Originally Posted by
IAMORGAN
As someone else upthread said, YMMV, but I have also been an Amb for a similar time and all I can say is at InterCon hotels, they have always, bar 1 stay, given me a ‘proper’ upgrade and recognised my status. I get the sense Ambassador is trained for at IC hotels. Nothing in life is guaranteed (the test of that is what happens if you don’t get it, rather than the label ‘guaranteed’) but ICs do recognise you. As others have said, the minimum is a one category room upgrade. Keep in mind it’s a $200 status and manage your expectations and I think it is good value. The late 4pm checkout is in itself a very nice benefit.
I'm not sure what triggers the non-upgrade payment. I'd hope that it's where any upgrade is not to a
defined room category above the the one booked; though I imagine gas-lit upgrades still take place, and arguing the toss on arrival or a check-out would be messy. The city-view vs park-view at Mexico City's IC come to mind.
The Ambassador $200 programme is an odd concept. For other hotel programmes the equivalent to Ambassador membership is earned (mainly) through heavy use of hotels, rather than a cash payment to corporate. That must go a long way to convincing the likes of Hilton and Marriot hotels that it is in their wider interest to make status guess happy and comfortable.
IHG attempts to achieve the same goal by threatening its hotels with fines for non-compliance.
The RA programme works on the traditional lines of loyalty programmes, and the benefits are great, even though watered down from the programmes better days.
I left the Ambassador world when I lost my RA status: I rock along with Spire status for IHG's lesser brands, and I'm happy as a Hilton Diamond enjoying free breakfasts, upgrades and invitations to use executive lounges. OK, I no longer travel extensively in the US, where travels with Hilton would be less than stellar
