Intercontinental London Club Lounge - is it worth it?
#62
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK (LAS)
Programs: AA Ex Plat, ICH Plat RA, Hyatt Diamond, LAN Prem Silver
Posts: 544
I stayed there for several nights the week before Christmas
& paid 120 pounds plus vat for 2 days' club access. The first
day I entertained 1 guest for both cocktails & breakfast, the
2nd I was allowed 2 free guests for evening cocktails.
I would ask the person at the front desk in the lounge but
I wouldn't imagine it would be a problem.
& paid 120 pounds plus vat for 2 days' club access. The first
day I entertained 1 guest for both cocktails & breakfast, the
2nd I was allowed 2 free guests for evening cocktails.
I would ask the person at the front desk in the lounge but
I wouldn't imagine it would be a problem.
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
At every Club I've been to, no matter what hotel chain, if you bring a guest in the Club you usually have to pay for their drinks at a pretty price. Even a cup of tea. However some Club hostesses will look the other way if they are nice or perhaps too busy to notice.
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,947
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
#68
Join Date: May 2008
Location: UK
Programs: IC Spire Amb, Hilton, Marriott, BA, VA.
Posts: 673
It's well worth it if there are 2 of you, you take breakfast, and you visit during the champagne/free drinks "happy hour" in the evening. If you visit between times for afternoon tea and soft drinks too then it maximises it even more.
#69
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: USA
Programs: IHG/Spire Amb., Hilton/Diamond, SPG/Gold, Marriott/Gold, AA/Plat, Southwest/CP
Posts: 270
Definitely leaning toward doing that. Was in London last month - also leisure - and meal prices were not favorable! Stayed at CP The City and definitely relished the lounge access there. I just wish we were bigger drinkers!
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,768
I disagree, you could get quite a few drinks for 2 and breakfast for less than the club price and not run the risk of a noisy group in the lounge destroying the ambience.
#71
Join Date: May 2008
Location: UK
Programs: IC Spire Amb, Hilton, Marriott, BA, VA.
Posts: 673
I agree that noise is a constant problem in the PL lounge, mainly in the evenings, and led me to complain to management during my last stay. However I stand by my view that it still represents good value if utilised properly. The breakfast is very good; you can pretty much order what you like, within reason, and the kitchen will prepare it for you. Plus a reasonable buffet. Easily valued at Ł25 per person for the district in a 5* hotel. Then a few glasses of champagne each in the evening, well I don't need to explain any more really do I.....
#72
Join Date: May 2008
Location: UK
Programs: IC Spire Amb, Hilton, Marriott, BA, VA.
Posts: 673
The happy hour champagne/drinks in the evening do make the club charge much better value; I tend to view it that breakfast and then 2 glasses of champagne each in the evening and you've broken even. However I have managed to push the value-added well beyond that over the years! :-)
#73
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: 10023-Central Park West
Programs: CHASE UNITED CLUB; CITI PRESTIGE; IHG SPIRE AMBASSADOR; RITZ-CARLTON GOLD; Global Entry
Posts: 227
I will be in InterContinental park lane at the end of April for three nights on points and free night. Is it possible to buy just one night of lounge access and get two breakfasts and one happy hour? I am thinking to buy the lounge access on the second night and get a late breakfast on the second day and an early breakfast on the third day. I also signed up for the ambassador at 32000 points The ambassador service rep said that there is no guarantee that we will be upgraded because our nights are on points and free night.
Any data points?
Any data points?
Last edited by ylord789; Mar 31, 2017 at 3:20 pm
#74
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: USA
Programs: IHG/Spire Amb., Hilton/Diamond, SPG/Gold, Marriott/Gold, AA/Plat, Southwest/CP
Posts: 270
My lady and I will be in InterContinental park lane at the end of April for three nights on points and free night. Is it possible to buy just one night of lounge access and get two breakfasts and one happy hour? I am thinking to buy the lounge access on the second night and get a late breakfast on the second day and an early breakfast on the third day. I also signed up for the ambassador at 32000 points The ambassador service rep said that there is no guarantee that we will be upgraded because our nights are on points and free night.
Any data points?
Any data points?
I have a current reservation on a Chase free night certificate and IC PL has confirmed upgrade eligibility.
#75
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
My lady and I will be in InterContinental park lane at the end of April for three nights on points and free night. Is it possible to buy just one night of lounge access and get two breakfasts and one happy hour? I am thinking to buy the lounge access on the second night and get a late breakfast on the second day and an early breakfast on the third day. I also signed up for the ambassador at 32000 points The ambassador service rep said that there is no guarantee that we will be upgraded because our nights are on points and free night.
Any data points?
Any data points?
(afternoon tea / evening canapes & drinks / breakfast , in that order)
You can't choose a different time period during a day, such as starting 4hours later, or a 24hour period
eg 1800pm Monday - 1600pm Tuesday
OR
eg 0900am Monday - 0900pm Tuesday (to get b/f both 0900-1100 Monday + 0700-0900 Tuesday)
eg If you purchase Lounge during Sunday, to start on Monday, then your lounge access would normally start 1400pm Monday, your Ambassador Status standard hotel checkin time Monday (not 6am when lounge opens for breakfast on Monday morning). So you then get b/f only on the Tuesday morning, not both Mon+Tues mornings.
As RA with 8am checkin benefit, maybe as an IC-PL regular guest to boot, where I have Lounge Access for checkin day, IC-PL starts my Lounge access at that 8am checkin, and kindly allows me to eat b/f on the early checking morning as well as departure morning.
However this is on solo stays, so 1night stay is 2x b/f over 2x mornings, or eg 4night stay 5x b/f over 5x mornings, so even 1-night 2x morning stay, only 2x b/f same as double occupancy for 1night. (Staying as a couple maybe I would not get 4x b/f for a 1night stay even as an RA )
Most IC hotels don't allow RA's double dipping of b/f, even though only top RA elites can checkin early enough to double dip b/f on noth arrival day and departure day.
eg IC-HK when arriving early + leaving early, by politely asking as a special treatment, I am allowed lounge b/f on 9am arrival in lieu of b/f on departure morning, but informed if I forgot and ate on departure day too, my consumption would be charged.
Last edited by scubaccr; Mar 4, 2016 at 5:57 am