows me to book a standard room, not a Club Room, and the supplement fee of AED 550 is almost as high as the room rate .

My follow-up e-mail, in which I asked to ckeck their policy again since a "friend" actually HAD the choice between Suite and Clum Room on a recent stay, is unanswered for more then one week now .

Maybe I will try the CP next door for my stay. The recent reports about the IC Dubai were quite alarming anyway.

FinalCallDXB

Just stayed here on points this weekend - booked at the last minute while we had some maintenance work done on our apartment. Very limited perks for my RA status, standard room, no gift, & no free mini-bar, although late check-out wasn't a problem. Have stayed here on points a few times since it opened and the lack of room upgrade has been fairly constant but the lack of free mini-bar and gift is new since I last stayed about 6 months ago. Very little incentive now not to save 5k points and stay in the CP next door.