Originally Posted by
TravelTheWorld66
I’ve been RA for 6 years. In 2019 I had 175 nights and $43,000 spend, but only $9000 spend at ICs. I was not renewed as RA.
I sent an email to Keith Barr and was contacted by an executive liaison. They reviewed my account and confirmed my downgrade to Ambassador. In my response I indicated that I would move ALL of my business elsewhere if I wasn’t RA (because there’s no point in staying with IHG otherwise) and they basically responded with “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”.
Sort of mirrors my experience, except Keith Barr neither replied nor did he request executive liaison to reply. A couple of hotel managers tried to elicit explanations but got nowhere.
The end result has been much as yours: 150-odd IHG nights (100+ IC) in 2018 became a handful of stays in 2019, only one at an IC. And that's not cutting my nose off - Hiltons often lack the style of an IC, but the HH programme is straightforward and transparent: generous in fixed benefits (outside the US!) and crystal clear about requirements for renewal.
My friendly hotel managers pledged to treat me as their very own RA, but i didn't feel comfortable with that.
I'll admit to feeling initial bitterness, well over a decade as RA gets you used to stuff. But I'm well over that now, and I've settled quite comfortably into Hilton's beds. But my professional interest is tickled by the perverse marketing strategy IHG is running.....