FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Please post your Royal Ambassador experiences (Archive Thread 2016)
Old Apr 27, 2016, 4:20 am
  #111  
scubaccr
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
IC HK

IC HK

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Was ok, just needed bed and shower access for bed+breakfast HKIA transit stay

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
o Booked = entry level room via ipad at reception at 23:30
o Received = 401 Superior Junior suite (after pushing for x01 as ALL unoccupied J/S rooms were already blocked for next days checkin, and I was being offered poorer rooms). I'd even already informed checkin clerk I had to leave 06.30 for 09:15 Flight so any room I received would definitely be freed up for early checkins if needed

How are the rooms?
First time I have not booked Harbour View Cat rooms upwards for minimum of a Deluxe J/S upgrade. Decided Dlx JS Was not worth the extra $$'s to me if only staying 0000-0630 in hotel this visit

Only downside of Superior J/S v Dlx J/S (other than views).. I had not realised the Superior JS Shower cubicle is not also a steam room like in the Dlx J/S + Exec Suite bathrooms. Really dissapointed as steam room so nice to relax and rejuvenate after/before long flights, really missed it.

How is the exec. lounge?
Due to checkin 0000 and taxi to HKIA 0700, just grabbed 0630-0700 breakfast.
Nice small steak from menu, with tomatoes from buffet table.
No hashbrowns, instead minature "bubble+squeaks". Asked staff member who bought my steak if this was a permanent switch and I was pleasantly suprised 7minutes later to get 4x Hash Browns bought out for me
Just shows the lounge staff do go the extra mile, maybe I was lucky as very few guests in lounge at 0640am

Did you receive a welcome gift?
No fruit, gift, water, no doubt as 2330 booking+checkin for my transit stay

How was the minibar?
one of the better stocked minibars, loads of contents, sodas/beers/water/juices/vodka/gin, plus drawer with whiskies and wine.


What was good and what was bad?

-Good
o IC-HK returned my items left in room on 11th Feb in just 15minutes. They held at my request rather than post to home (Europe) which they offered to do at hotels own cost back in February.
o My 2x wakeup calls 0545 and 0600 both prompt
o Club Lounge Desk and service staff are very helpful and good.

-Neutral
o Lounge access not coded to room card . Lounge staff recognised me as returning RA and letin, so no real issue, was not even asked for a room number.

-Bad
o No Ambassador desk staff at 2330 so dealing with std reception staff who are not quite as helpful (or possibly knowlegable)
o No drinks voucher, so got charged for all 3x loungebar beers (hk$100/beer instead of just two beers).
.... Got my own back I took that small frustration out on my rooms minibar beer/vodka contents

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
o This night ...or $1800++ on 0000-0630/0700 stay not really. HI Golden Mile was $880++ but I was already at IC-HK as I had to retrieve my suit-trowsers/belt left behind over Chinese NY stay.
o For both IC's I value points higher than paid rate (even for pricier IC-HK HV room) so always book paid rates. If as I think IC-HK is now 60k/night then paid option looks even better !

Would you return?[/QUOTE]
o Definitely when I get more use of room+lounge for the higher rates that IC-HK reservations cost
o For such a very short stopover, I would have used Marriott at Airport (despite zero status) if I had not needed to pickup my left item(s) at IC-HK
o For longer Kowloon 1nighter, probably IC-GS (1400++) or HI-GM ($900) rates/availability permitting beckon instead. I have not yet stayed HI-GM although Ido frequent their bar, HI-GS I have stayed a few times before for 1nighters
scubaccr is offline