nicolas75

We have checked your booking at our hotel and noticed that you have booked yourself on the PC rewards night.

This booking does not include Food and beverages and any other incidentals hence food and beverages from the minibar will be on a chargeable basis.

However looking at your Royal Ambassador status we will be glad to offer you an upgrade to a junior suite ^and offer you a late check out till 4 PM if required,complimentary use of our health club,and an early check in at 8 am.

chipsodg

Sorry for the stupid question but, when you check in on Reward Nights do you ask what RA benefits you can receive?

nicolas75

Sorry for the stupid answer , but if you want to have an answer at you question, the best way to do it is to ask this question

ag51

One night stay last weekend, reward night availability only opened up 3 days before I travelled so I switched from the CP.

Usual upgrade to an excellent City-View Executive Suite (room 323), early check-in allowed and free minibar (usual range of large bottles of top brand spirits, wine and champagne) including food. Excellent service, receptionist greeted me by name at check-out next day. The best IC around for reward stays IMHO.

uk1

It isn't a stupid question at all and I understood your question perfectly.

Because of the uncertainty of the way that individual properties treat RA benefits, you should ask about RA benefits every time you check in whether on Reward Nights, Weekend Certificate stays, 241, special promo rates or anything else.

Some hotels will allow it on Reward Nights, others will not. Some will include just drinks on paid for nights, other will include anything that is in or around the mini-bar. And even on return visits where you think you know the rules. Ask again as rules change.

In summary, ask every visit and assume nothing. Only this approach minimises problems.

Hope that helps.

stimpy

Ditto. Asking will also tell you how much the front desk clerk knows about their job. Some don't even know about free mini-bar. The first thing I ask about is if both food and drinks are included for free. Maybe about 50% of the time they know the answer right away. The rest of the time they have to ask a manager or they will say there is no such thing as free mini-bar.

chipsodg

thank you - I will ask in future

Savage25

Free night (from the current free night promotion) at InterContinental London Park Lane:
-Upgrade: YES, a huge one-bedroom suite (they called it the Palazzo Suite or something like that at checkin) on the 6th floor overlooking Wellington Arch. It's bigger than my 2-bedroom apartment, has one chaise lounge in the living room and bedroom, a full-size dining table for 6, and a second minibar just for the soft drinks
-Complementary Minibar: YES, confirmed by the duty manager at checkin.
-Club lounge access: As on paid stays for RAs, no.
-Late checkout: YES

onedog

Just completed a reward stay at the IC Rialto Melbourne. As mentioned elsewhere in the IC/PC Forum, no RA benefits offerred other than 4 pm late checkout.

As stated by the Duty Manager when I checked in: Although you are an RA "since you are already getting a free night" a room ugrade and free minibar are not available. As per the T&C's, I was assigned a standard room (on the 2nd floor right next to the elevators).

Compared to the Sheraton On The Park Sydney where I had also stayed on an reward stay where I was upgraded to a one bedroom suite with a park view and full Executive Club access.

demue

When I hear statements like this from supposedly trained hotel management level staff it just makes my blood boil - sorry. What the freak does the guy mean - A FREE ROOM? I'm paying lots of points for that reward night so it is not free at all. I know I'm not entitled to the ususal benefits (which is poor by IC in my book - but that is a general comment) but points or cash should not matter and not be used as an explanation towards a customer. I know that hotel gets likely compensated less then if selling the room but that is part of being in a chain / belonging to a program. Don't bi*ch to me.

Say that in line with RA / AMB T&Cs unfortunately there will be no special benefits such as upgrade, free mini-bar etc., but not like that.

Shareholder

You mean like the rest of us, 5K a night for a room that normally goes for 40K? Found a pretty good bottle shop just around the corner on Spencer and the beer selection a $2 a bottle was a lot better than the bland offerings in the minibar at three times the price. Even when I have a free minibar I still pass on their bland selections and find a local shop that has some interesting local brews. I figure on a 5K award -- where they do tend to be even more sticklers to the T&Cs than normal full price award stays -- I've just saved $300-$400 a night and can well afford to buy some decent ales or wines to down in my room...often over a nice room service meal if I'm too bushed to head out for a jet-lagged dinner.

demue

Okay on the recent PB it was 5K but it is the principle here that I wanted to highlight which means it is not free. 5K or 40K points shouldn't matter. It is the mindset of staff that is bothering me. Yes I will not get any benefits on a reward stay whether for 5k or 40K at least based on current T&Cs but staff shouldn't make it sound as if it is something that I was given completely free from the kindness of their heart no points (= costs) involved for me at all. Surely you know what I'm getting at.

Whether they should consider granting all RA benefits on a 40K stay vs. close to none for a 5K PB stay is another discussion altogether.

soitgoes

Hotel compensation is the same for PB or regular awards. I don't even think the front desk can easily see if you are staying on PB or not.

The only difference for the hotel is that, while on PBs, they probably get more award night guests than they otherwise would.

MXM135

I understand your comments, however, the hotel should not be blamed for not giving any RA benefits on a Reward Night stay. They are following the rules as set out in the T&C regs. If you/we don't like the rules, IHG should be asked to change them and provide full benefits on all stays (some hotel chains do this). The hotel was within its rights to limit the benefits. If other hotels offer additional items, so be it. Hotels receive a nominal amount of re-imbursement for award nights, unless their occupancy rate is in the 85% range, IIRC. In that case, they receive a much higher return based on the average nightly rate.

As far as the snide comments from the staff, that is uncalled for and the Guest Relations and General Manager of the hotel should be advised accordingly.

mxm135

texontour

Has anyone had any recent experiences at the Willard in Washington DC. The last review I found looked promising but its from a couple of years ago.

Thanks.