wedotravel

Anyone staying at the IC Hua Hin has complimentary access to Vana Nava Hua Hin water park. That is for all registered guests in room and valid on award stays (points) as well. Normal entry ticket is 1000THB. When we went to the waterpark there were a lot more staff there then guests and we hardly had to wait for rides. Other than water park acess Hotel is stingy in my opinion and experience to IHG Ambassadors.

Kalboz

New photos of our stay (April 9-12) for 3 nights in 3 premier-type of rooms - photos including the new wing where we had our final breakfast: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kalboz...57667165632131

We did get daily comped access to Vana Nava waterpark upon asking and we sent the kids with the inlaws on the final day. They all enjoyed the fun and play but it was very hot ~100F. Apparently they are building a Holiday Inn adjacent to the waterpark so we would have more ways to redeem in Hua Hin.

rapidex

Just checked in as an RA and advised the mini bar is free beer and soft drinks but spirits one time only per stay.They are the slightly larger bottles,but even so is this another IC trying to change the rules to suit themselves?

scubaccr

Not stayed at Hua Hin myself where are the spirits kept?
Are the minatures, 1/4 bottles, are spirits in minibar-fridge, same cupboard as fridge but outside fridge, separate cupboard to fridge unit?

Not exactly, there is no formal definition of the word "minibar" which is thus somewhat open to whatever interpretation an IC wishes to impart.

Is minibar by definition all drinks in room, or just drinks in the cold storage fridge unit? Hotels can decide as theylike on indidual basis.However Minibar is to be refreshed in full daily for RA.
If RA stayed 7days, 14days, a month, it is unreasonable to not refill once per day. If spirits are inside minibar-fridge unit the IC should to replace spirits daily

If spirits not in fridge hotel could exclude. If spirits outside fridge and IC says 1x spirits only, forcing refill issue could just result in hotel excluding initially too.

Neither is an IC hotel required to supply spirits in the inroom bar, eg
IC KIEV ... no alcohol in minibar BUT for RA's hotel gives 4x beers per day
IC Budapest.. no spirits, 2 beers, RA can ask for RA alcohol pack each day

1)So where minibar or fridge is only inroom source of drinks which may (or may not) include mintature spirits RA gets all contents. (excluding food items)
eg IC Paris LG, Park Lane, Bucharest, Berlin, spirit minatures re in fridge

2)Where the spirit drinks are located outside the minibar-fridge, is where hotel may "play" with the term "minibar"
That is upto hotel whether minatures/fridge in one cupboard, or separate cupboard, drawer, shelf.

Different examples follow
a)Minibar/fridge is enclosed in unit and opening door to unit gives fridge and shelf/small drawer of spirit mintures ... RA usually get both but hotel can alas say excluded as items not physically in the minbar-fridge
b)As with (a) but large bottles eg 1/4 botles of spirits, eg like both IC Bangkok, IC Pattaya. Here RA can and drink, plus replaced daily
c)IC Danang - Spirits are the cupboaard next to fridge cupboard and hotel excludes those 1/4 bottles of spirits from RA benefit
d)IC-HK ... lots of minatures in minibar fridge (vodka etc) with separate cupboard with drawer next to minibar cupboard also minatures (brandy, whisky) that RA can drink
e)IC Amstel, minibar is fridge, no spirits. open shelf above/outside of minibar are has several 1/2 bottles of spirits. These are now excluded from RA use many years (I guess RAs abused and took too many home )

rapidex

Spirits are quarter bottles so slightly larger than minitures,on the bottom shelf of the minibar fridge.
The paper I was given at check in that lists all RA benefits has all the usual and the last line
Complimentary in-room minibar Beverage (one time spirits)

This was also clarified at check in.

