Follow train below for update on my effort to get renewed:
Hey all, got the downgrade letter last week and am now in the process of requesting a review of my account for renewal. I have followed
gregorygrady's lead and have lead off with the following emai...will post results.
Hello,
I am writing to request a review of my Intercontinental Royal Ambassador status based upon recent and planned activity in my account.
I recently received a letter explaining that I will not be renewed for Royal Ambassador status this year, just normal Ambassador. I just had another 5 nights post to my Priority Club acct for a July 2009 stay that occurred after I received the letter. During my Royal Ambassador year (which ends at the end of September), I currently have had had 50 nights at IHG-branded properties. In addition, I have another 11 nights planned with two stays being at Intercontinental properties before the end of September (which would count towards my renewal) giving me a total of 61 nights within my year.
I had been told in previous years that the renewal was based upon the number of nights a member stays during the past year and was also told that number was 50 nights to re qualify for Royal Ambassador status.
Since I would seem to have met this I am respectfully writing to request that you please review my Priority Club acct and renew my Royal Ambassador status based on my stay history and planned stays. In addition to the planned stays I have over the next few months I would like to ensure that I am a Royal Ambassador member before committing to any further stays. Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter and please contact me back at this e-mail address or the phone number below to let me know the results.
So here is their response to my above initial email. I have highlighted some interesting points in BOLD.
Thank you for taking the time to contact the InterContinental Ambassador Service Center.
We highly appreciate your undaunted loyalty to our hotels and to the Ambassador program, Mr.XXX. Our valued members like you enable us to consistently provide quality service and develop our programs to suit your needs.
We wish to inform you that the Royal Ambassador status is systematically extended by invitation only to the top one percent tier of InterContinental Ambassador guests, based on the number of InterContinental properties they have visited and qualifying nights they have completed during the past year. In this regard, please note that the said status cannot be renewed, as it is reinstated depending on the member's stay activity.
Unfortunately, there are no specific number of nights that determine how a member may maintain Royal Ambassador status, as it depends entirely on the total number of nights acquired by the top one percent tier of Ambassador guests.
At this time, we are unable to extend your Royal Ambassador status as the number of qualifying nights and InterContinental Hotels and Resorts you have visited did not qualify to the top one percent tier level.
May we suggest to increase your stays at InterContinental Hotels and Resort prior to your account expiration date on 30 September 2009 in order to hopefully maintain your Royal Ambassador status for another year.
For more information regarding the Ambassador membership, you may log on to our web site at http://www.intercontinental.com/ambassador.
We truly appreciate your continuous support to InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Mr. XXX. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be of service to you. Please call us at +44 (0) 870 400 9099 / 1 888 211 7996 should you need further assistance.
And my response back to this email:
I'm having a little trouble understanding what you're saying here so can you please help explain to me?
You mention in the below e-mail that Royal Ambassador status is given to the top 1% of Ambassador members based on the number of Intercontinental properties they have visited and qualifying hotel nights during their Ambassador year. THEN THE VERY NEXT PARAGRAPH YOU SAY THAT THERE IS NO EXACT NUMBER OF NIGHTS REQUIRED.
Well, which of the above contradictory statements is in fact the case? Either it is given to the top 1% of Ambassador members, in which case there is an exact number (that may possibly change each month or year), or else it is not given to the top 1% of members, in which case it is just a completely arbitrary number? There has to be some number and it is completely frustrating as a member to try and meet goals that one does not know what they are. For instance you state:
"May we suggest to increase your stays at InterContinental Hotels and Resort prior to your account expiration date on 30 September 2009 in order to hopefully maintain your Royal Ambassador status for another year."
Hopefully maintain? Well I do have several Intercontinental stays that I am planning on making in the next few weeks (already booked reservations in my account). Is that going to be enough for me to maintain and thus have status extended to me again?
So which of the above is in fact the case? Currently, I should have 61 nights this Ambassador year at Priority Club hotels with 4 or 5 stays at Intercontinental properties; is this not in the top 1% of members?
If not, please let me know the numbers. If so, please review and renew my Royal Ambassador status so that I can continue on staying at Priority Club/IHG and Intercontinental hotels.
Thank you very much for your assistance and I await your response,
So that's where I am now, hopefully I get a good response and can post here soon.
It shouldn't be this hard