Crowne Plaza Jerusalem
What is your Priority Club status?
Platinum
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked standard room with points on a PointsBreak, upgraded to Club Room on 16th floor without Club access
How are the rooms?
The room was recently refurbished, with modern yet conservative decor. The room had a tiny balcony, which afforded a stunning view of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. The bathroom was also refurbished, but to a lesser quality (in my opinion). The toilet had a leak in the flushing mechanism which caused a constant, but minor stream of water to flow into the bowl. Did not affect our rest. There is a minibar, however we were outraged by a sign demanding $5 per night to store personal items in it!
How is the exec. lounge?
We didn't have access. It is essentially closed from Friday afternoon until Saturday night (the Jewish Sabbath), and our stay fell on that time, so the lounge would have been pointless anyway. From what I gather, on the Sabbath, they only leave out non-alcoholic beverages, with no food offerings.
What was good
-This is the tallest building in Jerusalem: stunning views.
-Nice upgrade on a points stay
-Offered drink+snack voucher upon check-in for being Platinum
-Overall helpful staff
-Bountiful breakfast, impressive dinner
What was bad?
-Audacity to charge $5 a night for storing items in minibar
-Parking costs about $10/night
-Meal costs are highway robbery level if not purchased as a bundle with the room ($55 per person for dinner, $30 for breakfast)
-Was not credited points for my spends, had to get IHG involved
Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Superb value for a PointsBreak. Would definitely return.
Personal notes:
IHG in Israel is known to be stingy with the upgrades and perks. It's best to email the hotel in advance and ask what you can expect to receive with your status. This particular hotel still has rooms that haven't undergone refurbishment. Those rooms are extremely poor value for your money and you must make sure not to get one!