Originally Posted by
Luxuryloyalty
The invitations are not yet complete and continue in batches with the final communication reaching members before the expiry of 2018 Royal status on 31 January.
The reviews have been completed and members accounts continue to be amended over the coming weeks to reflect Royal Ambassador status for 2019. Invitations are reviewed and invited throughout the year based on revenue and behaviours by market. The number of invited members varies to ensure those members invited into Royal Ambassador receive recognition and the guaranteed benefits at InterContinental.
Royal Ambassadors who are downgraded receive complimentary Spire Ambassador and those members who decide to continue with Ambassador the following year retain Spire Ambassador for the life of their Ambassador membership. IHG Rewards Club Spire Elite is the top tier for stays across the IHG portfolio, whilst at InterContinental only Ambassador guarantees upgrades and 4pm check-out for an annual membership fee.
Unfortunately, some changes occur due to benefit abuse from a few that impact benefits for others. Was the complimentary minibar benefit designed to take home 70 miniature spirits and 7 bottles of champagne for a casual drink in your room during a 7-night stay or the 8 x 750ml spirit bottles from a premium suite in just 2 days?
understood, i don't disagree, on the flip side of that, we had multiple six month stays in Shanghai going back a few years, one year was 300 plus nights at the one IC, the Area GM overseeing the four IC's at the time (subsequently became Area GM for Dubai), an Aussie also, had worked for a director of my family's hospitality business at Crown Casino, and had a good relationship with him, we had second top category suite, one under Presidential, and other than maybe a bottle or two of water on a daily basis, nothing else was consumed, maybe the very odd beer or glass of wine for a guest visiting, so we did our best at those lengthy stays over several years to bring the RA mini bar average consumption down. Whilst the warm, and fuzzy feeling of "unlimited" will be missed, the USD50 credit will cover more than we would consume on any one night in any IC property, and i welcome the reintroduction of the food element being covered as a positive move. Importantly, the only concern wld be if it was a precursor to eliminating the benefit altogether, than wld be a tragedy for IC, as it is the unique selling proposition, and distinguishes RA program.