Just spoke to hotel - apparently lobby is now finished, Cookbook cafe reopen etc. On a worse note, the hotel seems to be getting stingier. Virtuoso benefits have apparantly changed and are now the same as before but you don't get the lunch - not so much changed as just watered down. I presumed when she said changed something would have taken the place of lunch, but the benefits now of room upgrade if available; free internet; club access are of little use to RAs booking anything more than an exec room, and with the higher rates than available online I'm not sure it's worth it anymore.

Also, I have made a booking for 11 months in the future. I asked for a specific view and was just told it wouldn't be possible to guarantee it. I mentionned which room I would prefer and was told that was a 1-bedroom suite and I had only booked exec room. As such, the upgrade is only to studio suite - the same as one would get as Ambassador. It just seems wrong that this is the case.