Land-of-Miles

Can they do that without a specific programme exception like that at the affiliate properties in LAS? If it is in the minibar it should be free, end of story.

rapidex

That is what I thought also.

scubaccr

really not allowed to limit

i would hope/expect on longer stays that rule is not set in stone

and what if 4x different spirits but you only like one type so out of say whisky/brandy/vodka/bacardi you ony fancy whisky !!

and yes in Thailand 1/4 ie 20cl bottles are norm in minbars in all chains ie ihg/hilton/marriott

Land-of-Miles

Also doesn't make much sense given real local costs of those 20cl bottles. What if I want 4 gins not a gin, whisky, rum and vodka? Think I would be making my feelings heard and this hotel was on my list to visit too.

rapidex

The hotel has given us a paper listing all RA benefits and it clearly states no spirits refills.The management dont want to know and are insisting no refills.We are here for 8 days,and apart from the club lunge happy hour 5-7 and the 1 time mini bar all other drinks are chargeable.

If this IC gets away with this then we might as well tear up RA benefits

Land-of-Miles

I would be flagging this immediately with AMB Service as a complaint (for what good that will do) and might insist upon restocking and then refuse to pay the costs on checkout. They surely cannot refuse to restock only demand a fee for doing so?

I would then expect IHG Corporate (on pain of legal action if necessary) to reimburse any costs if the hotel insist upon holding the charge after a long standoff.

I truly hope this is not the tradeoff for guaranteed lounge access.

scubaccr

I'd have minibar replenished and refuse to pay at checkout for refills, and would tell he Duty Manager that their IC can not choose to refuse you what is a Royal Ambassador benefit on a paid stay.

OR

Alternatively involve Salt lake Ambassador services and ask for points compensation for all nights bar first night to points value per night of Hua's award night cost iand in your case x7 as staying 8nights


nb
2night weekend stay I could live with no spirit to up, BUT NOT 8nights.

rapidex

I agree with everything said.The view of the GM is that they are generous enough,and if a complaint is made they will simply remove spirits from the minibar "like some European IC's",and just have beer and soft drinks.I presume he is referring to Davos here.

I would welcome thoughts before jumping in with both feet.

scubaccr

Not really aware of any non-Asian (ie European etc) IC's having 1/4 or 1/2 bottles of spirits available in minibars. In europe 5cl minatures are ready available and the norm, and refreshed daily. Can be 4-5 different flavour minatures or even say 2x Chivas Whisky + 2x Absolute Vodka ? Each IC is different

Since 1/4 bottles equivalent to 4x minatures, try politely negotiating for just one 1/4 spirit bottle per day that you prefer to drinkm whether eg whisky, vodka etc.

Point out you booked 8nights and it neither makes sense to drink the bottles you don't like after drinking your preferred tipple; nor makes sense that guest staying 1night has loads of spirits and you not liking anything but eg Whisky get 1/4bottle for 8nights

eg ask that all the initial bottles are swapped to your preferred tipple, whisky/vodka/whatever

You could also try telling hotel GM in that case you'll be eating out every night and will not be able to order inroom dining due to having ZERO INROOM Minibar alcohol to go with your meal ... Profit on 2x inroom meals per night is far far higher than 1/4 spirit bottle cost.

ps
alternatively just buy a large bottle of whisky/vodka in local srtores and after checkout chase Amb Line for points due to hotels stance.


AND...
I'd be checking out after 1night , and whether flex/adr rate not paying nights 2-8 . That is the only action these GM's understand

bobdevens

Just a few notes having completed a one week award stay (combining Chase free nights and IHG award point nights) as IHG Platinum. Booked Resort King Classic Room in main building and was given high floor as requested (good view of water and lots of privacy). Didn't expect much for the IHG Platinum status, but given half-price for breakfasts (excellent spread) and half-off the roll-away bed charge (actually fit very nicely in room without seeming crowded). , Overall very much enjoyed our stay, the facility, staff, free water park access etc. The hotel Asian restaurant very good and reasonably priced. Good happy hours and views at the second floor bar near the beach. Was also impressed with the tremendous number of restaurants/dining options located in the Bluepoint Mall just right across the street. Were looking for a relaxing beach stay within driving distance (about 2 and a half hours) of Bangkok, and this hotel worked out great and thought it was a good use of the award nights.